Season 2003 Review

In terms of sheer drama, few seasons have had as many twists. Track conditions, driver and team form, and the hand of fortune changed from race to race. No one combination had the key to consistent championship-winning performance. With two races to go, Schumi in the Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen in the McLaren and Juan-Pablo Montoya in the Williams were all realistic title aspirants. Not for a long time have we had championship contenders from three different teams all by virtue of their genuine competitiveness. The question, though, was whether or not one could attribute the success of 2003 to the pre-season rule changes. In some ways, decidedly no. One-lap qualifying did not shuffle grids drastically or affect race results too much. The Parc Fermé rule between race and qualifying had no affect on reliability, which in fact, astonishingly, improved compared to 2002. It was unclear if Friday testing had been a major advantage, and reduced free practice time did not, for example, hurt a newcomer like Cristiano da Matta, clearly rookie of the year.

But in other ways, the new rules did contribute to the excitement of the season. The new points system, whilst undoubtedly disadvantageous to race winners, kept the title race tight and, significantly, provided a fairly accurate indicator of the midfield teams' relative positions. Plus the fact that the regulations placed renewed emphasis on the human element meant that the pressure on all involved had unconsciously increased, and no team or driver could say that they came away from 2003 without some glaring errors. What can also be said, however, is that the closeness of the 2003 season was also due to the fact that the technical regulations governing the parameters of the cars had not changed. Stability in this area allowed the major teams to refine their understanding of what was the optimum design under these regulations, and zoom in on the standard set by the Ferrari F2002 and F2003-GA, whilst at the same time Ferrari was hampered as Michelin caught and overtook a complacent Bridgestone in the dry tyre department.

In short, Schumacher clinched his sixth drivers' title, and Ferrari its fifth straight constructors' crown, both unprecedented achievements. But without doubt this was the least imperious of Michael's championships, and more than ever the next generation began knocking on his door. Although they had long been ordained as the trio of heir apparents, Raikkonen, Montoya and Fernando Alonso confirmed their status, whilst Mark Webber proved himself not incapable of also fighting for future glory. At least half the teams, notably Williams, Renault, BAR, Toyota and Jaguar, made or looked like making significant steps forward, which bodes well for those hoping that the Ferrari reign might finally be brought to an end at some stage in the near future. However, several major or formerly major players faltered. McLaren's failure to get the radical MP4/18 ready was one of the talking points of the year, whilst surely one of the saddest sights of 2003 was the fall and fall of Jordan towards tail-ender status.

Indeed, for all the positives to emerge from the 2003 season, there are still some lingering concerns as the testing for 2004 begins. Attendances at races were still down as prices skyrocketed. The domination of manufacturers and financial shareholders gradually made the position of privateer teams more and more precarious, leading to ever uglier politicking in the Piranha Club. And with further rule changes for 2004, some bleedingly unnecessary and damaging, one wondered if the formula for success in 2003 was about to be spoilt.

Here are our team reviews for the season, ranked here according to a rating out of 10 awarded by us. We have taken into consideration their equipment, past form, luck (or lack thereof) and our initial expectations for 2003.

10. Minardi Cosworth

Paul Stoddart's grand plan for 2003 was for the team to gain a midfield foothold and score regular points. Thus it was depressing to see Minardi sinking even further from the pace than they were in 2002. Although reliability was generally respectable, the PS03 by Loic Bigois had minimum time in the windtunnel, appeared to handle skittishly, and underwent virtually no development as the season progressed. The inadequacy of the chassis, plus the tortuous switch to Bridgestones in the pre-season - which surely they regretted by year's end - meant they took no advantage of their Cosworth engines. Needless to say, money was the perennial problem. The irony was that last year when they had heavy Malaysian backing, their Asiatech engines were free. But this year, when they had to pay for their Cosworths, the Asian support evaporated, the Russian deal with Gazprom fell through before the season began, other sponsors defaulted, and the team had to rely heavily on the Dutch money brought by Jos Verstappen. Losing Justin Wilson to Jaguar was a blow, and bringing in Nicolas Kiesa as racer and Gianmaria Bruni as tester instead of vice versa was a mistake, but one driven by monetary considerations.

The only highlights were a possible podium in the Brazil mayhem, a solid weekend in Canada, and a meaningless provisional pole in rain-affected Friday qualifying in France. Though their lack of results was not for a want of effort, like it or not F1 isn't the sport it used to be, and if Minardi couldn't cope in this manufacturer-dominated age, sympathy was going to be in short supply. At the same time as Stoddart was moaning about his team's lack of money, he was confessing his willingness to sell out whilst looking at other airline investments, which raised questions about his commitment to his dream. Prospects for 2004. There's no talk of Minardi not continuing into 2004, but even if they do it wouldn't seem to serve a great deal of purpose. There's no confirmed engine deal, we don't know who the pay-drivers will be, and technically the PS04 will be based on the two-year old Arrows A23. Another pointless year coming up. Rating: 4/10

9. Jordan Ford

At the end of 2003, Eddie Jordan was an unhappy man. Under last year's points system, they would have been 5th in the constructors' championship, yet instead they ended up 9th. But in all honesty, Jordan did not deserve to be any higher than where they were eventually placed. From the giddy title-challenging heights of 1999, by the start of this season their former sponsors had withdrawn en masse leaving only Benson & Hedges, whilst the engine deal with Ford Europe created less hype than expected and had even less substantial impact on the track. The EJ13 was not a bad chassis. Henri Durand had done his best to produce a simple and nimble machine, although reliability proved an issue with the yellow cars only finishing about half the time. But, like at Minardi, the problem was that there was no budget to undergo a proper development program, and in this regard Gary Anderson's decision to go into semi-retirement did the team no favours at all. In view of all this, one also wonders why Jordan pursued the apparently hopeless litigation against Vodafone so vigorously, wasting time, money and resources along the way.

Apart from the fluke win in Brazil, Jordan only recorded two other minor points finishes, and 14 times out of 34 qualified in the bottom four. Again, as with Minardi their poor results were not for a want of trying, but EJ was now paying the price for his managerial mistakes of the past. However, by doing a deal with Chinese national TV, taking one of his cars to Macau and sounding out potential investors in the region, whilst the team might be on the verge of losing its Irish larrikin flavour, Eddie might have been the first off the mark in tapping into this potential goldmine. Prospects for 2004. The advantage Jordan has is that several good drivers such as Nick Heidfeld actually want to drive for them next year. If they can secure a decent engine deal, either still with Ford or possibly with customer Mercedes motors, and also some Far Eastern money, they could be back on the road to respectability. Rating: 4/10

8. Sauber Petronas

Sauber were one of the major disappointments of 2003. They had last year's Ferrari engine in an F2002-lookalike C22 chassis, coupled to their own electronics, exhausts and gearbox, but if many thought they might have been capable of emulating to some degree the F2002's feats, then results fell well short of expectations. With attention focussed on their new windtunnel due to begin service in 2004, the C22's aerodynamics under Willi Rampf and Seamus Mullarkey were merely an inadequate progression from the C21 and in turn the original C20 designed by Sergio Rinland for the 2001 season. In terms of reliability the team also had a sub-standard year, especially in mid-season when engine problems that had never been seen in the Ferrari afflicted Nick Heidfeld in particular. Tactically, along with Toyota the Swiss team was one of those which took the low-fuel gamble in qualifying more often than others, but that rarely translated into race results, possibly with the exception of Heinz-Harald Frentzen's 6th in Australia. Peter Sauber's team was lucky not to finish 9th in the constructors' table, rising to 6th only on the back of their fluke double points finish in Indianapolis.

However, there were positive signs to emerge. For a team known for little development throughout the year, they did chip away at the aerodynamic and reliability issues with noticeable improvement. For example, they copied the Williams engine cover fin and introduced radical, complex barge board designs, and Heidfeld had a perfect finishing record in the second half of the year including three 9ths and a 5th. Sauber also drew closer to Ferrari in terms of politics and technical partnership, making them the least private of the three 'privateer' teams, and giving them hope for the future. Prospects for 2004. Sauber can be promised another fine engine from Ferrari next year, but until the new windtunnel is ready aerodynamics will continue to be a question mark. Giancarlo Fisichella will inject new life into the driving line-up, while it remains to be seen if Felipe Massa will cost the team less in repair bills than he did in 2002. Rating: 5/10

7. Jaguar Cosworth

A strange year, this, for the Big Cats. Most would count it as one of their more impressive so far, but under the old points system 2003 would have been their lowest-scoring season yet with only a meagre 3 points. The thing is that it's all relative to expectations. Following on from a horrible 2002 with an unreliable R3 that was uncompetitive in all but one outing, and a pre-season in which there was a wholesale clean-out of management and technical staff, for the R4 to be as competitive as it was, as often as it was, made it a positive year for the outfit. Most importantly, under the no-nonsense guidance of David Pitchforth, Tony Purcell and Mark Gillan, with one of the revelations of the year in Mark Webber behind the wheel, Jaguar finally seemed to be heading in the right direction. They achieved what they set out to do by designing an uncomplicated R4, which proved as a bonus to be speedy, especially in Friday qualifying when on low fuel it managed to generate heat into the tyres better than any other car, but reliability throughout the year was not as good as hoped. Still, five points finishes in six races in mid-season was a very solid effort.

On the down side, on full tanks the R4 used its rubber too fast, often undoing Webber's Friday work. Straight-line speed was also lacking at times despite the latest engine from Cosworth, and tactically they were at times either too radical or too conservative. With attention and money focussed on the R5, development was almost non-existent, and the lacklustre showings of the second car raised accusations, unproven but also unrefuted, that Jaguar was just a one-car outfit. The fact was that Jaguar was the only midfield team not to record a big double-points finish, and that cost them dearly in the end. Prospects for 2004. If diverting money away from the R4 onto the R5 pays dividends, then Jaguar will be a team further on the rise in 2004. If they can finalise a decent budget as well, they can realistically aim for 5th in the constructors'. But the second car contains a rookie bolter from left-field, Christian Klien, which is a gamble that will either pay handsomely or backfire badly. Rating: 6/10

6. Toyota

At the start of the season, when Williams were worried about the competitiveness of their new car, they feared that they would be only the fourth or fifth best team behind even the Toyotas in Melbourne. But, as it turned out, the Japanese giant's second season was roughly a tale of two halves. Up to and including Monaco, the Gustav Brunner-designed TF103s seemed to be continuing the average form of its predecessor, the TF102, but after a humiliating race on the streets of the principality, their level of competitiveness increased dramatically, qualifying in the top ten 14 times out of 18. Nevertheless, apart from a seven-point double-score at Hockenheim, the team only grossed another seven points from the rest of the season, and even with the result in Germany they were still four behind Jaguar, five behind Sauber and twelve behind BAR. More than anything else that was down to an embarrassing lack of acumen in the tactical department. Too often the Toyotas would qualify on low fuel and start races in a blaze of glory, only to pit earlier than everyone else and watch in vain as their competitors kept leapfrogging them during the stops.

Aerodynamic efficiency was still as lacking on the TF103 as it was on the TF102, plus a lack of grip remained a problem, as did a propensity for the occasional brake failure. Despite one of the best engines on the grid, without getting the chassis right that was going to be of little benefit. Still, going by their general competitiveness in the second half of the year, Toyota positioned themselves as not only a team that survived their second year, usually the toughest for any new team, but also as a team ready to take large steps forward in 2004, and that was undoubtedly to their credit. Prospects in 2004. The current espionage investigations will be an irritation more than anything else. Stability of drivers and technical staff is the key here, and with further development and better race tactics they ought to challenge for 5th in the constructors' next year. Especially with the budget they have, and Mike Gascoyne coming on board. Rating: 6/10

5. BAR Honda

What a difference a designer makes. After years struggling with cumbersome Malcolm Oastler-penned chassis, the BAR 05 was the first machine totally worked by ex-Williams man Geoff Willis. The result was a leaner, meaner car that proved to have effective aerodynamics - on par with the top squads, according to team insiders - but reliability was a serious bugbear. Three gearbox seizures, two hydraulic-related retirements and three more Honda blow-ups in races meant a few too many failures of major componentry in a period in F1 where there are only a handful of DNFs each event. It was well documented that most of those retirements, by chance or otherwise, befell Jacques Villeneuve. More than any other team BAR was beset by internal squabbling, first between Villeneuve and Jenson Button, then between the Canadian and David Richards as Honda seemed to exert pressure in favour of Takuma Sato on one hand, whilst Jacques had disgruntled former BAR boss Craig Pollock in his corner. These were the final pangs of the process by which Richards sought to get rid of the old 'names' in the team in favour of people with a more team-oriented outlook.

Although Honda did make some gains in terms of engine power and reliability, Richards was still yet to fully get the whip out as he probably needed to, for his engine suppliers to start innovating as they used to do and give BAR an advantage. Still, when the two cars came 3rd and 6th in Friday qualifying in Melbourne, we all wondered if this was the year when BAR would finally step up to challenge the main contenders. But as it turned out, points in 9 of 16 races including two 4ths, almost a podium at Indy, and clear 'best of the rest' status meant that that year will have to wait until 2004. Prospects for 2004. Can BAR start challenging for podiums on a regular basis in 2004? They can count on Willis and Button, and on Sato to come up with some fireworks, so it depends on two factors: engines and tyres. Honda still needs to show greater commitment to the cause, while the switch to Michelins must surely be a plus. Rating: 6.5/10

4. McLaren Mercedes

McLaren finished the year a close 2nd in the drivers' championship with Kimi Raikkonen, and a close 3rd in the constructors' behind Williams, so why only rank them fourth? Quite simply, because all season McLaren were there amongst the frontrunners, keeping up constant points-scoring momentum, but hardly at any stage were they clearly THE team to beat. That was no way to win a World Championship. To prove a point, McLaren's only two wins came in the first two races of the season, at a time when the Williams was underdeveloped and Ferrari had made uncharacteristic errors. Needless to say, the problem McLaren faced all season was the fact that they were saddled with a car which, by the time Suzuka came around, was essentially two years old. Although the MP4/17D resembled the MP4/17 in outward appearance only, since the gearbox, suspension and aerodynamics had been substantially revised, there was only so much development that could be squeezed from the basic philosophy of the car. That the maximum was extracted in order to keep McLaren and Raikkonen in particular at the pointy end was undoubtedly to the team's credit.

However, the failure to get the MP4/18 prepared was an untypical humiliation to this most clockwork-like of teams. It may well have cost them dearly because the 17D was just not fast enough to seize the title by the throat, and the only time Raikkonen looked like dominating, at the Nurburgring, the Mercedes engine blew up in Kimi's only mechanical retirement all year. The German motors were much improved, but still down a little on power, while the team may also be criticised for not bringing the best out of David Coulthard and relegating him to number two in their affections if nothing else. Prospects for 2004. Has Adrian Newey struck the jackpot with the MP4/18 - which is the basis for the 2004 MP4/19? If he has, and the Mercedes engine is up to it, and the car is reliable, then McLaren could be the pacesetters in Raikkonen's hands especially. How the team treats DC will be a matter of interest though. Rating: 7/10

3. Williams BMW

In 2003, no team underwent a turnaround in form quite like Williams. After a troubled pre-season, the doomsday predictions came true when, after round 6 Williams only had one podium and 35 points compared to McLaren's 63 and Ferrari's 64. But from Monaco onwards, Sir Frank's men scored 11 podiums from 18 starts, and by midsummer their combination was the one to beat, seemingly with irresistible momentum that would sweep both titles. In the end, only a confluence of tyre, mechanical and driver errors in the last two races saw Williams snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The story of Williams' year was a matter of aerodynamics. With Geoff Willis off to BAR, Antonia Terzi (formerly of Ferrari) was brought in to head the aero department, but at first the FW25 lacked downforce, and there was no denying that fundamental mistakes had been made. Gradually, also now with the help of Frank Dernie, changes were made to the wings, the diffuser, the bargeboards, the floor, everything in sight for that matter, and Williams were then the first to use the engine cover fin. It turned what had been a nervous car into a neutral-handling one, in a triumph of season-long development.

Of course the car had the advantage of the BMW P83 engine, still the class of the field and already testing before the end of 2002. Reliability was also the best in F1, and the run of results after Austria put to rest - for the moment at least - the testy relationship between team and engine partner as BMW sought greater involvement in the outfit as a whole. However, the ongoing saga of Juan-Pablo Montoya's defection to McLaren continued to raise question marks over Williams' man-management techniques, whilst their attitude towards Ralf Schumacher also remained somewhat ambivalent. Prospects for 2004. The BMW engine is again ready early, and if the lessons learned from the FW25 are carried over into the FW26, on paper Williams should start as favourites. But in Montoya's case, will team and driver be committed to each other? If not, can Ralf carry the load of the team's championship challenge? Rating: 7.5/10

2. Renault

This may come as a surprise, but under last year's point system Renault would have been further away from the top three this year than in 2002. For no one would question that in 2003 Renault were part of a 'top 4', on the basis of how at each race the blue and yellow machines constantly threatened the podium and even challenged for victory, even if in the end they were 54 points adrift of McLaren. They went from only scoring minor points in 2002 to recording two poles, one win, one 2nd place and three 3rds, although with on several occasions they were on the verge of more. The R23's Achilles heel was still undoubtedly their relatively gutless wide-angle engine which they were due to dump for 2004 anyway, but the car's superb aerodynamics, suspension geometry, handling and launch and traction control systems were second to none, under the excellent guidance of Mike Gascoyne. And, going by their Suzuka performance when Jarno Trulli took provisional pole and Fernando Alonso could have won, the engine couldn't have been that bad. However, engine reliability was an issue, failures causing four out of Alonso's five retirements, with a further race failure for Trulli.

Renault also proved tactically and politically astute, and credit had to go to Flavio Briatore for managing his drivers well, something for which he is not renowned. Alonso and Trulli clearly got on well, and even though the Spaniard was easily gaining the upper hand, reducing Trulli almost to journeyman status, Flav's loyalty to Trulli did not wane, and Jarno responded with several sterling drives in the second half of the year. All in all, this was a very good year for the Regie, in which they took big steps forward in their quest to take care of their unfinished business from the early 1980s. Prospects for 2004. The future holds question marks, though. Gascoyne leaving for Toyota is a huge blow, and other staff have left as well. It also remains to be seen if the new engine will cut the mustard. Alonso and Trulli will provide very capable service, but Renault may find it difficult to get closer still to the leading three teams. Rating: 8/10

1. Ferrari

To state the obvious, the 15 wins out of 17 races in 2002, and the sheer dominance of the near-perfect F2002 was always going to be a hard act to follow. Only one podium in the first three races, no one-two finishes all year, and only 8 victories out of 16 may have seemed like a step backwards. But clearly Williams, McLaren and Renault had much more room for improvement after 2002, and for all their protestations that the F2003-GA was their best car ever, it could hardly have been that much better than the F2002. And still Ferrari won twice as many races as Williams and quadruple McLaren's tally. Ferrari were also the only team to win three races in a row during the season - and they did it twice. But this teams' review is about all aspects of the team, not just chassis, engine, strategy or electronics, but also tyres. And this was Ferrari's big problem in 2003. After obliterating Michelin last season, Bridgestone fell off their game. Their dry tyres ran hotter than the French rubber, causing a higher wear rate, which combined with the rearward weight distribution of the F2003 also resulted in understeer, although their inters and wets were still far and away superior, as shown at Interlagos and Indy.

Maranello contributed to the situation by being the only top team using the Bridgestones, and their protest to the FIA against the Michelins after Hungary reeked of sour grapes. Having said that, it was a year in which Ferrari's sportsmanship was less in question, since team orders were never employed. The F2003-GA's aero package was still amongst the best, the engine virtually on par with the BMW, and reliability as good as ever. However Ross Brawn seemed to dropped the ball a little in the tactical department - in 2003 Ferrari lost out as much as they gained in pit stop strategy. Prospects for 2004. Bridgestone have got the wake-up call they needed, and all the other key elements of the team remain the same. With Williams and McLaren likely to improve further, Ferrari may have it even less their way in 2004, and might finally be dethroned, especially if their hunger for success starts to wane. Rating: 8/10

Here are our driver reviews for the season, ranked here according to a rating out of 10 awarded by us. We have taken into consideration their equipment, past form, luck (or lack thereof) and our initial expectations for 2003.

Zsolt Baumgartner

Baumgartner became the first Hungarian to race in the World Championship when he subbed for Ralph Firman at the Hungaroring and Monza. Far from disgracing himself, he proved himself capable of doing a respectable job, especially on his debut when he went out in Saturday qualifying with no free practice and only Friday testing under his belt. But at no stage did he show signs of being anything other than the pay-driver he was, and inexperience saw him hold up Montoya at Monza. Was seemingly on Jordan's shopping list for 2004, but he now seems to be out of the frame.

Marc Gené

The long-time Williams tester, got his race opportunity when Ralf Schumacher pulled out at Monza. Qualified 5th and finished 5th in a race where the top five on the grid came home in the same order, but in the final stint he was amongst the fastest on the track. For someone derided as a mere pay-driver when he joined Minardi in 1999, he showed that while he may not be one of the greatest drivers in the world, in the right car he is able to keep up with the best. His work ethic fits Williams perfectly, which is why they value him. Linked to a Jaguar race seat at the time of writing.

Nicolas Kiesa

Kiesa came into F1 to replace Justin Wilson at Minardi for the last five races of the year with a reputation for being a hard charger, and with an F3000 win under his belt. He drove a conservative race on debut that marked him as impressively intelligent, but thereafter he disappointed acutely. Way off the pace of team-mate Jos Verstappen, he was often slower even than Gianmaria Bruni had been in the same car in Friday testing. He often had trouble getting to grips with set-up and/or the track, and this not-so-great Dane probably didn't deserve a second chance in 2004.

Takuma Sato

Sato spent most of the year testing for BAR with the confidence of knowing he was Honda's favourite son, and duly got his chance at home when Villeneuve pulled out at the eleventh hour. He emulated his sparkling Suzuka form from 2002, which was mightily impressive since his last-minute call-up would have done little for his mental preparation. However, questions remain over whether or not he is just a one-track driver, and whether he has matured from the ragged, over-trying, car-destroying Taku we saw in early 2002. We will gain a better insight into his true ability in 2004.

20. Antonio Pizzonia

Most journalists are no mugs. In Melbourne, webmaster Jamie McGregor asked renowned scribe Simon Arron if Pizzonia was the "real deal", and the answer was a decisive "You bet." For someone hyped to the stars as a genuine talent, and highly rated by no less than Williams, Jungle Boy's inability to come up to speed was genuinely mystifying. In his eleven races before he was replaced, he was out-qualified by team-mate Webber 8-3, with particular embarrassments being in Brazil (Webber 3rd, Pizzonia 17th), San Marino (5th versus 15th) and Canada (6th versus 13th).

Admittedly, his team did him no favours by taking a shine to Webber early and seriously thinking about replacing him after only a few races, and his eventual sacking proved that the guarantees given to him after Spain were never as solid as they seemed. But the fact was that Antonio simply failed to live up to expectations, didn't work as hard as Webber, and then did daft things like run into the back of Montoya at turn two in Malaysia. Perhaps his poor F3000 results was really a sign that he lacked the application to succeed in the tough environment of F1. A clear choice for 'Reject of the Year'.

Prospects for 2004. Amazing how a bad run in F1 can break a career. Before 2003 a number of teams were clambering for the Brazilian's signature, but now he looks certain to be left behind as a forgotten man. Perhaps Williams will take him back as an extra tester, but otherwise it seems like it's back across the Atlantic, maybe to CART. Rating: 4/10

19. Jos Verstappen

In a year when there wasn't much between most of the drivers in the field, it was a difficult decision to award Jos the Boss the silver medal in our 'Reject of the Year' rankings. Undoubtedly his recalcitrant Minardi did not encourage him to show what he was capable of, but throughout the season it did seem that the Dutchman was not at the sort of top form that we have seen from him in previous seasons. He always did what he had to do to perform diligently, but no more. Whilst previously he was chosen by teams as a talent, now he was promoting himself as a pay-driver, and that said it all.

The first-lap demon when driving for Arrows in 2001, it was his team-mate Justin Wilson who performed the opening lap heroics for Minardi this year. Canada was his best weekend, where he qualified a superb 15th and came home 9th, but such efforts were few and far between. There was admittedly a lack of wet weather conditions in which he has tended to thrive, and putting aside that freakish provisional pole in France, his moment came in Brazil when he was running and staying ahead of Fisichella, both with one stop to go. Cometh the moment, cometh the man, they say. Jos spun off and stalled.

Prospects for 2004. Verstappen does offer a healthy bevy of Dutch sponsorship, but will his apparent lack of drive behind the wheel deter prospective team bosses? He is too disheartened to face another season with Minardi, so Jordan looks his best bet, but he faces stiff opposition for those seats. Perhaps a sportscar career beckons. Rating: 4.5/10

18. Heinz-Harald Frentzen

After wandering through Williams, Jordan, Prost and Arrows, returning to Sauber in 2003 should have been HHF's great homecoming, back to the team with which he started his F1 career. 4th on the grid in Melbourne thanks to a low-fuel qualifying run, a fortunate break with pit strategy and weather conditions, and a combative drive to 6th signalled what might have been a great last hurrah season for a man whom most people thought was in his last year of F1. But for the rest of the 2003, Frentzen recorded only two more top-ten starts with an average grid spot around 14th.

Before that freakish 3rd at Indianapolis thanks to the weather, his best was 5th in Brazil, also due to rain, but otherwise had a best of 9th, 11th and 12th. Most of the time he was driving like he was already in retirement dreamland in a car that didn't inspire him to do his best. The best example was in Hungary, where he qualified 17th, only ahead of Baumgartner and the two Minardis, then languished near the back on Sunday and retired when he ran out of fuel, before telling the press that he had enjoyed his race! If he liked that kind of mediocrity, then he was better off vacating his seat for a hungry young gun.

Prospects for 2004. One word: retirement. Originally contemplated the IRL, but now most probably a DTM career, following in the footsteps of Jean Alesi. He's not completely out of the picture for a Jordan seat, but heaven forbid another season of him wasting his time. He and Eddie Jordan really ought to give some other youngster a go. Rating: 4.5/10

17. Nick Heidfeld

As fans who championed the young German's cause in 2001 and who felt gutted for him when McLaren chose Raikkonen ahead of him for 2002, it was with some horror that we watched Heidfeld descend into utter averageness this season. Out-qualifying an unimpressive Frentzen 9-7 only was nothing to write home about, and mostly his race performances were uninspiring. As we said throughout the season, great drivers show that they are capable of driving beyond the level of their car, whereas others resign themselves to only driving as well as their car. Heidfeld fell into the latter category.

Perhaps some of that was because he was still sulking over what happened two years ago, but if he can't cope with a disappointment like that, he doesn't have the mental strength to be in Formula One. He was only saved from the reject podium by a respectable run in the second half of the season - when he knew he wasn't staying with Sauber and needed to impress someone else - which saw eight-straight finishes, an 8th at the Nurburgring from the back of the grid, and a solid string of three 9ths and a 5th in the last four events of the year.

Prospects for 2004. Heidfeld has the inherent speed and consistency to remain in F1, but he must show prospective employers that he is motivated to extend himself every weekend. He must stop looking at where Raikkonen is and think that that could be him. A Jordan drive now looks certain, although perhaps Jaguar would suit him also. Rating: 5/10

16. Jacques Villeneuve

If watching Heidfeld resign himself to mediocrity was painful enough, then watching Jacques Villeneuve in 2003 was a galling experience. Seeing him 3rd after Friday qualifying in Melbourne raised hopes that this might be the year he'd been waiting for at BAR, but from then on his season disintegrated into a woeful run of only seven finishes including only two 6ths and three 9ths, seven mechanical retirements, one failure even to get off the dummy grid in Malaysia, and a 6-8 loss to Jenson Button in their qualifying battles, before his bitter eleventh hour departure on the eve of the Japanese GP.

Admittedly, he tended to sacrifice qualifying speed to work on race set-up, but that was pointless if his car broke down. True, he suffered an appalling reliability record, and the team clearly loved Button more than him, but was that a cause or effect? His derision of his team-mate was uncalled for, and it backfired when Jenson out-performed him and when he was the one who made errors like pitting on the wrong lap in Australia. But it showed, as did his tepid race performances all year, that he was a man waiting for what he thought he was due rather than seizing opportunities, and that was to his discredit.

Prospects for 2004. There is no F1 seat for him in 2004, and he is not seeking one. Perhaps he is waiting to see if Williams will offer him one last hurrah in 2005. But the truth is, by his ill-fated decision to join BAR in the first place, and then by his indifferent showings in the last three years, he is yesterday's hero and would be better off in CART. Rating: 5/10

15. Justin Wilson

It was a tricky debut season for the tall Englishman, whom everyone perhaps unconsciously was comparing to Alonso and Webber, two of his predecessors who had shone with Minardi and had gone on to bigger and better things. Three things in particular made for a difficult baptism in F1. His height meant that he could never be in the most comfortable seating position. He was driving a Minardi that was even further from the pace than Alonso's and Webber's had been. And he encountered lamentable reliability, finishing only 5 out of 11 races for Minardi and two out of five for Jaguar.

On the plus side, he made some lightning starts in the first half of the season, often hauling his car into the top twelve by the end of lap one in a manner reminiscent of his Minardi team-mate, Jos Verstappen. But he usually proved unable to capitalise and maintain a solid race pace. Being defeated by Verstappen, usually a poor one-lapper, in the qualifying battle was not a great advertisement for his inherent speed. And, worst of all, he was no more impressive in the Jaguar than Pizzonia had been, although it was a tough ask to step into an unfamiliar car and be expected to perform straight away.

Prospects for 2004. Jaguar face a dilemma because they believe in Justin, but can they afford another season like the last five races of 2003? Much also depends on the budget Wilson can bring. Otherwise, it might be back to Minardi, an unattractive proposition. Worse still, it might be the far-too-premature end of Wilson's F1 career. Rating: 5.5/10

14. Giancarlo Fisichella

It confuses us why so many people think Fisi is the best thing since sliced bread. It is fair enough to attribute his lack of results that sees him with only 94 points from 123 starts to the quality of his machinery, but week in week out his performances fail to indicate greatness. In the right car he may indeed fly, but while on occasions in 2003 he did drag the Jordan higher than where it should have been (for example, by qualifying 9th in Austria, 12th twice and 13th four times in a bottom-four machine), he did not drive above the quality of his steed on a consistent basis.

Often he also squandered his grid position and could be found battling with his team-mates, who on paper were inferior to him. It once again raised questions about his motivation, and there was no doubt that he was not enamoured by what Jordan were giving him. Eleven retirements, none his own fault, did little to raise his confidence. A review of his year, though, cannot pass without mention of Brazil, where from 8th on the grid he was due for a good race anyway, but his speed on the right tyres ensured that he was in the right place at the right time to claim the most popular victory of the season.

Prospects for 2004. A switch to Sauber seems a move sideways rather than upwards, and will be yet another test of his hunger. But perhaps a change is as good as a holiday, and in a more reliable car, one which brings him a step closer to a possible Ferrari drive, Fisichella may be a consistently prominent player in the midfield in 2004. Rating: 5.5/10

13. Ralph Firman

It may come as a surprise that we have put Firman ahead of Fisichella. But we make no bones about the fact that our rankings are based partly on our expectations before the season began. And in Ralph's case those expectations weren't high, considering that he had only won the Formula Nippon championship - not the toughest series the world has known - only after several seasons of trying. But in the end Firman met and perhaps even slightly exceeded what we had anticipated, keeping Fisichella within sight and proving himself deserving of a place in F1.

No one else looked so skittish and accident-prone, but it showed that Firman was always on the limit. He didn't always keep it on the track, nor did he always manage to avoid other cars. But several other highlights made up for that, such as a competitive showing in Malaysia, a brilliant 4th in wet Friday qualifying in Canada when Fisichella languished near the bottom, and a point for 8th in Spain after a great drive. His dramatic suspension failure in Brazil, his massive crash in Hungary and his subsequent enforced two-race absence could easily have dented his confidence. That it did not spoke volumes for him.

Prospects for 2004. Jordan claims that Firman was not chosen this year for his budget. However monetary issues will be key to whether or not Firman keeps his seat, even if he deserves a second chance. If 2003 was his only F1 season then that will be a shame - in which case it's off to sportscars or back to Japan. Rating: 6/10

12. Olivier Panis

When Panis joined Toyota with all the reputation in the world for being a great car developer, everyone thought that this would be Olivier's swansong to a career that has deserved more. Unfortunately the first season of his two-year deal has not turned out that way, team-mate da Matta out-scoring the Frenchman 10 to 6. But that is not to deny his Saturday achievements. For someone regarded as a poor one-lap man, Olivier shone by qualifying in the top ten 12 times, including a 3rd, a 4th, a 5th, a 6th and two 7ths, and an average grid spot of 9th made him the 'best of the rest' in that regard.

Mind you, that was often because of Toyota's low-fuel strategies, which saw Panis drop down the field all too often. One wonders if, with all his experience, he could have had more say in his tactics. And, as a renowned racer, one questions why he sometimes seemed to meekly accept the fact that he was going to fall down the order instead of putting up more of a fight. Terrible reliability didn't help, with nine retirements (seven mechanical) to da Matta's four. In the end, maybe his uncharacteristic alleged drunken rampage with the Schumachers after Suzuka showed just how frustrating this season had been!

Prospects for 2004. It is expected that 2004 will be Panis' final year in F1. He and his team must realise that the race is won on Sunday, not Saturday. With a better and more reliable car, and more orthodox tactics, Olivier still has what it takes to bring home a bevy of points, and may well score Toyota's first ever podium. Rating: 6/10

11. David Coulthard

With only 51 points, equivalent to just 33 under last year's system, only a single win and no poles or fastest laps, 2003 was DC's worst season in F1 since his first with McLaren back in 1996. He failed to reach to finish six times, but scored points in the other ten races. Yet his tally consisted of only three podiums, a 4th, no less than five 5ths, and a 7th. What those figures don't reflect is how stunningly he had often raced to get up to those positions. Only twice did he finish below his grid position. But, in a championship-challenging car, it was a lot less than Ron Dennis would have expected.

The Scot's downfall appalling inability to come to grips with single-lap qualifying. Though the final qualifying score was 10-6 to Raikkonen, three of the six were Kimi errors and one was the rain at Suzuka. The new rules for 2003 were to do with putting pressure on the drivers, and in the shootouts Coulthard simply came up short. He realised the problem and knew his personal demons every time he went out, but overcoming them was beyond him. By season's end, it was arguable that he now had too much baggage from too many failed titled bids to withstand the new generation coming through.

Prospects for 2004. Upon the announcement that Montoya is joining McLaren in 2005, most have taken it for granted that it's DC who will be replaced. If the MP4/19 is as good as intended, then Coulthard will need to stop all that self-examination and, as Nike might say, 'just do it'. Could well be his final season in F1 though. Rating: 6/10

10. Jarno Trulli

We learnt nothing new about Trulli in 2003 - or did we? Paired with the driver of the year, scoring 33 points to Alonso's 55, and taking only one podium to the Spaniard's four, it may have seemed like another fairly mediocre season for the originally overrated Italian. But while their qualifying duel was split 8 apiece, Alonso only started in the top six on six occasions, whereas Trulli managed it eleven times. That, plus some of his spectacular low-fuel Friday qualifying runs, like in Hungary and Japan, confirmed him as one of the best qualifiers in the business. But we knew that already.

We also knew that there will be those frustrating moments where Jarno needs to stand up and be counted but fails to do so. A woeful weekend at Imola, dropping to 6th on the grid in Hungary, and finishing 6th at Silverstone having led early were all examples of that. Indeed, he only finished ahead of his start position 5 times out of 11. But, as we started to see in 2002, Trulli was developing as a racer, and some excellent late-season drives proved that. He had the speed all weekend to actually win in Japan were it not for the Saturday rain, and that said much for Trulli's development as a rounded F1 driver.

Prospects for 2004. Trulli is no longer the next big thing in F1 - his team-mate is, and Jarno's comfortable with that. That's actually going to help his driving in 2004. Much will of course depend on how competitive the Renault is next year, but if it's still 'big four' material, there will be many more points and perhaps regular podiums for Jarno. Rating: 6.5/10

9. Cristiano da Matta

Da Matta came into F1 this year with a CART title in his pocket, but no-one actually thought of him as having the raw talent to rock the establishment. Even now there's no suggestion that he will be one of the major players of the next generation, but he undoubtedly impressed throughout 2003 with his consistency, and deserved his unofficial rookie of the year status. Bear in mind also that he had to learn many of the circuits for the first time, and that as the only rookie not to participate in Friday testing he often only had one hours' free practice before competing in Friday qualifying.

True, he was severely out-qualified by Panis 3 to 13, but he outscored his team-mate 10 points to 6. Admittedly he did have significantly better reliability, and at times he did have a safer strategy. But he often made better use of his tactics than Panis, and even though he didn't set the world on fire in every race, his dependability was what impressed, with only one race-ending error, and that in his first race in Melbourne. His spirited battle with Ralf Schumacher in Spain for 5th, and the convincing manner in which he led at Silverstone, were highlights in what was an extremely solid debut season.

Prospects for 2004. There is no reason why Cristiano can't impress further in 2004. But along with his team he will need to up his game. Showing that he can be competitive and keep his car on the track is one thing, but showing that he can put up a fight when the opportunity arises is another matter altogether. Ought to increase his points haul. Rating: 7/10

8. Ralf Schumacher

The younger Schuey continued to utterly perplex in 2003. There were those early-season events when he couldn't cope with one-lap qualifying, like starting 17th at Sepang. There was that run when he finished the first seven races in the points without recording a single podium. There was Imola, where along with Michael he was in grief over his mother's passing and cathartically fought his brother for the lead in the early stages, only to watch the Ferrari win and himself slide down to 4th. There was Canada, where he sat on Michael's tail in the closing stages without ever looking like making a move.

Then there was that mid-season streak of three poles in four races, and two dominant wins at the Nurburgring and Magny-Cours. There was that sensational drive in Hungary, when he scythed through the field and made mincemeat of his brother. But there were also those daft moments when he stayed on dries at Indy and crashed, and when he pointlessly battled Michael at Suzuka. At times Ralf is too staid and not racy enough. At other times he will be brilliantly forceful but also so ridiculously foolish you wished he was back to his conservative self. All in all, still not the total package he needs to be.

Prospects for 2004. With Montoya due to go to McLaren, Ralf is now looking like being Williams' main man for the next few seasons. But he desperately needs to find the right balance of aggression, speed, consistency and mental strength if he is going to challenge for the championship and not get swamped by the hungry next generation. Rating: 7/10

7. Rubens Barrichello

In the face of the brilliant championship battle, and some of Michael's well-documented mid-season troubles, Ferrari's other driver ended up being lost amongst the headlines for much of the season. It was another typical Rubens year - at times faceless, usually solid, occasionally brilliant, with two wins, three poles and three fastest laps. The brilliant bits were, of course, his two wins at Silverstone and Suzuka. The way he aggressively passed his rivals in Britain made it the best drive this year by anyone, while his triumph in Japan came under enormous pressure considering the championship position.

Barrichello's hoodoo on home soil in Brazil continued, just as he looked odds-on to claim an emotional victory there. He also continued to show that he can match it with Michael, losing 6-10 in their grid battle but having a better average grid position than Schumi, even if you disregard Michael's rain-affected Suzuka effort. However, he also made some crucial errors, such as jump-starting in Australia, spinning on lap one in France and losing his front wings in Canada. Plus, whilst his consistent points-scoring could not be faulted, too often that extra special bit of magic we were hoping for simply never came.

Prospects for 2004. Rubinho's future with Ferrari is unclear after 2004, so next season will be an important year for him. There is no better team player in F1, but perhaps it's time for him to make a mark for himself. He does have the speed to compete with Michael, he just needs to use it. More Silverstone-like drives required from the Brazilian. Rating: 7/10

6. Jenson Button

There were few more impressive drivers on Sundays this year than Jenson Button. Settling in very well at BAR, he managed to mould an excellent spirit around him, capitalising on team-mate Villeneuve's increasing estrangement from the team. If he ever cast a jealous eye over the success his former employers Renault were having, then he didn't show it. Nor did he let Villeneuve's mind games in the early part of the season get to him. Instead he knuckled down to his task, and with 17 points beat Mark Webber on count-back as the 'best of the rest' driver after those from the big four teams.

Qualifying remained one of the his weaknesses, and though he had seven top-ten starts including 5th in Spain, there was also a mid-season stretch from Canada to Hungary where he started no higher than 12th. Perhaps this was the after-effect of his huge Monaco crash. But it's on race day that you bring home the bacon, and this year Button was consistently excellent. Notable drives included finishing 9th from the back of the grid in Britain, and 8th from 17th in Germany, while deserved 4ths in Austria and Japan were the major highlights, and he was desperately unlucky to miss a podium at Indy.

Prospects for 2004. Much has been made of the fact that next year Button becomes a team leader for the first time. But regardless of how Sato does, Jenson has a chance to assert himself, and with Michelin tyres, a stronger Honda engine, and better qualifying pace to match his race pace, he could well give the big four teams some headaches. Rating: 7.5/10

5. Mark Webber

Last year the Australian demonstrated that he had what it took to be a good Grand Prix driver, although he still had his rough edges. This year he showed that he is capable of greatness. Making use of the simple but effective Jaguar, no-one was more stunning in Friday qualifying as he regularly mixed it well inside the top 8. And though he tended to drop back on second qualifying, his average grid position was still just below 9th, and occasionally there were Saturday heroics too, namely starting 3rd in Brazil and 5th in San Marino, while his lap in Hungary netting him 3rd was arguably the lap of the year.

His solid race speed was no better verified than by his run of seven points-scores from ten races in mid-season, as he above anyone else made use of the new points system. Austria was particularly amazing, where he started from the pit lane, had a stop-go, and still came 7th having lapped slower only than the Ferraris. Could with luck have scored up to 30 points, and we will maintain to the grave that he could have won in Melbourne. Admittedly, there were still a few races (e.g. Britain, Japan) where he was a bit impotent with the wrong set-up, and still prone to the odd error, like in Brazil and the USA.

Prospects for 2004. There is every chance that Webber may be going to Williams in 2005, so to solidify his position he must continue his 2003 form next season. With Jaguar on the up, and with an unheralded rookie driver in Christian Klien alongside him, he will have every opportunity to continue to impress. Rating: 8/10

4. Michael Schumacher

If the new rules in 2003 were designed to place more pressure on the drivers, then it came as a surprise that one of the big guns least able to respond was Michael Schumacher. Admittedly, his near-perfect 2002 was an impossible act to follow, and his Bridgestone tyres put him at a disadvantage in mid-season, but there is also no doubt that Schumi made life chasing his 6th title a lot tougher for himself. For starters, with only five poles, but only one in the last ten races, he seemed rather subdued at times in the one-lap shoot-outs, although being a track cleaner on Fridays didn't help.

Mistakes in the first three races set the tone for his year, and later there was that five-race run from Europe to Hungary where he did not lead a lap and seemed resigned to scoring minor points. And of course there was Japan, where he almost made a meal of securing his record-breaking title. Still, there were enough moments of typical Michael magic, namely his hat-trick from San Marino to Austria, all of them unbelievably great drives under pressure, his victory in Canada against the odds, and his wins in Italy and the USA which stabilised his title push. 6 wins meant his 6th title was definitely deserved.

Prospects for 2004. Momentum in F1 is a cyclic thing, and with McLaren and Williams looking strong for 2004 and Ferrari having nowhere to go but downhill, next season will be a test of Michael's motivation, especially now that he has that coveted 6th title. Will obviously still be a contender, but we wouldn't be surprised if he is finally dethroned. Rating: 8/10

3. Juan-Pablo Montoya

2003 was potentially the year that JPM came of age as a Grand Prix driver. After a disappointing 2002 when he nabbed seven poles but zero wins, he learnt his lesson, recognising that Sunday was what mattered. The result? The Colombian finished this season with only one pole but two wins, as many as anyone else other than Schumi, and a bag of points that had him deep in the championship mix. Particularly noteworthy was of course that streak of eight-straight podiums from Monaco to Italy, and his wins in Monaco and Germany were right out of the top drawer.

Indeed, to sum up how good Montoya's season was, if several things had gone his way, he would have been in a position to win the title. He was punted by Pizzonia in Malaysia, retired from the lead in Austria, and may have won in Japan were it not for an hydraulic failure. But on the demerit side, he also contributed to his own downfall, spinning away the victory in Melbourne, also going off in Canada and Hungary, and needlessly colliding with Barrichello and deservedly earning a drive-through at Indy. At no time did he ever seem to be only coasting, but these mistakes showed he could still go over the limit.

Prospects for 2004. How JPM fares in 2004 will be one of the most intriguing questions next year. How well he will work with his team knowing that he's off to McLaren in 2005 remains to be seen. The racer's mentality inherent in JPM and Williams suggests that he will still be a title contender, but one can't help but feel that there will be some tension. Rating: 8/10

2. Kimi Räikkönen

Many people will have chosen the young Finn as the driver of the year, and it is not difficult to see why. Only three retirements, 13 points-scoring finishes, 10 podiums and his maiden victory were sensational achievements in only his third season of F1, in a car that was not as state-of-the-art as his rivals'. Taking advantage of the new points system that rewarded consistency, he was in title contention right to the end, and were it not for his retirement from a dominant position at the Nurburgring, and his collision with Ralf Schumacher and Barrichello at Hockenheim, he may have snatched the crown.

Nevertheless, there were two factors in particular that kept The Iceman away from the top spot in our books. One was that he still made the odd error at crucial times, in particular his Saturday qualifying mishaps in Australia, Spain and Canada, and his pit-lane speeding offence (albeit a tiny one only) in Melbourne. The other was that, although he collected a swag of points in a manner which had some comparing him to Alain Prost, at times he seemed content to drive for points and wait for the championship to come back to him, rather than grabbing races and the title by the scruff of the neck.

Prospects for 2004. With the MP4/19 McLaren already testing and setting rapid times, and with Kimi having gained a decisive edge over team-mate Coulthard, he ought to go into 2004 as championship favourite. He will also be keen to firmly establish himself in his team's affections before the feisty but endearing Montoya joins him in 2005. Rating: 9/10

1. Fernando Alonso

With only four podium finishes all season, our choice of the Spaniard as driver of the year may raise a few eyebrows. One has to remember, though, that this was Alonso's first season of regular racing after only sitting out 2002 as Renault tester. Plus this year he was driving a car that was decidedly down on power. In view of that, the way in which he charged to the absolute limit on race days, whilst hardly ever going it, was one of the most exciting aspects of 2003. It not only netted him 55 points from eleven points finishes, but also comparisons with the late, great Ayrton Senna.

Without his five retirements, none his fault, he may have been 4th in the title. Highlights were of course his maiden pole and 3rd place in Malaysia where he was suffering from a cold, and his dominant pole and victory in Hungary. But arguably his effort in Spain where he drove at eleven tenths and pressured Michael Schumacher all the way, and in Canada where he clung to the top three despite his engine, best epitomised his season. Not a perfect season by any means - his Saturday qualifying errors in Austria and Italy, plus a ragged race at Monza showed that - but no driver was more impressive in 2003.

Prospects for 2004. With such a brilliant season comes the weight of expectation in 2004 as more wins and podiums are anticipated. But with several top engineers leaving Renault and the unknown quantity of a new engine, he will still have to work hard and keep pushing the envelope of his ability if he is to hang on to the top three teams. Rating: 9/10

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