One car to rule them all
I remember getting quite bored with F1 in 2002. It wasn’t Ferrari’s fault – they were just doing their job – but after the new F2002 arrived in Brazil (making a late debut in the third round) Michael Schumacher and teammate Rubens Barrichello went on to finish one-two nine times in the next 14 races. Between them they won every race bar one after Brazil, and Ferrari’s constructors’ points total was equal to that of the other 10 teams combined. It was a truly miserable season to be driving anything except this Ferrari.
The F2002 was designed by South African Rory Byrne, whose motto was ‘evolution not revolution’. Clearly Byrne ignored his own advice in 2002, because – despite winning titles in 1999, 2000 and 2001 – the F2002 was a risky, radical departure. The biggest change was the ultra lightweight new gearbox made from titanium, reducing weight and lowering the centre of gravity. This gearbox was somehow ‘fused’ directly to the engine,
without any bellhousing. I have no idea how they did that (superglue?) but it meant fewer parts, a lower centre of gravity and lower sidepods for better aero. The F2002 also introduced exhaust ‘chimneys’, the suspension and steering were new, and the uprights were cast in a new carbon-alloy matrix, replacing the titanium uprights found on the F2001. Apparently they were double the price but saved 200 grammes.
The car was quick straight away. ‘I had a good feeling the first moment I was driving the F2002,’ Schumacher told the press, ominously, after breaking the lap record at Fiorano at his first attempt. A week later he tested the car again at Mugello, alongside the new Ferrari-engined Saubers. Schumacher was over two seconds quicker than Heidfeld and Massa. Not two seconds at the end of the session – I mean two seconds per lap.
Once the season got into its stride, the records tumbled. Altogether Schumacher won a record 11 races in one season, finishing on the podium in every single race. He secured the world title in France with six races to go – the earliest conclusion ever – with a record 67-point margin over his team-mate. His fifth title also tied him with Juan Manuel Fangio as the most successful driver in history.
One of the very few things that spiced up that predictable season was the controversy over team orders. Early in the year, in Austria, Barrichello was asked to relinquish the lead and let Schumacher win for the sake of his title bid. Rubens did it blatantly, after the last corner of the last lap. On the podium Schumacher pulled Barrichello onto the top step and gave him his trophy – it was embarrassing, and the FIA fined the team.
Then, in the penultimate race in Indianapolis, Schumacher decided to repay Barrichello with equal clumsiness, slowing at the chequered flag to let Barrichello win by a 0.011-second whisker. They were toying with us. The F2002 was that good.
2002 was a truly miserable season to be driving anything except this Ferrari