This blog post is written in memoriam to my father, who would turned 76 today. The Canadian Grand Prix of 2000 is one ofthe best races me and my father ever watched on the Television. I can still feel the thrills when it started to rain during the race, I became so excited because there was an Orange F1 car on the track, with a driver wearing an orange helmet, rocking the field.
It’s the 18thof June 2000, when the Grand Prix of Canada is held on Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. Both Pedro de la Rosa and Jos Verstappen qualified their Arrows A21 within or near the top 10. Remember back in 2000 only the top6 was able to score points! Opportunities were there to end up in the points,with a bit of luck and a couple of DNF’s it would be easy. Before the start there was a chance on rain during the race.
During the Grand Prix in Canada, also EURO 2000 was held in Europe, Jos Verstappen wore an special designed orange helmet during the race to supportour national team, who eventually lost the game against Italy with penalties. That Sunday I sat on the couch with my father,me with a coal and my father with a beer and chips and cheese on the table.Probably I was wearing some Orange Arrows T-shirt and some Orange Arrows or Benetton cap from Jos Verstappen. I guess you can call me still a dedicated Jos Verstappen fan today.
During the start of the race Verstappen was able to pass some drivers and gain some more places a couple of laps later. During round 39, as I recall, raindrops started to fall on the track. This is the moment my Formula One heart began to pump only adrenaline, moreover when Verstappen made on time his pit stop and departed with wet-weather tyres. The best choice soon after his stop Jos Verstappen shown all the drivers on the track in Canada who was the real boss. He managed to pass several drivers and at lap 48 Verstappen battled with Alexander Wurz for the sixth place.
Six or five laps later he managed to pass Wurz and quickly drove away from the Austrian driver to his next pray, Mika Häkkinen in his McLaren. I still remember, actually feel, the excitement and the proud at that point. I never saw my father this excited for a Formula One race, as he was cheering loudly when he saw Verstappen driving in the rain.
Sadly the Grand Prix in Canada was almost near its end. Jos the Boss was able to come closer to Mika Häkkinen but he could never form a threat for the 4thplace Häkkinen was on. For personally the race at Canada in 2000 is one of the best Grand Prix I’ve seen. In particularly that my father and I shared the same emotion and were both proud on Verstappen’s results during the race. Moreover it shown the potential of the Arrows A21.What if the 2000 season was held in today?
I’m glad I watched the Canadian Grand Prix with my father, and this is the first race I actually can remember have these feelings. There are more Grand Prix like in Interlagos ’95 where Verstappen did something with the Simtek S951that was impossible. Or with the Arrows in 1996.
