Ferrari F1-2000 - 2000 European Grand Prix - Schumacher

The car that delivered a first FIA Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship to Maranello in twenty-one years, the Ferrari F1-2000 holds a special place in the heart of all Tifosi. 2000 was a record-breaking year for Ferrari in many ways but, most significantly, signified the start of the team’s famed golden era. Driven by Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello, who replaced the outgoing Eddie Irvine, the F1-2000 earned 10 victories and 170 points in a single season, a feat Ferrari had never achieved before despite all of their previous successes.

The car was a direct development of the previous year’s F399 that secured Ferrari their first Constructor’s Championship for sixteen years, still featuring a high nosecone and a single keel front suspension. However, the F1-2000 received some significant upgrades over its predecessor, particularly with its front-end aerodynamics. The car’s shape spoke volumes about the enormous amount of research that had gone into improving the lines and the surfaces to make it more efficient. Ferrari’s engineers also put in a lot of effort to lower the car's centre of gravity, even relocating the brake callipers to the bottom of the disc rather than being positioned vertically halfway up the brake disc. Most progress was made with the redesign of the Tipo 049 engine, as the cylinder bank angle was widened to 90°, resulting in a lower centre of gravity and increased stiffness as well as a better firing balance and more power.

The 2000 season proved an emotional rollercoaster for the Tifosi, up against a very strong McLaren team with Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard as drivers. A wonderful start saw Schumacher take three straight victories in Australia, Brazil and San Marino, following up with a further podium in Britain and a points finish in Spain. Further victories followed at the Nürburgring and in Canada, sandwiched around a disappointing retirement in Monaco after an exhaust issue. Barichello, meanwhile, was performing well during this time, scoring multiple podiums and consistent points, helping the team to 1-2 victories in Melbourne and Montreal.

July was disastrous for Schumacher, however, retiring in three consecutive races in France, Austria and Germany. However, Barrichello saved his team's face with two podiums and his first Formula 1 success at the end of a thrilling wet race in Hockenheim. Schumacher returned to form, claiming second place in both Hungary and Belgium, but Häkkinen claimed both victories, giving the advantage to McLaren in both Championships with just four races remaining. Next up was Ferrari’s home race in Italian Grand Prix at Monza, which marked the start of an extraordinary run for Schumacher: four consecutive poles and four straight wins to seal his third World Drivers' Championship, and Ferrari’s first in two decades, in Japan with one race still to go. Ferrari crowned a brilliant season with the Constructors’ title at the final race in Malaysia, Barrichello fittingly rounding off the podium after a fantastic contribution to the team in his first season.

Overall, the Ferrari F1-2000 earned ten victories, eleven further podiums, ten pole positions and five fastest laps, scoring 170 points and securing both the World Drivers’ Championship and World Constructors’ Championship.

This fine 1:8 scale model of the Ferrari F1-2000 perfectly replicates the car Michael Schumacher drove to victory at the Warsteiner Grand Prix of Europe, held at the Nürburgring on the 21st of May 2000. Leading up to this sixth race of the season, Schumacher and Ferrari were leading the Championship standings and eager to maintain their momentum. In qualifying, David Coulthard expertly navigated the cool, wet conditions to secure pole position in his McLaren-Mercedes, with Schumacher starting in second place ahead of the other McLaren of Mika Häkkinen and teammate Rubens Barrichello. Häkkinen made a quick getaway, stealing in-between the front two and taking the lead into the first corner, surviving light contact with Schumacher’s Ferrari as both passed the slow starting Coulthard. The McLaren was unable to pull away from the German, who maintained pressure on the Finn, slipstreaming past him on lap 11 for the lead as both drivers dealt with deteriorating conditions. As the rain intensified, Barrichello seized the initiative on the increasingly slippery surface, passing Coulthard for third. In clear air, Schumacher extended his lead to five seconds in just two laps, before the first round of pit stops for wet tyres. The leaders both suffered frustrating stops, Schumacher losing three seconds to a fuel nozzle delay, whilst Häkkinen was stationary for ten seconds due to issues fitting the right-rear wheel. Schumacher returned to track ahead of Coulthard, who had pitted a lap ahead, whilst Häkkinen dropped to fifth position. Barrichello, who stayed on dry tires a lap longer, slipped to ninth after his pit stop. Schumacher firmly withstood an attack from Coulthard before pulling away from the Scotsman, who soon let his teammate through to keep strong pressure on the lead Ferrari. Schumacher made his final stop on lap 35, whilst McLaren attempted an overcut strategy by keeping Häkkinen out for ten more laps, to no avail. Schumacher reached the chequered flag 13.822 seconds ahead of Häkkinen to claim his fourth win of the season. Barrichello, trying to regain lost time with a three-stop strategy, ultimately could not close the gap the Coulthard, finishing fourth. The pace of Schumacher and Häkkinen in the difficult conditions was evident, the rivals finishing a full lap ahead of their teammates.

The Ferrari F1-2000 is limited to just 99 pieces at 1:8 scale.