Image: RM Auctions, by Steve Etherington/ LAT
The year 2000 marked the start of a pretty good run for Ferrari and Michael Schumacher, and the F1-2000 was the car that set it all up.
This one, campaigned by Schumacher in his first championship-winning season with Ferrari, is heading to auction at RM Auctions’ upcoming Monterey sale, so now’s your chance to hop on board and find out what all the fuss is about!
“I think we’ve probably had the best car we have ever had at the beginning of the season since the present group has been working together here at Ferrari.” – Ross Brawn
Ferrari’s new F1-2000 went out swinging in the 2000 World Championship season, with Schumacher claiming victory at the season opener in Australia.
This particular car, chassis 198, was the team’s spare through most of the season, and it didn’t see action until race two. Michael ran wide during qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix and badly damaged the underside of his primary car, so he swapped to this one, qualifying third.
Come race day a mix of strategy, pace and timing saw Michael sneak ahead of Mika Häkkinen’s McLaren to go two-for-two and claim his second win of the season; this car’s shining moment.
The car found itself again in the limelight at Circuit de Catalunya for the Spanish Grand Prix. Schumacher qualified on pole, but suffered a problem with the refuelling nozzle in the pits, and then a slow puncture put paid to his chances of victory and he finished fifth.
Chassis 198′s final career outing was on the glittering streets of the Monte Carlo Grand Prix, where it broke a pushrod and retired.
Image courtesy RM Auctions / LAT
Having played an invaluable role in Schumacher’s 2000 World Drivers’ Championship, Ferrari’s first since Jody Scheckter in 1979 and the first of five on the trot, as well as Ferrari’s 2000 World Constructors’ Championship title, chassis 198 was rebuilt by the factory for F1 Clienti events. It’s a car with tremendous historical importance and which offers some on-track potential through Ferrari’s F1 Clienti program.
The Michael Schumacher Ferrari F1 2000 will head to sale on August 16, 2014, at RM Auctions Monterey sale. For more information, hit this link.
Via RM Auctions
Images courtsey RM Auctions
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