175 replies to this topic

[BittenHeroes]

Well the last few days I've been reading through the big "coffee table" F1 2002/2003 yearbook that focuses on Ferrari's most dominant season in the sport.

It was an F1 year that I absolutely hated at the time, but another example of where, with hindsight all these years later, I look back on it in a new light.
I hadn't realised, for example, that Ferrari set up a whole new test team to work specifically for Bridgestone and solely to test the tyres throughout the entire year. That, apparently, was a very major factor in the Japanese company's success that year, despite the fact the other big teams were all by then running the Michelins.
I take my hat off to the way that Schumacher brought all these people together and the whole team and all their technical partners were working 'as one' and to such great record-smashing achievements. Yeah, it was tedious to watch, but you have to admire it nevertheless. Poetry in motion, you could say...
Also, 2002 brought some interesting other stories: Raikkonen coming in at McLaren and quickly giving DC a run for his money; the rivalry at BMW Williams between drivers; chaos still at Jaguar with neither driver speaking to the other and then both being sacked (along with the boss); Richards coming in at BAR and destroying JV's previously safe/comfortable set-up; Renault's big return and signs they were building something big for the future; the collapse of Prost in the pre-season and then of course Arrows mid-season; Jordan and Sauber introducing new 'crazy' young chargers who obviously had talent but lacked discipline; Webber and his dream debut for Minardi, who also introduced Malaysia's first/only GP driver as well as Davidson's debut in Hungary. Oh, and Toyota made their long-awaited race debut too...but they might as well not have bothered. 
All in all, perhaps it wasn't such a bad season after all. What are your memories of this season?

[Marklar]

All I remember from 2002 is Spielberg

[FullThrottleF1]

Was the annual autocourse?

[f1paul]

Let me put it this way. People think that this year have been bad, well the 2002 season was even worse. It was just Ferrari, Ferrari, Ferrari. I bet even Ferrari fans got bored of it. I remember when Schumacher won the French Grand Prix which was before the summer break and he also won the championship. I also remember the infamous 2002 Austrian Grand Prix and those final few laps and the formation finish in the US Grand Prix between the Ferrari drivers.  Apart from that nothing else stands out.

[BittenHeroes]

Was the annual autocourse?

No, this one: 

 

https://www.amazon.c...mula 1 yearbook

[wj_gibson]

For the first two or three races it looked like Williams might make a stab of at least a vague title challenge, but then Ferrari got on top of the car and that was it, really.

Feels like a very long time ago now.

Edited by wj_gibson, 28 December 2016 - 12:24.

[Radoye]

Let me put it this way. People think that this year have been bad, well the 2002 season was even worse. It was just Ferrari, Ferrari, Ferrari. I bet even Ferrari fans got bored of it. I remember when Schumacher won the French Grand Prix which was before the summer break and he also won the championship. I also remember the infamous 2002 Austrian Grand Prix and those final few laps and the formation finish in the US Grand Prix between the Ferrari drivers.  Apart from that nothing else stands out.

 

At least in the past three years we had the Mercedes teammate battle, making it more like 1988 in that regard. 2002 and 2004 one of the Ferrari drivers was contractually obligated to move over and let the other through. That was the time i was closest to give up on following F1, if i didn't do it then i'll likely never do it.

[GoldenColt]

I'm a Schumi fan but even for me 2002 was boring af.

[Ruusperi]

Bad season due to the total domination by Ferrari. Only 7 different podium finishers.

It was also the first season when gravel was replaced with tarmac in multiple tracks (Spa, Magny-Cours, Montreal, Silverstone, Interlagos).

 

Montoya, however, got 7 poles, so at least the qualifying was often exciting.

And there was the warm-up session, always liked that.

And the cars sounded fantastic, and Bernievision provided wonderful footage for the fans.

 

So, if you had F1 Digital, the Free Practice sessions and qualifyings were interesting to watch.

Edited by Ruusperi, 28 December 2016 - 13:23.

[RECKLESS]

I was initially excited for Räikkönen's McLaren debut but his DNF's and Schumi's dominant victory march was torture.
Bad season.

[TennisUK]

Probably the least interesting year I can recall.

[GSiebert]

I take my hat off to the way that Schumacher brought all these people together

I didn't know Schumacher acted as a team director as well.

[ensign14]

Basically Ferrari had all the money and the FIA in their pocket.  McLaren couldn't bring the fight because they had lost Hakkinen and Paul Morgan, and the two technical advantages they had over Ferrari had been banned because Ferrari couldn't get them to work. 

 

And it was also very obvious that nobody was ever going to be allowed to race Schumacher.  Montoya tried it at Malaysia and Schumacher chopped him.  Then punted him.  Yet it was Montoya that got penalized.  FIArrari again.  Barrichello then beat Schumacher at Austria but had to give him the win.

 

A joke of a season.   

[ilferrari]

One of the worst F1 years ever. Each weekend was Ferrari-Ferrari, Williams-Williams, done. Cars were easy to drive and boring to watch. At the end of the year, the man who caused the problem (Max Mosley with his rule changes from 1998) blamed the competitors:

 

[ilferrari]

Clive James: Why formula one is finished for me

 

A 2002 article from one of F1's most famous fans.

[scheivlak]

Bad season due to the total domination by Ferrari. Only 7 different podium finishers.

It was also the first season when gravel was replaced with tarmac in multiple tracks (Spa, Magny-Cours, Montreal, Silverstone, Interlagos).

 

Montoya, however, got 7 poles, so at least the qualifying was often exciting.

And there was the warm-up session, always liked that.

And the cars sounded fantastic, and Bernievision provided wonderful footage for the fans.

 

So, if you had F1 Digital, the Free Practice sessions and qualifyings were interesting to watch.

And here in NED we had at least the additional fun of Tom Coronel as a commentator on Sport1, an unabated Montoya fan ;-)

 

But it was not a great season. The San Marino GP is a candidate for most boring GP ever and even Suzuka was a total borefest.

 

Only really decent races were the Malaysian GP - a lot happening and the Montoya/Schumi collision obliging them to go on in full attack mode  -, the Austrian GP (at least the first 20 laps or so) thanks to Montoya and Verstappen, and the British GP with a frantic fight in the opening stages between - again - Montoya and Schumi and a charge from Kimi at that stage. Additional fun at the British GP was provided by Felipe Massa spinning again and again, and the clowns who made the tyre gamble at McLaren.

[Kristian]

It was a pretty dire season in racing terms, although off-track was indeed interesting. 2004 was much much better on-track, despite another year of Ferrari domination. 

 

It was so bad, this was the year that drove Max to suggesting his driver swapping idea. 

 

i did feel at the time that F1 was on the brink of going down the toilet, but luckily 2003 rescued the sport somewhat. 

[P123]

2002.... Fairly forgettable, save for some JPM moments and a comically partisan stewarding decision in Malaysia where it was deemed rightful to punish those driven into by a red car.

[SenorSjon]

At least in the past three years we had the Mercedes teammate battle, making it more like 1988 in that regard. 2002 and 2004 one of the Ferrari drivers was contractually obligated to move over and let the other through. That was the time i was closest to give up on following F1, if i didn't do it then i'll likely never do it.

 

So 2014-2016 had a teammate battle... interesting. The current scoring systems flatters a lot I guess.

 

 

One of the worst F1 years ever. Each weekend was Ferrari-Ferrari, Williams-Williams, done. Cars were easy to drive and boring to watch. At the end of the year, the man who caused the problem (Max Mosley with his rule changes from 1998) blamed the competitors:

 

 

Again, 14-16 were much worse imo. Teams lining up perfectly.

 

 

Clive James: Why formula one is finished for me

 

A 2002 article from one of F1's most famous fans.

 

 

He missed spygate, singapore 2008 and many other F1 stupidities.

[ensign14]

 

Clive James: Why formula one is finished for me

 

A 2002 article from one of F1's most famous fans.

 

 

Eloquent as ever.  But James is dead wrong regarding Peterson.  Ronnie was nowhere near Mario's level in 1978.

[Ickx]

[...]

I hadn't realised, for example, that Ferrari set up a whole new test team to work specifically for Bridgestone and solely to test the tyres throughout the entire year. That, apparently, was a very major factor in the Japanese company's success that year, despite the fact the other big teams were all by then running the Michelins.[...]

 

Though a major reason for the other teams jumping to Michelin was the unique relationship between Ferrari and Bridgestone where they exchanged engineers in order to customize the tyres to the car, and vice versa.

[Massa_f1]

I am a big Schumacher fan but 2002 was a poor year for F1, I cant even recall that much of it. 2004 although similar style of domination was much better.

[superden]

The 2002 season?

Expunged from memory, long ago.

[scheivlak]

 

 

Again, 14-16 were much worse imo. Teams lining up perfectly.

 

 

2002 (FER-FER-WIL-WIL-MCL-MCL-REN-REN) is more "perfect" than 2014 or 2016.

 

Only 2015 beats it.

[Radoye]

So 2014-2016 had a teammate battle... interesting. The current scoring systems flatters a lot I guess.

 

Compared to Ferrari 2002-2004, certainly. After all, in 2014-2016 both Mercedes drivers won Championships, while at Ferrari 2002-2004 one was contracted to move over for the other at all times.

[PlatenGlass]

Worst I've seen. Worse than 1992, worse than 2004 and worse than these years of Mercedes domination.

[messy]

Worst F1 season ever. Absolutely no redeeming features at all. Horrific. Ferrari ridiculously far ahead, Schumacher ridiculously far ahead. Schumacher winning the World Championship after about four races. After that he drove with his foot half off the gas, playing with the rest of the field, letting Barrichello win here and there.....that bit was even worse. Montoya would often get on pole, but you knew he had no chance to win the next day. There were a couple of talking points, but far less than any other year.

Flat, uninteresting, rubbish 'racing', zero competition.

[Atreiu]

It was boring from beginning to end. I'm trying hard to find something I liked about it but I can't.

[Radion]

If my merrory serves me right, freaking Toyota denied Kimi's first win at the French-GP. 

 

       

[Silverstone96]

Fondly actually, for the first time I went to 3 gp's in a season: Silverstone, Magny Cours and Spa - France was actually the best experience, great atmosphere and witnessed history.

The f1+ on sky was way ahead of its time and even now still more advanced than sky's own current coverage, it helped make some truly dull races interesting.

But despite the cars being spectacular to witness in person the racing itself was a major disappointment, namely Williams not stepping up to the plate.

Montoyas run of poles were probably my highlight although despite the massive car advantage M.schumacher still drove one of his best ever seasons never off the podium.

The f2002 was the most dominant Ferrari there has ever been, rightly earned its place alongside the 88 mclaren and 14-16 Mercs.

Not a classic season but it was the height of schumacher success

[FullThrottleF1]

It did give us this though:

 

[SonnyViceR]

The tracks were still (mostly) authentic and punishing, calendar not yet entirely based on money, wet races existed, cars were fast and cool looking/sounding, no spec tires, less other spec components, no DRS, unlimited testing, warm-up, showed live on free to air TV networks. Also Minardi still existed. So infinitely better than anything we've seen this decade, even if the races themselves were just as boring.

Edited by SonnyViceR, 28 December 2016 - 18:31.

[ConsiderAndGo]

Appallingly bad season. Much worse than the recent Merc dominated years.

Only season, if I remember correctly, where I didn't bother tuning in for the final third of the season.

[Yamamoto]

I remember Coulthard winning at Monaco and Montoya being on pole quite a lot.

[f1paul]

The fact that there's no classic grand prix from the 2002 season on Sky Sports shows that there was no great races. 

[Laster]

Well I was 15 and a die hard Rubens fan back then. So all I really remember was Austria, his race wins, and disappointment at seeing him unable to take the fight to Schumacher.

[Silverstone96]

The fact that there's no classic grand prix from the 2002 season on Sky Sports shows that there was no great races.

Malaysia is often included in their merry go around of about 12 races from the last 30 years

[Francesc]

I remember Sato's massive save at 130r. Or McNish crash there...

[wj_gibson]

11 of 17 races in Europe. The calendar still looked like it had in 1975. 2003 would be the last hurrah of that.

[Zmeej]

It was a sickening farce.

 

ensign14's post nails the primary reasons.

 

Will add that

- Rubens Barrichello reached astounding depths of self-abasement;

- the US GP, where Schumi & Ferrari got booed after running a race with hardly anybody else on track, was the symbol of the nadir which the sport had reached.

[wj_gibson]

Are you not getting confused with the 2005 US GP?

Edited by wj_gibson, 28 December 2016 - 22:25.

[MikeV1987]

Cool cars but a farce of a season, ensign14 summed it up perfectly.

Edited by MikeV1987, 28 December 2016 - 22:27.

[wj_gibson]

Adrian Newey was really absent in those latter years with McLaren. It was interesting that after he was pulled away from that Jaguar move by Ron Dennis, he never produced any more title winning McLarens, just messing around with extreme concepts in 2003 and 2004 for fun. That was a major part of Ferrari's utter dominance in that period. He never lost it, as we saw with Red Bull, he just couldn't be arsed at McLaren any more.

Edited by wj_gibson, 28 December 2016 - 22:31.

[BullHead]

That Schuey Barrichello switch in Austria was handled so poorly. The race weekend as a whole though I enjoyed.

[Kristian]

Are you not getting confused with the 2005 US GP?

 

Well they did try to orchestrate a dead heat, which just shows how bored they were... 

 

Though many say it was Schumacher giving Rubens the win for Austria, but he'd never admit it. 

Edited by Kristian, 28 December 2016 - 22:45.

[wj_gibson]

Wasn't there a theory that Schuey was just doing the formation finish thing except that it hadn't been discussed and therefore Barrichello managed to win the race by accident after realising what was happening a fraction too late? Either way, it was profoundly embarrassing.

[Synkro89]

Hmm i remember watching the season opener with ralf flying up into the air over barichello and Webber getting that minardi in the points apart from that it was the Shummy show.

[Vettelari]

I look back on it as a necessary evil that brought us my favorite F1 season of all time in 2003.

I had hoped 2014 would result in 2015 being similar in that way. I was wrong.

Hopefully the dreadful 2014-2016 seasons will bring us another 2003 type season in 2017...

[discover23]

I remember Williams (Montoya) was very fast over a single lap - JPM had a bunch of poles - but they were no where Ferrari over a race distance. 

[HillHamiltonButton]

Ferrari and Fischicella...I mean, THAT race in Brazil almost makes up for the fact much of the season was dull to watch cause Schumacher was so far ahead of everyone else, but yeah.