25. Ferrari F1-2000
Years Used: 2000
Wins: 10
Championships: 2000
Drivers' & Constructors'
The Ferrari F1-2000 was the challenger that Ferrari had
built for the 2000 season. Ferrari had hired Rubens Barrichello to replace the
outgoing Eddie Irvine while Michael Schumacher was returning for his fifth year
at Ferrari. The season started in wonderful fashion for the team as Schumacher
won and Barrichello finished second in the season opening Australian Grand Prix
after the two McLaren's had retired. Schumacher continued to have success as he
won the next two races while Barrichello only managed a retirement and a fourth
place finish at those two races. Schumacher was finally defeated at the British
Grand Prix as he finished third and then at the Spanish Grand Prix he was in
contention for the win but a poor pit stop dropped him to fifth while Barrichello
managed to finish on the podium in third. Schumacher returned to his winning
ways at the wet European Grand Prix but then retired from the lead in Monaco.
He then rebounded by winning another wet race in Canada. Barrichello was able
to score consistent points throughout these races including two second place
finishes. Schumacher then went into a slump as he retired from the next three
races which drastically closed up the championship chase while Barrichello
scored two straight third place finishes and then claimed his first career
victory at the German Grand Prix. Schumacher finally managed to finish again as
he finished second at the next two races but then ended the season strongly as
he won the last four races of the year which included a 1-2 finish for Ferrari
at the United States Grand Prix. Schumacher's success allowed him to claim the
first Drivers' Championship for Ferrari since 1979 and the strong results of
Barrichello throughout the year allowed the team to retain its Constructors'
Championship from the previous season.
24. Tyrrell 002/003
Years Used: 1971-1972
Wins: 9
Championships: 1971
Drivers' & Constructors'
The Tyrrell 002 driven by Francois Cevert and the Tyrrell
003 driven by Jackie Stewart were the both the same car just a different chassis
number. The car was raced through the 1971 and 1972 seasons. Cevert debuted the
car at the 1971 South African Grand Prix and retired from the race while
Stewart debuted his version of the car at the next race which was the Spanish
Grand Prix. Stewart won his first two races in the car while Cevert was still
struggling to score points. After a disappointing Dutch Grand Prix, Stewart
came back and won the three following races while Cevert managed two second
place finishes which gave the team two 1-2 finishes. Stewart then had two
consecutive retirements while Cevert picked up a podium with a third at the
Italian Grand Prix but Stewart then rebounded by winning the Canadian Grand
Prix. Cevert then ended the year on a high note by winning his first career
race at the United States Grand Prix. Over the year Stewart managed to almost
double the points of anyone else to secure his second Drivers' Championship
while Tyrrell scored its first ever Constructors' Championship. 1972 started
off just as strongly for Stewart as he won the first race of the year in
Argentina but he then retired from the next two races as Cevert had still not
scored any points. Cevert finally scored his first points of the year with a
second place finish at the Belgian Grand Prix while Stewart finally picked up
his second win of the year at France. Stewart scored his last points in the 003
at the British Grand Prix with a second place finish and then used the car one
last time at the German Grand Prix in which he only finished eleventh. Cevert
continued to use the car over the next few races but was not able to score any
more points.
23. Alfa Romeo 159
Years Used: 1951
Wins: 4
Championships 1951
Drivers'
The Alfa Romeo 159 was an updated version of the 158 the
team used to win the first ever Formula 1 Championship the previous season. The
team started the 1951 season where it left off 1950 at the season opening Swiss
Grand Prix. Alfa Romeo took four of the first five positions in the race led by
Juan Manuel Fangio taking victory. At the Belgian Grand Prix, defending
champion Giuseppe Farina took victory for Alfa Romeo by almost three minutes
over the Ferrari of Alberto Ascari but he was the only Alfa Romeo to score
points. The following French Grand Prix continued the success of Alfa Romeo as
Fangio and Luigi Fagioli shared victory for the team. The victory for Fagioli
made him the oldest driver to ever win a Grand Prix. Farina also brought home
more points for Alfa Romeo with a fifth place finish. Alfa Romeo was defeated
for the first time at the next race for the first time at a World Championship
race excluding the Indianapolis 500. This streak continued over the next two
races however Alfa Romeo finished on the podium at all three races. Heading
into the season ending Spanish Grand Prix Fangio was fighting Ascari for the
championship but was able to hold him off as he won the race and took home his
first of five Drivers' Championships. Farina made it a double podium for the
team with a third place finish. The team later announced they were pulling out
of Formula 1 after the 1951 season and would not defend its title.
22. McLaren MP4/13
Years Used: 1998
Wins: 9
Championships 1998
Drivers & Constructors'
1998 saw some changes in the regulations to Formula 1 and
McLaren took advantage of this. This was the first McLaren that Adrian Newey
had full input to the design. At the season opening Australian Grand Prix, the
McLaren cars were the class of the field as Mika Hakkinen led David Coulthard
home for a 1-2 finish as both McLaren drivers lapped the field. McLaren's
success continued over to the next race in Brazil as Hakkinen led home another
McLaren 1-2 as the two drivers won by over a minute. The team was finally
defeated at the next race in Argentina but they were still able to score points
with both cars including a second place finish by Hakkinen. McLaren returned to
the top after this by winning the next three races. Coulthard won in San Marino
and Hakkinen won in Spain and Monaco including a 1-2 finish at Spain. The team
suffered a bit of a difficult stretch over the next three races though as they
had a double retirement in Canada followed by a third by Hakkinen and sixth in
Coulthard in France and then Hakkinen finished second at the British Grand Prix
while Coulthard retired. The team rebounded as Hakkinen led home a 1-2 finish
for them at the next two races but they then hit another difficult stretch as
they only scored one podium over the next three races. This put Hakkinen in a
tie for the Drivers' Championship with the Ferrari of Michael Schumacher but
Hakkinen came back to win the Luxembourg Grand Prix as Coulthard finished third
and then both drivers scored the same result at the season ending Japanese
Grand Prix. This was enough for Hakkinen to hold off Schumacher in the Drivers'
Championship and the team had enough points to win the Constructors'
Championship as well.
21. Lotus 72
Years Used: 1970-1975
Wins: 20
Championships: 1970
Drivers' & Constructors', 1972 Drivers' & Constructors', 1973
Constructors'
The Lotus 72 was introduced into Formula 1 for the first
time in 1970 at the Spanish Grand Prix in which John Miles did not qualify and
Jochen Rindt retired from the race. At the 1970 Dutch Grand Prix, Rindt won the
first race for the Lotus 72. This started a streak of four consecutive
victories for Rindt. Both Lotus 72 cars retired at the Austrian Grand Prix
although Rindt qualified on pole. At the next race the Italian Grand Prix
Jochen Rindt was tragically killed in the qualifying session but he scored enough
points throughout the year to win the Drivers' Championship. The team withdrew
from the race and sat out the next race in Canada but returned for the United
States Grand Prix. At this race Emerson Fittipaldi took his first career win in
just his fourth race and Reine Wisell finished 3rd in his first career race.
This was the first time two Lotus 72 cars finished on the podium. The car had a
more difficult season in 1971 as it did not win any races during the
championship although Fittipaldi had a 2nd and two 3rd place finishes. 1972 saw
an improvement for the Lotus 72. Lead driver Emerson Fittipaldi retired from
the season opening Argentine Grand Prix but recovered to finish 2nd at the next
race in South Africa. This started a string of six straight podium finishes for
Fittipaldi including three wins. Neither Lotus 72 finished in Germany but
Fittipaldi recovered to win the next two races after that. The season did ended
with two races without any points but Fittipaldi and the team had done enough
to win the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships for the year. 1973 started
out strongly for Fittipaldi as he won the first two races in the year.
Fittipaldi followed this up with a 3rd in South Africa, a win in Spain, another
3rd in Belgium, and a 2nd in Monaco. The second Lotus 72 of Ronnie Peterson
also finished 3rd in Monaco and followed this up with a 2nd in his home race in
Sweden. Peterson then continued his strong form with a win in the French Grand
Prix as Fittipaldi started a streak of three consecutive retirements. At the
Austrian Grand Prix Peterson scored his second win of the year and then
followed this up with another win at the Italian Grand Prix as Fittipaldi
finished 2nd. Fittipaldi finished 2nd again at the Canadian Grand Prix and then
Peterson followed this up with a win at the season ending United States Grand
Prix. Neither Fittipaldi or Peterson scored enough points throughout the year
to win the Drivers' Championship but the two combined for enough for Lotus to
win the Constructors' Championship. Fittipaldi left for McLaren at the end of
1973 which left Ronnie Peterson as the lead driver. The Lotus 72 did not win
its first race of the year until the sixth race in Monaco by Peterson. Peterson
went on to win two more races during the year in France and Italy but the team
only scored enough points to finish 4th in the Constructors' Championship.
Lotus used the 72 for one more year in 1975 and the team had a difficult
season. Jacky Ickx scored the only podium for the car during the season with a
2nd place in Spain. The Lotus 72 was finally replaced at the end of the 1975
season after sustaining success during the first half of the 1970s.
How do you feel about the cars ranked on this list? Do you
think any of these should be any higher or lower? Please share your opinion in
the comments section below. Also don't forget to check back next Tuesday as we
reveal the next 5 cars on the list.
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