2002 Ferrari F2002

By 2002, Ferrari’s axis of power – shaped by Rory Byrne, Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher – had gone full supersonic. The F2002 was dominant – too much unless you were wearing red – as Schumacher clinched his third Ferrari title and equalled Juan Manuel Fangio’s tally of five at the French Grand Prix in July.

This chassis is the winner of three GPs, with six podium finishes, and was driven by both Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello. It set the template for strangulating success in Formula 1 that both Mercedes and Red Bull would eventually follow.

Taken from Simon Taylor’s Modern Times, Motor Sport, September & October 2002 

We’re all fed up with Michael Schumacher monotonously winning F1 races: but it’s still quite something that he tied up the title after barely 2000 of the season’s 3200 racing miles. It’s another Schuey record for the short-term statisticians to trumpet. Of course, in 1952-53 Alberto Ascari’s Ferrari won every single championship race over a period of more than 12 months. But, in the context of modem F1, Schumacher’s run of success – nine wins in 12 races – is certainly a substantial achievement.

Post-race in France, his predictable speech of thanks to the whole Ferrari organisation was saved from being trite because it was visibly heart-felt. And that’s just as it should be (although it’s hard to imagine, in the rather less touchy-feely atmosphere of 25 years ago, new champion Niki Lauda publicly telling his Ferrari mechanics that he loved them). With today’s technology, the complex rolling design and development programmes and the endless testing, the 100 minutes or so of motor race each fortnight is merely the visible tip of a 24/7 iceberg. There is a veritable army of specialists who can take personal pride in Schumacher’s title, even if they’re not as well paid as he is.

So Schumacher’s real achievement is not just in winning the races. It’s in being the sharp end of a substantial organisation, whose multiple levels of personnel are all united in a single aim. Whatever their role, they all work towards giving him the car that his prodigious ability deserves. And the network extends beyond Maranello. Although Ferrari, unusually in F1, builds its own engines, there are many loyal outside suppliers: chief of these is Bridgestone, who can take much credit for keeping Juan Montoya at bay.

For me, the defining moment of this Formula One season came on lap 72 of the Hungarian Grand Prix. With both drivers’ and constructors’ titles effectively locked away, Ferrari’s only remaining task is to ensure Rubens Barrichello is runner-up. So Barrichello was told to win the race and Michael Schumacher to finish second, and this they duly did with predictable ease. Soon the red cars were so far in front that they were able to ease right off, circulating comfortably in the 1min 19sec bracket.

Then, with five laps to go, Michael Schumacher suddenly did one lap in 1min 16.2sec. It was easily the fastest of the race – Ralf Schumacher’s best that day was 1min 17.7sec, Coulthard’s 1min 17.2sec. It was quite unnecessary for Michael to do that balls-out lap. But he wanted to remind everyone that, even when obediently following orders and staying in second place, he is world champion because he is the fastest driver on the grid. On an afternoon which had brought another demonstration of Ferrari superiority, it was Michael’s own demonstration of Schumacher superiority. All rather depressing, for in one single lap it summed up the story of 2002.

Ferrari F2002

Year 2002
Designer Rory Byrne
Races 19
Wins 15
Podiums 28
Poles 11
Fastest laps 15