Season 1, Episode 1, 2000 – One king overthrows another

To mark the holiday season, FanF1 presents a short winter series looking back at the most memorable championships of the 2000s. It begins at the turn of the millennium, at the height of the rivalry between Häkkinen and Schumacher.

The dominance of Williams and Benetton had faded, giving way to the McLaren-Mercedes and Ferrari duopoly. The 1998 and 1999 seasons saw thrilling title battles that went down to the wire, a trend that had been established since 1996. Mika Häkkinen delayed Ferrari's resurgence by winning two world championships. He had to beat a determined Michael Schumacher in 1998, then face a surprise challenger, Eddie Irvine, the following year after the Red Baron's injury at Silverstone. Even then, Adrian Newey's genius was already evident in the McLaren-Mercedes cars. But 2000 marked a turning point, allowing the classic duel between Häkkinen and Schumacher to blossom fully. Consistency: the deciding factor In the early 2000s, reliability was far from today's standards and mechanical failures were frequent. Schumacher took advantage of two key factors: the sheer speed of his superb F1-2000 and Häkkinen's occasional setbacks. He won the first three races, while his Finnish rival only managed second place at Imola in the third round. Under the old points system, Schumacher led 30-6. However, Häkkinen had not said his last word. The two-time champion still believed he could challenge the man who dreamed of a title in red. Schumacher's dream start quickly collapsed: a retirement in Monaco foreshadowed a championship where the slightest mistake could be fatal. McLaren responded at the French Grand Prix.

A very close mid-season Schumacher had a comfortable lead, always maintaining at least a ten-point gap (the value of a victory) over his rivals. The French Grand Prix proved decisive when an engine failure forced him to retire. This race also saw David Coulthard return to the title race, alongside newcomer Rubens Barrichello at Ferrari.

The rivalry between Schumacher and Coulthard provided endless suspense: an unsuccessful first attempt by the Scot, compounded by Schumacher's aggressive defense, and a spectacular attack in Adelaide that the German was unable to counter.

Schumacher then suffered three consecutive retirements—in France, Austria (eliminated by Ricardo Zonta at the start), and Germany (eliminated by Fisichella)—each in the first lap. Barrichello's breakthrough The German Grand Prix was the most electrifying race of the season. The old Hockenheimring, with its long straights and few chicanes, was very different from the current layout, which only those over the age of 20 remember today. A protester who crossed the track triggered a safety car period, inadvertently benefiting Rubens Barrichello, who had qualified in 18th position. While Häkkinen and Coulthard were running on intermediate tires, Barrichello stayed on dry grooved tires, a gamble that paid off. The Brazilian held off the McLaren attack to claim his first victory in seven seasons, an emotional win for Ferrari. With six races to go, the top four drivers were separated by just ten points, a remarkable situation. Häkkinen's mastery of overtaking The 2000 season will be remembered for one of the most iconic overtakes in modern F1. At the Belgian Grand Prix, the title battle between Schumacher and Häkkinen reached its climax. Häkkinen attempted a daring maneuver on Schumacher, who was slowing down, using pure downforce and cunning. With two laps to go, Ricardo Zonta, driving an underperforming BAR-Honda, was on the Kemmel straight. Schumacher attempted a last-minute feint on the outside, but Häkkinen took the inside line and secured a brilliant victory, a move that was replicated by Ocon, Vettel, and Gasly in 2022. Deliverance For Schumacher, the sheer speed of the F1-2000 proved decisive, especially as McLaren suffered numerous reliability issues. He won nine races to Häkkinen's four, but the Finn's consistency kept him in contention for a third title. Schumacher finally lifted Ferrari out of the curse that had haunted the team since Jody Scheckter's title in 1979. Although Maranello missed out on the constructors' championship in 1999, the future seven-time champion's joy underscored the relief felt throughout the Red Barn. The confrontation at Suzuka turned into a desperate battle for Mika Häkkinen, who pushed his car to the limit in order to remain in contention for the Malaysian Grand Prix, which closed the season. In the end, Michael Schumacher crossed the finish line first, sealing his victory. This race marked the end of one of the most famous periods in Formula 1: the intense German-Finnish rivalry that inspired a whole generation of drivers and fans. More importantly, it marked the beginning of Schumacher's relentless domination, an empire that would only collapse in 2005.