Ferrari F2001

The Ferrari F2001 was a highly successful Formula One car that the Ferrari team competed with for the 2001 Formula One season. The chassis was designed by Rory Byrne, Aldo Costa and Nikolas Tombazis with Ross Brawn playing a vital role in leading the production of the car as the teams Technical Director and Paolo Martinelli leading the engine design. A revised version known as the F2001B was used in the first two races of 2002 before being replaced by the F2002.

Ferrari F2001

Category	Formula One
Constructor	Ferrari
Designer(s)	Ross Brawn (Technical Director) Rory Byrne (Chief Designer) Aldo Costa (Head of Design) Marco Fainello (Head of Vehicle Dynamics) Nikolas Tombazis (Head of Aerodynamics)
Predecessor	F1-2000
Successor	F2002
Technical specifications
Chassis	Moulded carbon fibre & Honeycomb composite structure
Suspension (front)	Independent suspension, pushrod activated torsion springs
Suspension (rear)	Independent suspension, pushrod activated torsion springs
Length	4,460 mm (176 in)
Width	1,800 mm (71 in)
Height	1,100 mm (43 in)
Engine	Ferrari Tipo 050 , 3.0 L (3,000 cc; 183 cu in) , 90° V10, naturally-aspirated, mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout
Transmission	7-speed semi-automatic sequential Limited-slip Differential gearbox + reverse
Power	825 horsepower (615 kW) @ 17,300 rpm[1]
Weight	600 kg (1,323 lb)
Fuel	Shell Fuel
Lubricants	Shell Lubricant
Brakes	Carbon brake discs, pads and calipers
Tyres	Bridgestone BBS Racing Wheels : 13"
Competition history
Notable entrants	Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro
Notable drivers	1. Michael Schumacher 2. Rubens Barrichello
Debut	2001 Australian Grand Prix
Races Wins Podiums Poles F.Laps 20 10 26 13 3
Constructors' Championships	2001, 2002
Drivers' Championships	2001, 2002

Michael Schumacher driving the F2001 at the 2001 Canadian Grand Prix.

Overview

The F2001 was designed around new regulation changes which mandated a higher-mounted front wing assembly to reduce downforce. This resulted in a distinctive 'droopsnoot' nose section and spoon-shaped front wing. The season also saw the re-introduction of traction and launch control systems, therefore the car and its suspension were designed with this in mind.[2]

Being somewhat of a departure over previous Brawn/Byrne Ferrari designs, the car was based more on McLaren's design thinking. A test with the 2000 car-which featured a high nose-that was adapted to the new regulations made that design impractical, so a low nose was adopted instead.[3] However, the car did feature Ferrari trademarks, such as the periscope exhausts pioneered by the team in 1998 and the small bargeboards which were a feature of its predecessors. The F2001 used the same basic gearbox and internal layout as its predecessors, however the aerodynamic efficiency and tyre wear were improved considerably over the F300 (1998), F399 (1999) and F1-2000 (2000).[4]

Setting up the car proved easier, and it was faster than the rival McLaren MP4-16, but the Williams FW23—although aerodynamically inferior—was fitted with the massively powerful BMW engine, which was more than a match for the Ferrari power unit. The Ferrari was notably more reliable than either of its rivals however.[5]

Season performance

The season would turn out to be easy for Michael Schumacher, who took nine victories and his fourth world championship—scoring a then-record 123 points. He also surpassed Alain Prost's record for most Grand Prix wins during the year.[6] He failed to finish only twice, but his teammate Rubens Barrichello had the lion's share of bad luck and looked poised to take wins himself, being hindered only by unreliability. All the while, Ferrari won its third straight Constructors' Championship.

The car was updated before the season finale in Japan, ostensibly to test 2002 components in race conditions. The updated F2001 was still competitive at the beginning of the 2002 season and Schumacher took the car's final win at the Australian Grand Prix before it was replaced by the all-conquering F2002 from the third race (only for Schumacher) and fourth race onwards (for Barrichello).[7] Overall, the F2001 took ten wins, thirteen pole positions, three fastest laps and 197 points throughout its lifespan.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Entrant	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Points	WCC
2001	Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro	Ferrari 050 V10	B		AUS	MAL	BRA	SMR	ESP	AUT	MON	CAN	EUR	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	USA	JPN	179	1st
				Michael Schumacher	1	1	2	Ret	1	2	1	2	1	1	2	Ret	1	1	4	2	1
				Rubens Barrichello	3	2	Ret	3	Ret	3	2	Ret	5	3	3	2	2	5	2	15	5
2002	Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro	Ferrari 050 V10	B		AUS	MAL	BRA	SMR	ESP	AUT	MON	CAN	EUR	GBR	FRA	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	USA	JPN	221*	1st
				Michael Schumacher	1	3
				Rubens Barrichello	Ret	Ret	Ret

* 14 points scored with the F2001

References

1. https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/formula1/f2001
2. Thorn, Dan (16 February 2019). "On This Day In F1 - Traction Control Was Made Legal Because It Was Too Hard To Police". WTF1. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
3. "Ferrari F2001". www.f1technical.net. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
4. "The Atlas F1 2001 Teams Preview". atlasf1.autosport.com. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
5. "2001". www.williamsf1.com. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
6. "Michael Schumacher becomes most successful driver in F1 history". formula1.ferrari.com. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
7. "Australian GP: Ferrari preview". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 28 January 2020.

External links