Hungarian Grand Prix Review

In doing so, Schumacher rewrote the record books. He equalled Alain Prost's record of 51 GP wins, and joined the Frenchman on 4 drivers' titles, just one behind Juan Mañuel Fangio. He broke the record for the most laps and the greatest distance led in the history of F1. Apart from Fangio's four straight titles from 1954 to 1957, he became the only man to win back-to-back titles twice, and also the only man to win more than one title for two different teams.

But with all due respect to the unrivalled Argentine legend, it is much harder to win back-to-back titles these days, as has been well documented, and as Mika Hakkinen graphically displayed in 1999. That in both 1995 and 2001 Schumacher simply obliterated the opposition on his way to back-to-back crowns is simply staggering, and shows the measure of the man.

Back in '92, Mansell also set the record for most points in a season with 108. Schumacher is on 94 with four races to go, and there is every chance he will break that mark too. Third place in each of the remaining events will leave him on 110. And there's still more. Another three wins and he will become the first man to go into double-digits in the win column in a single season. Although on paper the last four events may suit Williams more, it's a fool who says that Michael has no chance.

More than anything else, Schumacher has done it this year through the sheer consistency of the Ferrari juggernaut, through the ability of the Ferrari chassis, engine and Bridgestone tyres to maintain a constantly high level of performance. How fitting, then, that Ferrari also secured the constructors' title, pulling the required six points clear of McLaren, and no little thanks due to one of the better drives this year from Rubens Barrichello, who generally has not been overly impressive this year.

After qualifying, there was already a sense of inevitability about this race. Schumacher had launched a blitzkrieg and left the opposition reeling, using only half his allocated laps to record a time 0.8s faster than anyone else over a roughly 75-second lap. Unbelievable. Barrichello showed that he was in for a good weekend by qualifying 3rd, just behind David Coulthard, who had done well to get into the 1 minute 14 bracket after losing most of Friday.

Ralf Schumacher did well to place his uncooperative Williams/BMW/Michelin combination in 4th, considering that Juan-Pablo Montoya was only 8th. Jarno Trulli put in a terrific lap to pip Hakkinen for 5th, with the Finnish ex-qualifying king showing that he has well and truly lost that title this year. Without wanting to harp on about the double World Champion's woes this year, the fact is that Mika has now officially gone a whole year (a full 17 races) without a pole.

Anyway, the rest of the grid threw up few surprises. The Saubers have been so impressive this year that 7th for Nick Heidfeld and 9th for Kimi Raikkonen can be taken for granted, while Jean Alesi, in his first outing for Jordan, did not do too badly by qualifying 12th, even if he was way off Trulli's pace. Jean is a racer; he has never been a genius when it comes to setting up a car. For him to try to get the best out of a car in a day and a half is nigh-on impossible. In the end it was an alright effort.

The same could be said for Heinz-Harald Frentzen in the increasingly stagnant Prost, who qualified 16th, in front of Luciano Burti, although that probably says more about the Brazilian. Aerodynamic improvements on the Benettons, including a copycat Ferrari-style front-wing propelled them further into the midfield, while Fernando Alonso was a stunning 18th, and the Arrows languished back in 20th and 21st, although once again Enrique Bernoldi beat team-mate Jos Verstappen, who has trashed him in the press.

There were a couple of moments of interest, but they were few and far between. Eddie Irvine rounded off a so-so weekend for Jaguar by spinning off at the first corner, while Pedro de la Rosa didn't do his credibility much good either by meekly letting Alesi pass him around the outside of turn two. Burti didn't enhance his wavering reputation any favours either by going off and then beaching himself by trying to drive forward out of the gravel, whereas if he had merely reversed he would have escaped.

And then there was Jenson Button. The poor guy was almost a second slower than Giancarlo Fisichella in qualifying, and then earned a stop-go for jumping the start. He then proceeded to spin into retirement coming out of the last corner, ending up stalled and helpless smack bang in the middle of the start/finish straight. Given our recent article, we don't mean to pick on him; we'd be the first to concede that, after praising him so highly last year, we're being a touch fickle if not downright hypocritical. But if credit goes where credit's due, the opposite also applies. And so Button gets our 'Reject of the Race' award.

REJECT OF THE RACE
Jenson Button
A new front wing didn't help JB who had a(nother) dismal weekend

Ralf ran such a lonely race in 4th he probably deserves some praise for not falling off the track in boredom. He was pestered briefly by Hakkinen once the Finn got clear of Trulli at the first stop, but if the McLaren couldn't get past the Jordan, what chance Mika getting by the BMW-powered Williams? Trulli yet again had a hugely disappointing race his qualifying pace once more not surviving into race day.

The way he fell back in the early stages was as incredible as Michael's dominance up front. His first stop was abysmal, and he never looked like finishing in the points. It was capped off by yet another mechanical failure, prompting Murray Walker to muse poetically that Eddie Jordan would now be "down, down, down, in the dumps, dumps, dumps". Is it Jordan's fault? Is it Trulli's fault? Who knows, but 2001 is turning out to be just as bad as 2000 was for the Italian. No wonder he's thinking of moving.

The rest were very pedestrian, but then again, everything was pedestrian compared to Schumacher and the Ferraris. One wonders what Michael blurted into his radio this time after crossing the line. It was all cause for celebration on the podium, and thankfully we didn't get another attack of the red wigs. But one hopes that 'podium karaoke' doesn't catch on as conducting the national anthem did last year.

The interest now lies in the close battle for second in both championships. With the upcoming tracks seemingly suiting the powerful Williams, they look like being a chance for a surprise 2nd in the constructors' title, and things look a little bleak for DC and McLaren. Another win or two would cement Ralf's claims to 2nd overall, but with both titles in the bag, this would be the time for Michael to repay Barrichello as he has been promising to do. Alternatively Schumi could give Luca Badoer a race or two - it's not going to happen, but it would be a nice gesture to the man who has helped make it all happen for Ferrari behind the scenes.