Nostalgia

F1's greatest cars: Ferrari F2002

Piloted by Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello, the Ferrari F2002 is one of the most successful F1 cars of all time.

How do you make something good even better? That's exactly what Ferrari was tasked with ahead of the 2002 F1 season. Having won three constructors' championships and two drivers' titles in a row, Ferrari had to design a car that could carry on its winning streak.

In came the F2002, which exceeded its predecessors by a country mile. Powered by a 900-bhp V10 engine, Ferrari's 2002 challenger scored 15 wins, 28 podiums, 11 poles and 15 fastest laps over a period of 19 races (including four in '03).

Such was Ferrari's dominance in 2002 that it scored 221 points (only 10 points were awarded to the winner until 2009), more than the rest of the field combined.

Moreover, Schumacher was able to clinch the drivers' crown by the 11th race of the season, a record that stands till date.

The credit for the success of the F2002 goes to Ferrari Designer Rory Byrne and engine head Paolo Martinelli, who collectively designed the car under the leadership of technical chief Ross Brawn.

The F2002 is considered to be an innovative evolution of the F2001, featuring a new, lighter transmission system that lowered the centre of gravity considerably. A more compact design led to gains on the aerodynamic side.

The Scuderia also didn't compromise the development of the car. By starting the 2002 season with a modified version of the previous year's machine, it was able to devote more time for its new challenger.

The strategy worked wonders: Schumacher was able to win the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and finish third in Malaysia with the old car, before switching to the brand new F2002 in Brazil.

At the Interlagos circuit, Schumacher who edged out brother Ralf to give the new car a winning start. The F2002 would go on to become a dominant force, winning all but one race of the year (Monaco was the only exception).

In total, Schumacher won 10 races with the F2002 in 2002, with Barichello adding another four to the tally.

And there was more to come the following year. A modified version of the car, christened as the F2002B, was raced in the opening four races of the 2003 season. After a few difficult outings, then five-time world champion Schumacher gave the car a perfect farewell by winning on its last race in San Marino.