FERRARI F1-2000

   The most successful decade in Ferrari’s Formula 1 history began in 2000, the year when the World Championship title returned to the hands of a Ferrari driver for the first time since Jody Scheckter’s triumph back in 1979. The new Ferrari F1-2000 was developed by a brilliant team of engineers under the expert guidance of Team Manager Jean Todt. The team still included Ross Brawn as Technical Director, Rory Byrne as Chief Designer for the car, and Aldo Costa, who designed the chassis. Giorgio Ascanelli remained in charge of Research and Development, Marco Fainello, who had joined the staff in 1999, continued in his role as Head of Vehicle Dynamics, and Nikolas Tombazis was again responsible for Aerodynamics. From this season, however, he was joined by young British engineer James Allison, hired from Benetton where he had worked in the crucial field of vehicle aerodynamics, and who would later design the 2024 Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 W15.

FERRARI F1-2000, Michael Schumacher
Montecarlo, Monaco GP 2000

   On February 7, in Maranello, with FIAT Group Chairman Gianni Agnelli and Ferrari President Luca Cordero di Montezemolo in attendance, the veil was lifted on the new car. From the very start, the F1-2000 gave the impression of being a well-born machine, with meticulous attention to both aerodynamic and technical details. At first glance, it didn’t appear radically different from the previous F399, but the F1-2000 featured an aerodynamic design developed and refined entirely in Maranello’s wind tunnel for the first time. Tombazis discovered that increasing airflow under the car enhanced the aerodynamic load at the rear diffuser. The nose retained a very high shape, and the front wing, with its two stacked arrow-shaped flaps, reflected the car’s detailed aerodynamic research. Byrne’s touch was especially evident in the refinements applied to the chassis. For the 2000 season, the FIA imposed minimum dimensions on the monocoques to ensure maximum safety. Ferrari’s engineers managed to achieve the same level of excellence while creatively interpreting the regulations: they added two ribs along the upper edges of the monocoque, allowing the chassis to meet legal dimensions only in those areas, thereby improving aerodynamic penetration across the rest of the surface. The sidepods were redesigned to accommodate a new radiator layout, and the padding around the driver’s head was sculpted to allow better airflow toward the rear wing.

FERRARI F1-2000, Michael Schumacher
Hockenheimring, German GP 2000

    However, the true revolution came from the engine: the new 2997 cc Tipo 049 V10, the result of work by 135 engineers coordinated by Engine Technical Director Paolo Martinelli and Chief Engine Designer Gilles Simon. The new V10 was smaller (around 600 mm in length) and about 10 kg lighter than its predecessor, weighing in at 102 kg, comparable to the rival Mercedes FO110J, thanks to the use of special aluminum alloys and precise micro-casting processes. In addition to the weight reduction, a significant innovation was the lowering of the center of gravity by widening the cylinder bank angle to 90°, abandoning the previous 80° architecture. This allowed for a 25 mm reduction in cylinder head height, benefiting the car’s aerodynamic shape by reducing drag. The new Ferrari V10 now delivered 810 hp at 17,600 rpm in race trim and could be pushed to 17,900 rpm in qualifying, reaching around 820 hp. Despite the major changes, the 049 engine remained a benchmark for reliability in the 2000 season, with only one failure all year, suffered by Schumacher in France.

FERRARI F1-2000, Michael Schumacher
Montréal, Canadian GP 2000

   Thanks to the compact design of the new power unit and the relocation of the oil tank inside the fuel tank, the engine cover became more streamlined, improving rear-end aerodynamics. The gearbox casing was further stiffened; it remained a seven-speed semi-automatic sequential unit with electronic control, paired with a new carbon multi-plate clutch. On launch day, both official drivers were present: the confirmed two-time World Champion Michael Schumacher and new recruit Rubens Barrichello from Brazil, along with third driver Luca Badoer from Italy. Schumacher’s words in hesitant Italian, “we have to be able to win from the start”, proved prophetic. After early pre-season tests showed the F1-2000 was significantly faster than the F399, Ferrari’s drivers achieved a one-two finish in Australia, immediately highlighting the strengths of the new car: honest, easy to set up, and above all, very fast.

FERRARI F1-2000, Rubens Barrichello
Hungaroring, Hungarian GP 2000 

   Mid-season, however, a resurgence from the Silver Arrows made it clear to Ferrari that nothing could be taken for granted. Yet the strength of the Scuderia in 2000 lay in its ability to overcome difficulties without internal strife, united in pursuit of a goal that now seemed within reach. Ferrari’s pit wall, orchestrated by Technical Director Ross Brawn, became a true strategic asset during the season, capable of adapting race strategies in real time, adjusting pit-stop timing based on weather conditions and traffic. Their clarity in responding to changing circumstances was unmatched. By season’s end, the F1-2000 had won 10 of the 17 races, 9 by Schumacher and 1 by Barrichello, in Germany, on a Sunday that began with the shock of Schumacher’s retirement due to a first-lap crash. The title was clinched early in Japan when Schumacher crossed the line first, just under two seconds ahead of his McLaren rival Mika Häkkinen. Thus began a magical cycle of success that only the modern-day Mercedes team would manage to replicate and surpass.