2000 heralded another season packed full of exciting Formula One action. Ferrari wasted no time putting the pressure on McLaren, underlining just how competitive they had become. Michael Schumacher’s early dominance threatened to conclude the championship before it had really begun. But once McLaren found their form first David Coulthard and then Mika Hakkinen challenged for the title.
Appropriately 2000 was a landmark year. Williams BMW employed the youngest ever British driver, twenty-year-old Jenson Button, who helped catapult the team high in the contructors championship. Big cats Jaguar opened their first Formula One season, hoping to follow on from previous success in sports car racing. Their optimism was soon stifled. finally, the US hosted its first Formula One race for nine years, attracting the biggest spectator crowd the sport has witnessed in recent times.
The season saw a wave of emerging talent such as Pedro de la Rosa (Arrows), and notably Jarno Trulli (Jordan), who ran strong at the Nurburgring and Monaco respectively. But no one looked close to challenging the sport’s contemporary stars Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) and Mika Hakkinen (McLaren).
With the aid of Ferrari’s master strategist Ross Brawn, Michael Schumacher’s persistence and determination won him nine races. Early rumours that Hakkinen has lost motivation were quashed after a gripping race in Spa, where the Finn pulled off one of the most sensational overtaking manoeuvres in memory.
WBy the penultimate race in Japan, Schumacher only needed one more win to clinch the championship title for the third time. Mika was a super competitor throughout the season, but will undoubtedly be remembered for his gentlemanly attitude after Michaels triumph.