15. Williams FW18
Years Used: 1996
Wins: 12
Championships: 1996
Drivers' & Constructors'
The Williams FW18 was the design the team used to compete in
the 1996 season and was by far the class of the field. The team dominated the
first race of the year as rookie Jacques Villeneuve looked to be on for a win
on his debut until he was hurt by a problem in which he was losing oil. This
allowed team mate Damon Hill to take victory but the gap Williams had over the
rest of the field still allowed Villeneuve to take 2nd place. Hill won again at
the next two races which also included a 1-2 finish at the Argentine Grand
Prix. The following European Grand Prix saw Villeneuve take his first career
victory which was followed by another win for Hill at the San Marino Grand
Prix. Williams did not win for the first time all year at Monaco as both cars
retired and then at the Spanish Grand Prix only Villeneuve was running at the
end and he finished in 3rd. The Williams team rebounded however as Hill led
home a 1-2 finish for the team at both of the next two races which started a
streak of five consecutive wins for Williams in which Hill won three times and
Villeneuve twice. Williams was defeated again at the Belgian Grand Prix as
Villeneuve finished in 2nd while Hill was 5th and then at the Italian Grand
Prix neither Williams scored points. The team came back in Portugal as
Villeneuve led home a 1-2 finish for the team which set up a title decider in
the final round between Hill and Villeneuve. At the Japanese Grand Prix
Villeneuve was forced to retire as a wheel fell off his car which allowed Hill
to clinch the title while the team had already sealed the Constructors'
Championship.
14. McLaren MP4/5
Years Used: 1989-1990
Wins: 16
Championships: 1989
Drivers' & Constructors, 1990 Drivers' & Constructors'
McLaren debuted the MP4/5 at the beginning of the 1989 season
which was also the first season in the ban of turbo engines. McLaren had two of
the greatest drivers of all time in the team with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost
and the car did not disappoint. Although McLaren did not win the first race of
the season Senna won the next three races while Prost finished in 2nd place for
two of those. After this Prost then won three of the next four races while
Senna had three retirements to close the championship up. After Prost's streak
Senna came back to lead home a McLaren 1-2 at the German Grand Prix. McLaren
was then defeated at the Hungarian Grand Prix but Senna was still able to
finish 2nd while Prost finished 4th. Senna followed this up by leading home
another McLaren 1-2 at the Belgian Grand Prix. Prost then won in Italy and then
finished 2nd in Portugal while Senna retired from both races. Senna then won
the Spanish Grand Prix while Prost finished 3rd which set up a classic title
decider for the end of the season. Senna qualified on pole for the Japanese
Grand Prix but Prost got the jump at the start and took the lead. Late in the
race Senna tried to pass Prost but the two collided which put Prost out of the
race. Senna went on to win but was later disqualified for receiving a push
start which handed the win to Benetton driver Alessandro Nannini. This
disqualification clinched the title for Prost. Both McLaren drivers did not
finish the last race in Australia but the team had more than enough points to
win the Constructors' Championship. McLaren returned in 1990 with a B version
of the chassis but Prost had left for Ferrari and was replaced by Gerhard
Berger. The team was not as dominant as in 1989 but was still quick enough.
Senna started by winning the first race of the year and then both McLaren
drivers finished on the podium at the next race in Brazil. Berger then finished
2nd at San Marino while Senna retired but Senna then won the next two
consecutive races. At the next three races the highest finishing McLaren was
only in 3rd place until Senna won again at the German Grand Prix. Senna then
finished 2nd at Hungary but then won the next two races as Berger finished 3rd
in both. Following a 2nd place finish for Senna in Portugal and a double
retirement for McLaren in Spain another classic title decider was st up. At the
Japanese Grand Prix Senna qualified on pole with Prost 2nd but Prost got the
jump at the start as he did the year before. This time however the two drivers
collided heading into the first turn knocking both drivers out of the race
which this time handed the title to Senna. The team had also racked up enough
points throughout the year to win the Constructors' Championship as well.
13. McLaren MP4/2
Years Used: 1984-1986
Wins: 22
Championships: 1984
Drivers' & Constructors', 1985 Drivers' & Constructors', 1986 Drivers'
The McLaren MP4/2 was powered by a TAG Porsche turbo engine
and was one of the most dominant cars in Formula 1 during the 1980s. The car
debuted in 1984 and had instant success as Alain Prost won the car's first race
in Brazil. The next race in South Africa was even more successful for McLaren
as Niki Lauda won in the other McLaren but Prost followed behind in 2nd. Both
McLaren cars retired from the next race but then Prost won the following race
in San Marino followed by Lauda in France and then Prost in Monaco. Neither
McLaren won in Canada but they still managed to have Lauda finish 2nd then
Prost in 3rd. Neither McLaren finished on the podium at the next two races but
following that McLaren won every race the rest of the season. Lauda and Prost
alternated wins at the next six races to set up a title decider between the two
drivers at the Portuguese Grand Prix. Prost won the race but Lauda finished in
2nd to score enough points to claim the title by just one-half point which is
the smallest margin of victory in Formula 1 history. The domination of the
McLaren also allowed the team to clinch the Constructors' Championship as well.
For 1985 McLaren returned with an updated version of the MP4/2 and while the
car was not as dominant it was still the best in the field. The year started
with a win for Prost in Brazil but the team did not get any podiums the next
two races until Prost finally came back with a win in Monaco. As for Lauda a
retirement in Monaco started a stretch of five consecutive retirements for him.
Prost finished in 3rd at the Canadian and French Grand Prix and then was
finally back on top at the British Grand Prix. Prost finished 2nd at Germany
and then finally won again at Austria. This was followed up by Lauda taking his
only win of the season and last of his career at the Dutch Grand Prix as he was
closely followed by Prost in 2nd. Prost returned to the front at the Italian
Grand Prix but this was to be the last win for the team in 1985. Despite not
winning any of the last four races Prost still was able to manage to win his
first Drivers' Championship while the team once again won the Constructors'
Championship. The team used another updated of the MP4/2 for one last year in
1986 and the team had another successful season. Prost was retained but Lauda
had retired and was replaced by Keke Rosberg. The team was not able to win as
many races throughout the year with Prost winning all four but this was enough
for Prost to retain the Drivers' Championship. Rosberg struggled during the year
however as he only finished on the podium once and McLaren was defeated in the
Constructors' Championship. Despite this the McLaren MP4/2 still has a
fantastic record over its three year lifespan.
12. Lotus 25
Years Used: 1962-1967
Wins: 14
Championships: 1963
Drivers' & Constructors', 1965 Drivers' & Constructors'
The Lotus 25 is one of the most important cars in Formula 1
history as it was the first car to implement a monocoque chassis. The car
debuted in 1962 and lead driver Jim Clark was able to bring the car home for
three victories in its first season. This was not enough for Clark to win the
Drivers' Championship or the team to win the Constructors' Championship as they
finished 2nd in both. In 1963 Clark had one of the most dominant seasons in Formula
1 history. He only finished 8th in the first race but after that finished on
the podium in every race the rest of the year. This included him winning the
next four races until he was finally defeated by finishing 2nd at the German
Grand Prix. Clark returned to the top at the next race in Italy which was
followed by a 3rd place finish at the United States Grand Prix but Clark ended
the year strong by winning the last two races. the dominant season by Clark
carried him to his first career Drivers' Championship while Clark almost single
handily carried Lotus to the Constructors' Championship. Clark started out 1964
strong by winning two of the first three races while Peter Arundell finished
3rd in a Lotus 25 in the first two races. Clark won once more at the British
Grand Prix and then ran a few races in the Lotus 33. The results were not
enough for Clark to retain his title or for the team to retain their title as
well. Clark used the Lotus 25 just once in his 1965 title winning season at the
French Grand Prix and took victory. The Lotus 25 was used over the next few
years until 1967 by privateers but no significant results were achieved by
those private entrants.
11. Ferrari F2001
Years Used: 2001-2002
Wins: 10
Championships: 2001
Drivers' & Constructors', 2002 Drivers' & Constructors'
The Ferrari F2001 was designed by Ferrari to be its
challenger for the 2001 season and the car was the most dominant that year. The
year started out by lead driver Michael Schumacher winning the first two races of
the season while team mate Rubens Barrichello was also on the podium at both
races. Schumacher came close to another victory in Brazil but finished 2nd
while Barrichello brought home another podium with a 3rd in San Marino.
Schumacher returned to the top with a win at the Spanish Grand Prix and this
was followed with a 2-3 finish for the team at the Austrian Grand Prix led by
Schumacher. The team did even better at Monaco as Schumacher led home a 1-2
finish which was followed by a 2nd place by Schumacher in Canada but Schumacher
then managed to win the next two races. The team then had another 2-3 finish at
the British Grand Prix while Barrichello brought home another podium with a 2nd
at the German Grand Prix. At the Hungarian Grand Prix Schumacher led home
another 1-2 for Ferrari as he clinched his fourth career Drivers' Championship.
At the next race in Belgium Schumacher won again to break the record for most
career Formula 1 wins. Both Schumacher and Barrichello then scored a 2nd place
finish each at the next two races and then Schumacher won again at the season
ending Japanese Grand Prix. The high level of success throughout the season
allowed the team to also win the Constructors' Championship as well. The team
continued to use the F2001 at the beginning of the 2002 season as they
continued to develop the 2002 car. The car was still competitive as Schumacher
won the season opening race in Australia and then finished 3rd at the Malaysian
Grand Prix until finally being replaced.
How do you fell about the cars in these rankings? Do you
think any of the cars are out of place? Please feel free to share your thoughts
in the comments section below. Also don't forget to check back next Tuesday as
we reveal the next five cars in our rankings.
No comments:
Post a Comment