Formula One - Through the Year's
2000's
Michael Schumacher re-wrote the record books at Ferrari in his ruthless pursuit of a record seven World Drivers Championships. McLaren and Williams took the early fight to Ferrari, but new rivals emerged as the motor manufacturers moved in. Toyota created a new team, while Jaguar took over from Stewart, Renault from Benetton, Honda from BAR, and BMW from Sauber, while Mercedes united strongly with McLaren. The calendar continued to grow, up to 19 races at one stage but, as it consolidated, some traditional races lost their place and new locations such as China, Bahrain, Turkey, and Singapore arrived.
The decade started well for Ferrari and Schumacher in the 2000 season, as Michael won his third Drivers World title, his first with Ferrari, and Ferrari's first title since 1979. The 2001 season saw debuts for Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen, but no one could stop a dominant Schumacher as he strode towards his fourth Drivers title. Schumacher claimed his fifth title, his third for Ferrari in the 2002 season, as the prancing horse dominated the season as they were in a class of their own, both in pace and reliability, although they were deeply criticised over their on-track team orders.
Schumacher gained his sixth Drivers title in 2003, and then his record breaking seventh Drivers World Championship title in the 2004 season. The 2005 season saw a new World Champion crowned with Renaults Fernando Alonso taking the title, he then followed that in the 2006 season with his second Drivers World Championship.
The 2007 season saw the introduction of future multiple World Champion Lewis Hamilton at McLaren almost alongside double World Champion team-mate Fernando Alonso, the Brit had a magnificent debut season, out-performing his team-mate and narrowly missing out of the title to an in-form Kimi Raikkonen racing for Ferrari. In 2008 Lewis won the first of his Drivers World Championships in spectacular fashion at a rain-hit final race in Brazil, he overtook Toyota's Timo Glock on the final lap of the race to claim the title, and dumping misery on Ferrari's Felipe Massa.
2009 saw the introduction of KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) and the return of slick tyres. The all new Brawn team dominated the season as McLaren and Ferrari struggled. It was Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello fighting it out in a inner-team battle, and it was Jenson Button that raced to his One and only Drivers title in an inspiring season for the brit.
The 2007 season saw the introduction of future multiple World Champion Lewis Hamilton at McLaren almost alongside double World Champion team-mate Fernando Alonso, the Brit had a magnificent debut season, out-performing his team-mate and narrowly missing out of the title to an in-form Kimi Raikkonen racing for Ferrari. In 2008 Lewis won the first of his Drivers World Championships in spectacular fashion at a rain-hit final race in Brazil, he overtook Toyota's Timo Glock on the final lap of the race to claim the title, and dumping misery on Ferrari's Felipe Massa.
2009 saw the introduction of KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) and the return of slick tyres. The all new Brawn team dominated the season as McLaren and Ferrari struggled. It was Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello fighting it out in a inner-team battle, and it was Jenson Button that raced to his One and only Drivers title in an inspiring season for the brit.
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