[OliDegu2008]

2000 F1 Drivers pre-season rankings

Our "experts" way in ahead of the 2000 campaign with their pre-season rankings

1. Mika Hakkinen (McLaren-Mercedes) – Hakkinen starts a new decade going for this third consecutive Formula 1 Championship. If he is to accomplish the more the improbable feat, he will be the first driver since Fangio to win three titles in a row. Hakkinen has the team, the power and the ability to do just that.

2. Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) – The 2000 season will mark 4 years since Schumacher has been crowned king of F1 and he is hungry to win. He and Hakkinen have to be considered the favorites to win the crown heading into the season with some favoring Schumacher because of his “drought.” We expect the Ferrari mainstay to win many Grand Prix in 2000.

3. David Coulthard (McLaren-Mercedes) – It can’t be easy being a teammate of a consecutive champion but Coulthard continues to be that to Mika Hakkinen. Will this be the year that Coulthard challenges his teammate for the crown? Coulthard won the British and Belgian Grand Prix in 1999 and finished fourth overall.

4. Ralf Schumacher (Williams-BMW) – The young brother of Michael, Ralf made the switch to Williams last year and had a good campaign, finishing sixth in points. Some see 2000 as a career defining year possibly for the German who has 5 podiums to date in 3 F1 seasons including a second place finish last season in the Italian Grand Prix. He might not indicate it but not being known as Michael’s little brother is on Ralf’s priority list to check off in 2000.

5. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Jordan-Mugen-Honda) – Coming off an improbable third place finish in the Championship standings, Frentzen has nothing to lose in the new Millennium. The only thing that could truly hinder Frentzen moving forward is if he doesn’t perform to the high standard he has set for himself during his last three years in F1 which include that third place in 1999 and a second place finish in 1997 in the championship standings. We are placing him in the top 5 for pre-season rankings because it’s not a matter of if he can, it’s a matter of will he step up and do it.

6. Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari) – The Brazilian has been in F1 since 1993 and has yet to score a win. He did manage to score three podiums in 1999 and with him signing with Ferrari this year, it has to be asked if this is the year that he scores his first Grand Prix victory? The real test will be if Schumacher lets him enjoy a moment in the sun or keep him in the dark.

7. Jenson Button (Williams-BMW) – Well here we go, arguably the biggest sensation to enter F1 in many years, Button has enormous pressure riding on his shoulders. The 20-year-old is predicted to be World Champion someday but before he can take the F1 world by storm – he has many obstacles and learning curves to get through. Though we are confident in saying he will have some solid finishes this year (maybe even a podium or two), this year we want to temper expectations and say a top 10 table finish would be more than fine for the young upstart.

8. Jarno Trulli (Jordan-Mugen-Honda) – This will be Trulli’s third full F1 season and the expectations are plenty. In the garages, the Jordan team seems to have an immense amount of momentum and Trulli is a talented enough driver to build upon that. Is this the season that Trulli matures into the constant threat that he can be and puts Jordan into the top constructor discussion?

9. Giancarlo Fisichella (Benetton-Playlife) – As Fisichella enters his third year at Benetton, some feel that it’s now or never for the 27-year-old Italian. There’s no doubt he is insanely talented but being on an underfunded team does not help. He is looking to snag points and hopefully finish above ninth in the final standings which he has done the last two seasons.

10. Jacques Villeneuve (BAR-Honda) – Possibly the most interesting driver in terms of you just don’t know what to expect, the former world champion has said he wants to be competitive and knows he can with his talent. Villeneuve has made it clear he does not intend on staying with BAR beyond 2000 if the current situation with the team persists which has made many within the team wonder if this year is going to be a wash.

11. Eddie Irvine (Jaguar-Cosworth)– Maybe one of the more surprising finishers in recent memory, Irvine finished the 1999 season in second – more than impressive. However, his move to Jaguar is a questionable one and there aren’t many who think the Britain can repeat his incredible 99 campaign which saw him win four times and podium nine. We might regret putting him outside the Top 10 in the pre-season ranking at the end of the season, or we might not.

12. Alexander Wurz (Benetton-Playlife) – In what has been a relatively successful Formula 1 career to this point, the Austrian superstar is looking to build on his last two years with Benetton and bring the team home some podiums. Wurz can be a real force if everything goes right in 2000 and could surprise many.

13. Nick Heidfeld (Prost-Peugeot) – Maybe the interesting rookie driver this year, Heidfeld brings an impressive resume to Prost-Peugeot which includes German F3 and international F3000 championships. Having been placed by Mercedes at Prost for a “learning year” this year, it cannot be understated that Heidfeld has the opportunity to do well if he puts it all together. Though he will most likely be on the back burner due to Jenson Button, Heidfeld still can make huge strides in 2000 in terms of learning and moving forward.

14. Jos Verstappen (Arrows-Supertec) – There have been very few drivers in F1 who have seemed so promising yet delivered so little as Verstappen has so far in his career. Having finished no higher than tenth in the Driver’s Championship – Verstappen was rideless in 1999 which makes the outlook for him this year even more questionable. Everyone around him knows he has the talent and raw ability to do well and Verstappen is definitely one of the true question marks of this season.

15. Gaston Mazzacane (Minardi-Fondmetal) – Considered to have “bought” himself a seat for Minardi, the Argentinian will be making his first F1 attempt with the upstart Minardi team. Mazzacane spent three years in F3000 without much success and was a test driver for Minardi last year before getting the seat in 2000. Though it is very easy to overlook him at first glance, he might have a few surprises up his sleeves….or not.

16. Marc Gene (Minardi-Fondmetal) – Gene has the undarning task of competing for the underfunded Italian Minardi team in 2000. He superseded expectations in 1999 and looks to do the same this season.

17. Pedro de la Rosa (Arrows-Supertec) – Heading into his second year with Arrows, de la Rosa does not have very high expectations expected of him this season. Considered a mid to bottom at best finisher in the Grand Prix, de la Rosa will be hard pressed to see any podiums in 2000, might even be hard to get points for the Spaniard.

18. Mika Salo (Sauber-Petronas) – In what has been a rather disappointing career for Salo, the Finnish native has only two podiums in six years. In what was a rather turbulent 1999 saw him make Grand Prix for both BAR and Ferrari. Now that Salo has a full ride for 2000, he should be more stable although heading into the season it doesn’t appear he will pose much of a threat in the broad picture.

19. Johnny Herbert (Jaguar-Cosworth) – In what has to be considered the twilight years of his Formula 1 career, Herbert finds himself apart of the Jaguar team for the 2000 season. Not much is expected of Herbert in reality but it is possible the veteran could be in contention for some podiums if he regains his early F1 career form – though that is unlikely.

20. Ricardo Zonta (BAR-Honda) – Having struggled in 1999 which was also his rookie campaign in F1, Zonta looks to rebound in 2000. Those around him are saying this is a second chance for the Brazilian who was on the chopping block in the holiday season. He is looking to score points and maybe even a podium or two.

21. Jean Alesi (Prost-Peugeot) – Marking his 10th year in Formula One, the French speedster has one Grand Prix victory to his name. It really is a tale of two different drivers for Prost as you have the veteran Alesi and the young upstart German Heidfeld – it may be more interesting to watch how their relationship matures through the course of the season than if either of them can score any true results.

22. Pedro Diniz (Sauber-Petronas) – Sauber is hoping that by teaming Diniz up with Mika Salo that the familiarity between the two turns into some points for the team. Though that isn’t necessarily unlikely, it’s an uphill climb for the team – especially for Diniz who in five years in Formula One has zero podiums.