When Rubens Barrichello Beat Michael Schumacher by 0.011 Seconds to Win the 2002 US Grand Prix

Photo finishes in F1, or any race for that matter, are always cool for the cameras. However, the emotions behind the helmets of drivers often remain undisclosed in these otherwise iconic moments. Take the 2002 US Grand Prix for instance, where Rubens Barrichello got what was arguably one of the most memorable wins in his career.

The Brazilian driver’s teammate Michael Schumacher, who had gotten the pole position, was dominating the majority of the race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway that afternoon. He was under no threat whatsoever, and Barrichello was behind; a Ferrari 1-2 looked all but certain.

In the end, it was a Ferrari 1-2, but the other way around. How? Schumacher slowed down on the final lap of the race, to allow Barrichello to get close to him and allow for a photo finish, which baffled many.

For some time, the 125,000 fans in the speedway, Barrichello, Schumacher, the commentators, and even team personnel, had no idea who would stand on the top step of the podium. That was until ‘cutting edge technology’ from 2002 determined that Barrichello had won the 2002 US Grand Prix — by 0.011 seconds.

It was one of the closest finishes in F1 history, and although it created a memorable moment, there was a lot of controversy after the race.

Did Schumacher actually slow down?

Schumacher, after the race, insisted that he hadn’t taken his foot off the pedal. However, that statement didn’t settle the matter. Other teams on the grid, including his former boss Eddie Jordan accused Ferrari of issuing team orders, which for context, was illegal in the sport back then.

Ferrari team principal Jean Todt was adamant that the team had nothing to do with what happened on the track, and what Schumacher did was purely his own choice. F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone wanted Schumacher to end the controversy by going public and admitting to making a mistake on the final stretch — something Schumacher of course, didn’t do.

But why did Schumacher slow down? While he never really admitted to it, or gave a reason why he lost to Barrichello in Indianapolis that day, fans recalled the 2001 Austrian GP, where Barrichello was forced to give up a win to his teammate to favor his title challenge.

Likely — making for a fairytale payback — this was Schumacher’s way of saying ‘thank you Rubens’.