Last week I asked who was the youngest F1 driver to win a GP? And how old was he? The only clue I gave you was that he wasn’t a Brit.
It was in fact Bruce McLaren, the very talented New Zealander (not all of them are shepherds) who was 22 when he won his first GP.
Now for this week. What was the best movie car chase of all time? Don’t get excited, that’s not the question - it was of course, Bullitt, starring
Steve McQueen in 1968. If some of you are so young to have never seen it, then get a copy from your local video store. The chase sequence is still the best ever. McQueen was
in the Mustang and the baddies were in a what? I also want to know what size engine it ran, and the top speed of the car. Remember that this was 33 years ago, and be amazed!
For the Automania FREE beer this week, be the first correct answer to fax 427 596 or email [email protected].
Every motoring scribbler in the world has put pen to paper (gawd I must be old) - put fingers to keyboard, to rate the drivers from the 2000 season, so I
may as well thrust my opinions down your collective throats as well. I think you may find a couple of them surprising, and the ratings also might stimulate a little bar room
discussion. While some of them are in the position they ended up in the world championships, not all of them did. So here we go.
Number 10. Eddie the mouth Irvine. Occasional flashes of talent, driving one of the year’s worst motorcars - the totally unreliable Jaguar. Eddie
unfortunately still believes his own press releases, but then of course, he does come from the land of the Blarney stone. Most memorable part of 2000 was dying his hair
blonde, but Jacques Villeneuve had done that two years ago. With a total shakeout at Jaguar, Eddie might improve also - but then there is always the ‘motor mouth’ factor!
Number 9. Pedro de la Rosa. Regularly out-drove Jos Verstappen, his more experienced team mate at Arrows. In a good car that would go the distance, this
young Spaniard would do well. Watch him over the next two years. He has talent, but so far has not had the opportunity to really show it.
Number 8. Jarno Trulli. Outclassed Heinz-Harald Frentzen at Jordan this year. Frentzen just seemed to drop his bundle when the Jordans were obviously not
as good as last year and allowed Trulli to lead. Jarno was new to the team but immediately got down to being part of it and becoming familiar with the Jordan. He is
blindingly quick and his qualifying lap at Monaco was simply awesome, as was his final qualifying run at Spa. Much is expected of Jarno and given the right car he will almost
certainly deliver. Having qualified 2nd to Schumacher at Monaco, the Italian was very unlucky to miss out on what could well have been his maiden win. On the 36th lap,
Trulli’s gearbox failed while he was running 2nd to Schumacher, and less than 20 laps later the German’s suspension failed. Mind you, that’s luck, and that’s racing.
Jarno Trulli
Number 7. Rubens Barichello. Another number 2 at Ferrari who started the year saying loudly, “There is no number 2, we are equals,” and then spent the
rest of the year only proving that he was not. Outqualified by his teammate 15 times out of 17, and frankly outclassed. Undoubtedly a lovely chap, and we all shed a tear with
him when he won his first race, but he will never be number one in a red car.
Number 6. David Coulthard. Really, I could take Coulthard and give him a good shaking. The only driver to give Michael Schumacher a real run for his money,
and beat him in wheel to wheel duels both this year and last year, he spent the Y2K year running hot and cold, while telling everyone within earshot that 2000 was going to be
his year, no more mister nice guy, etc. It wasn’t his year and yet he has started 2001 by saying that this is his year and no more mister nice guy. I’ll believe it when I
see it, David. He is after all in the best car on the circuit.
David Coulthard
Number 5. Jacques Villeneuve. The original bottle blonde, he did well with the uncompetitive BAR’s. An aggressive little driver who tried hard all year
(compared to DC, for example). If they ever get the BAR’s up with the Ferrari’s and the Mercedes Mclarens he will shine. A couple of his passing manoeuvres (and a couple
of his passing failures) showed he has large cojones if nothing else.
Number 4. Jenson Button. A fantastic year for a tyro. Did not make too many unforced errors as was predicted by the doomsayers like Jackie Stewart.
Outqualified his experienced teammate Ralf Schumacher on six occasions and will be a future champion. His performances in the British, German, Belgian and Japanese Grand Prix
were outstanding, while his wet weather drives at the Nurburgring and Canadian GP’s showcased his true talent. With more young guys like this in the wings, the future of F1
is assured.
Number 3. Ralf Schumacher. With his hot-headedness of before now under control, and having stepped out from under the shadow of his big brother, he is
maturing into a very good driver. When the Williams is up there with the current top two expect some even better performances from Ralfie baby. He also appears to be more
“human” than Michael.
Number 2. Mika Hakkinen. No surprise that. He did drive well all year and did not get emotionally involved like he did in 1999. Magnificent in the dry
conditions, but shows a weakness when it is raining. He will be remembered for the passing move on Schumacher at Spa when he went the other side of Zonta, but his poor
adaptation to the slippery conditions is his nemesis. Should go to Smiling School.
Number 1. Michael Schumacher. Like him or loathe him, he won the championship very decidedly. Excels in bad track conditions and gives 100% every time. He
is the consummate professional and deserved his championship title. Proved very easily he was number 1 at Ferrari by outqualifying Barichello by an average of half a second a
meeting. That’s forever in F1 terms. The equivalent of dropping back by around 40 metres a lap at most circuits. He will be at the top for another couple of years, and then
I predict will retire before he gets knocked off the top perch by the coming men like Button and Raikkonen.
