The 2001 Brazilian Grand Prix (formally the XXX Grande Prêmio Marlboro do Brasil) was a Formula One motor race held on 1 April 2001 at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo, Brazil. It was the third race of the 2001 Formula One season. The 71-lap race was won by McLaren driver David Coulthard after starting from fifth position. Michael Schumacher finished second in a Ferrari with Nick Heidfeld third for the Sauber team. The race was Coulthard's first win of the season, and the result meant he reduced the lead of Schumacher in the Drivers' Championship to six points along with moving up to second place, 10 points ahead of Rubens Barrichello. McLaren reduced the lead to Ferrari in the Constructors' Championship to 15 points, with 14 races of the season remaining. Background The Grand Prix was contested by 22 drivers, in eleven teams of two. The teams, also known as constructors, were Ferrari, McLaren, Williams, Benetton, BAR, Jordan, Arrows, Sauber, Jaguar, Minardi and Prost. Tyre suppliers Bridgestone and Michelin brought five different tyre types to the race: two dry compounds and three wet-weather tyres. Going into the race, Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher led the Drivers' Championship with 20 points, ahead of Rubens Barrichello and David Coulthard who were tied for second on ten points each. Heinz-Harald Frentzen was fourth on five points with Nick Heidfeld in fifth with three points. In the Constructors' Championship, Ferrari were leading with 30 points; McLaren were second on eleven points. Jordan and Sauber were third and fourth with five and four points, respectively, with Williams fifth on two points. Ferrari and Michael Schumacher had so far dominated the championship, winning the previous two races. Championship competitors Barrichello and Coulthard had both achieved second- and third-place podium finishes. Following the Malaysian Grand Prix on 18 March, the teams conducted testing sessions at the Circuit de Catalunya between 20–23 March to prepare for the upcoming Brazilian Grand Prix at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace. Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer set the quickest times on the first day, ahead of McLaren's test driver Alexander Wurz. Badoer remained-fastest on the second day. Marc Gené, the Williams test driver, stopped on track with a mechanical failure which brought a brief halt to testing. Michael Schumacher was fastest on the third day of testing. Seven suspensions were required as several drivers were afflicted by car problems or spinning