FERRARI F2002

   The triumphant run that the “reds” from Maranello enjoyed in 2001, securing both world titles well ahead of schedule, did nothing to lessen the hunger for victory at the home of the Prancing Horse. For the 2002 season, Sporting Director Jean Todt fully confirmed the fantastic team of technicians already seen at work on the previous F2001. Technical Director remained the Lancashire-born Englishman Ross Brawn, while Chief Designer was the South African Rory Byrne. Italians Ignazio Lunetta, Aldo Costa, and Marco Fainello were respectively in charge of Research & Development, Chassis Design, and Vehicle Dynamics. The crucial aerodynamics department was still in the hands of Greek Nikolas Tombazis and young Englishman James Allison, while Italian Paolo Martinelli and Franco-Moroccan Gilles Simon were again responsible for the design and development of the new and powerful V10 Tipo 051.

Ferrari F2002, Michael Schumacher
Suzuka, Japanese GP 2002

   At the start of the season, the new engine produced around 835 horsepower at 17,800 rpm. In qualifying mode, however, it could reach 900 horsepower at 19,000 rpm, but to ensure durability and reliability, performance was limited during races, where it still produced 865 horsepower at a maximum of 18,600 rpm. Thanks to its particularly low center of gravity, the Italian V10 guaranteed excellent handling for the car. The new 051 engine was not the most powerful of 2002, being outperformed by the BMW P81 V10 used by the Williams team, which produced 940 horsepower, but it was lighter, more compact, and highly efficient in fuel consumption and power delivery. The new F2002 was not simply an evolution of the successful Ferrari F2001 but a completely revolutionary model incorporating many technologies never seen before.

Ferrari F2002, Rubens Barrichello
Nürburgring, European GP 2002

   Since the late ’90s, Ferrari had used the same basic concept and gearbox design. Although this gearbox had helped secure both Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles from 1999 onwards, the technical team pushed further with a new version. The new gearbox casing was made from ultra-light, high-strength titanium and designed without the clutch inside the casing itself, enabling ultra-fast gear changes while reducing weight by up to 15% and increasing rigidity. The compact design also allowed significant advances in the rear diffuser design, improving the car’s aerodynamic efficiency. However, the extent of the gearbox redesign delayed aerodynamic development, which initially failed to deliver the same performance gains as the new mechanicals. Ferrari therefore chose to continue development for another two months, only introducing the F2002 from the third round of the 2002 season. In the meantime, they used the previous year’s F2001 chassis, albeit with many aerodynamic updates, and the new 051 engine. Another major innovation alongside the new gearbox was the redesigned rear suspension, made more compact with upper and lower wishbones spaced just a few centimeters apart to avoid disrupting airflow from the car’s underside. The suspension mounting points to the chassis were also brought closer together. Small horizontal deflectors protected the rear suspension from exhaust heat, as the F2002’s design combined hot air outlets with the exhaust exit, which now pointed horizontally instead of upward.

Ferrari F2002, Michael Schumacher
Montecarlo, Monaco GP 2002 

   The new F2002 looked as if it had been shaped by the wind, with smooth, rounded lines and virtually no sharp edges. Compared to the F2001, its sidepods were longer because the cockpit had been moved forward to accommodate a larger fuel tank. The sidepods were thus bulkier at the front and lower and narrower at the rear. The bargeboards in front of the sidepod air intakes were much larger than those of the F2001 and featured a particularly pronounced curve. The nose of the F2002 was further raised, as the aerodynamic flow was optimized by the exhaust gas extractor effect, but it did not differ substantially from that of the previous car. In terms of livery, the new F2002 sported the classic Rosso Corsa with white wings, while a new sponsor appeared on the car, telecommunications company Vodafone. Both German champion Michael Schumacher and Brazilian Rubens Barrichello were confirmed as drivers, while long-time test driver Luca Badoer was joined by young Brazilian Luciano Burti. After securing a first and a third place in the first two races of the season with the updated F2001, Michael Schumacher switched to the new F2002 from the third Grand Prix onwards and began an embarrassing-for-his-rivals streak of podium finishes. The German stood on one of the top two steps of the podium in every race of the season, winning 10 times and finishing second 5 times, missing the top two only in the second round in Malaysia, where he still finished third in the old F2001. Barrichello also contributed greatly, with 4 wins, 5 second places, and 1 third, helping Ferrari secure their third consecutive Constructors’ Championship with 221 points, exactly the same as the combined total of all other teams.

Ferrari F2002, Rubens Barrichello
Monza, Italian GP 2002

   The 2002 season remains in history as one of absolute dominance by a single team, comparable to McLaren’s feat in 1988. Nine 1-2 finishes, five of them consecutive, and Schumacher’s 11 wins in a single season (a record at the time) allowed the German to clinch the title as early as July at the French Grand Prix, the 11th round of the championship. The F2002 is still considered one of the most successful Formula 1 cars ever, achieving 15 wins from 19 starts, 11 pole positions, and 15 fastest laps. It even contested the first four races of the 2003 season, so outstanding was its performance. In 2019, the F2002 with chassis number 219 was auctioned by RM Sotheby’s in Abu Dhabi for £6,643,750, the highest price ever paid at the time for a Formula 1 car.