Christian gives Matta crowned champion of series CART after securing the triumph in round 16 of the season, in the streets of Miami and imposing a new record in the category of seven triumphs in a year. Record that can extend still more considering which they reduce three dates more of calendar 2002.
The Brazilian of the Newman/Haas equipment put finishing touch to one season that not yet concludes, but that if it has belonged to him totally and in this way is almost a fact that will be in escudería Toyota of Formula the 1 next year.
It gives Matta, of 29 years of age, moved away of the accidents and with an excellent strategy in pits he is the new king of series CART, but that was not everything for the Newman/Haas equipment, because secondly the Brazilian Christian Fittipaldi finalized also, that also will leave the series in 2003 to venture itself in the series Busch de Nascar.
Thirdly in the streets of Miami the American Jimmy Vasser finalized, who became the pilot whom more ambles she executed during the day. For east Vasser result represented the best thing of the year until the moment.
This it is the return of a title for the Newman/Haas equipment, because his previous champion was Nigel Mansell, in 1993. It gives Matta back left to the mark of six triumphs in a single year imposed by Alex Zanardi and Juan Pablo Montoya (who gave banderazo green in this race).
“Beginning sixth he did not hope to gain the race, but other pilots committed errors and we no, something that repeated in several occasions this season”, said Gives Matta, that besides the prestigious Vanderbilt Glass, gained 1 million dollars. “One feels wonderful to gain the championship, is almost impossible to describe, but gaining the today race he causes that it is still better”.
They completed the six first places: Alex Tagliani, Dark brown Junqueira, who stays in the second general place and the Mexican Michel Jourdain, that a record for its equipment imposed as well, the one of greater consecutive races in the points.
They completed the zone of points, in the seventh position, Adrián Fernandez, Michael Andretti, Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti, Mario Domínguez and Paul Tracy.
The race began with one immediate yellow flag, after which Serbian the Oriol Spanish lost his car in the starting return. That was profiteer by Mario Domínguez to enter pits, in search of a good strategy.
The race was started again in return five, without changes in the six first. Dixon pressed of aggressive way to Kanaan, but the Brazilian protected itself very well. Nevertheless everything changed in return 19, when Scott tried to surpass it and Tony closed the door, took place a contact and was everything for the New Zealander.
The penalty came to Kanaan by the maneuver on Scott and Cristiano in end, that was the moment when he put to the first site and with him the triumph would come.
In return 68 the car of Shinji Nakano began to catch fire. In the report of the equipment it is mentioned that the Japanese was with burns of first and second degree, in the hands.
Tracy maintained a great passage in the sharpshooting group, but the wall grazed and in this way it lost places and performance in the car, was turn 75, of the 105.
Fittipaldi and Franchitti had a rubbing that commanded to Dario to the rims of curve three in return 90. Only five turns later Franchitti underwent problems in the suspension.
Vasser continued his you escape and already it was fifth, and in the 97 Tracy skidded, Michel could not avoid it and it was hit with the Canadian, goodbye to his possibilities of podium. The Mexican fell and only he could recover the sixth position.
Of the 18 that took to only 11 did it rolling, and of them, five in the return of only Give Matta.
Still they lack three races in the year, where the fight will be by the subchampionship.
In the points: It gives Matta is champion with 212, Dark brown Junqueira adds 143, Dario Franchitti 129, Patrick 115 Carpentier and Christian Fittipaldi with 114.

To see result of the race