The Best F1 Drivers of the 2000s – Global Sports Planet

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The 2000s was a decade of changes in Formula 1, in which many things happened. The 2000s began with the domination of Ferrari and Michael Schumacher during the first half, giving way to a much more competitive second half where new drivers like Fernando Alonso or Lewis Hamilton began to succeed, as well as new teams like Red Bull or Brawn GP.

It was a decade of many controversies, such as the infamous Indianapolis GP in 2005, the Ferrari and McLaren spying case in 2007, or the Renault \”crashgate\” at the Singapore GP in 2008. V10 engines gave way to V8s, and the low and wide cars became narrow and tall by the end of the decade, totally changing aerodynamic concepts, which many fans did not like.

So, without further ado, to learn a little more about this interesting decade, let\’s take a look at some of the best drivers who raced and left their mark.

1. Michael Schumacher

Active years: 1991-2006, 2010-2012

Entries: 308

Wins: 91

Podiums: 155

Pole Positions: 68

Best result in the 00s: World Champion in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004

The double world champion with Benetton in 1994 and 1995 signed for Ferrari in 1996, and after four disappointing seasons without winning the championship with the Italian team, the German began to lose faith.

However, with the turn of the decade, Ferrari built the best car, leading to one of the most dominant periods in F1 history, which saw the German go down in the history books as the best driver in history, while Ferrari cemented its legend. Both Schumacher and Ferrari were unstoppable during the early 2000s.

From 2000 to 2004, Schumacher won all the drivers\’ championships, and Ferrari the constructors\’ championship, unchallenged. In 2002, the “Kaiser” became the only driver in history to finish on the podium in every race, and in 2004 he won 12 of the first 13 races of the season.

However, everything comes to an end, and in 2005 Renault and McLaren emerged, while Ferrari declined, becoming the third fastest team, so Schumacher could not fight for the championship. In 2006, Ferrari did keep up with the fastest team, Renault, and the Kaiser fought to the end against Fernando Alonso but finished runner-up.

After this season, Schumacher retired from F1 and completed a final stint in the category between 2010 and 2012 with Mercedes.

2. Fernando Alonso

Active years: 2001, 2003-2018, 2021-

Entries: 352

Wins: 32

Podiums: 98

Pole Positions: 22

Best result in the 00s: World Champion in 2005 and 2006

Fernando Alonso made his F1 debut in 2001 with the backmarker Minardi, and after his good performances, he was signed as a test driver for Renault in 2002, becoming a full-time driver in 2003. Renault was on the rise during those years, and Alonso got the best out of those cars, achieving his first victory in the 2003 Hungarian GP, as well as his first podiums during 2003 and 2004.

In 2005, Renault had, along with McLaren, the best car, and Alonso fought against Kimi Räikkönen for the championship. After achieving 7 victories and having a more reliable car, the Spaniard won his first title that season, repeating the success the following year against Michael Schumacher.

In 2007, Alonso signed for McLaren, leading to one of the most controversial seasons. The Spaniard fought for the championship against his teammate, rookie Lewis Hamilton, and their rivalry caused the team to fracture, resulting in a self-boycott. Incredibly, both Hamilton and Alonso finished the season with the same number of points, just one behind the champion, Kimi Räikkönen.

After the bad atmosphere at McLaren, Alonso returned to race with Renault in 2008 and 2009, although without competitive cars. In 2 seasons outperforming his cars, the Spaniard only managed 2 victories, one in the 2008 Singapore GP after the controversial \”crashgate\” case, and the other in the following race, the Japanese GP.

Alonso signed for Ferrari in 2010, in search of competitive cars with which to win his longed-for third title.

3. Kimi Räikkönen

Active years: 2001-2009, 2012-2021

Entries: 353

Wins: 21

Podiums: 103

Pole Positions: 18

Best result in the 00s: World Champion in 2007

Kimi Räikkönen belongs to the same generation of drivers as Alonso. The Finn made his debut in 2001 with Sauber and raced in F1 for the entire decade. His impressive first season at Sauber, in which he scored points in one of the slowest cars, earned him a seat at McLaren for 2002, replacing double world champion Mika Häkkinen.

Räikkönen raced with McLaren until 2006. The British team\’s cars were very fast, but their biggest drawback was reliability, which destroyed the consistency of the Finn, who accumulated many retirements during those years. In 2003, Räikkönen was runner-up, although far behind the dominant Michael Schumacher.

The closest the Finn came to winning the title with McLaren was in 2005, fighting against Fernando Alonso. Despite six wins, consistency meant he could only finish second. In 2007, Räikkönen signed for Ferrari, and the Finn took advantage of McLaren\’s internal crisis to quietly snatch the title from them in the last race, going down in the history books as world champion.

The Finn raced with Ferrari for two more seasons, although underperforming, being beaten in 2008 by his teammate Felipe Massa, so he was replaced in 2010 by Fernando Alonso. The Finn returned to F1 in 2012 with Lotus and retired in 2021 after a second stint with Ferrari and Sauber (Alfa Romeo).

4. Jenson Button

Active years: 2000-2017

Entries: 309

Wins: 15

Podiums: 50

Pole Positions: 8

Best result in the 00s: World Champion in 2009

Jenson Button made his F1 debut in 2000 with Williams, scoring points in 6 races, which earned him a place for Renault in 2001. After two years with not very competitive cars and establishing himself as a party boy and \”Playboy\” in the category, the Briton signed for BAR in 2003, where he drove until 2008 when the team was already called Honda.

Until 2006, BAR was an upper midfield team, and Button scored some good podium finishes, although victory eluded him until the 2006 Hungarian GP, his 113th F1 race. His best season was 2004, when he finished third in the championship, behind only the two Ferraris.

However, the team declined significantly in 2007 and 2008, becoming a backmarker, and Honda decided to leave F1 at the end of 2008. Both Button and his teammate, Rubens Barrichello, looked set to be out of F1 for 2009, but eventually, Ross Brawn rescued the team, renaming it Brawn GP.

Nobody had high expectations for Brawn GP, but the modest team was the one that best adapted to the aerodynamic changes of 2009, and unexpectedly Button won 6 of the first 7 races of the season. The team fell off the pace during the second half of the season, but eventually, Button won the drivers\’ championship and Brawn the constructors\’ championship, something nobody expected at the beginning of the year.

5. Lewis Hamilton

Active years: 2007-

Entries: 304

Wins: 103

Podiums: 188

Pole Positions: 103

Best result in the 00s: World Champion in 2008

After training in the lower categories with the McLaren young driver program from a very young age, Lewis Hamilton made his F1 debut in 2007 with the British team, impressing the whole world with his talent from the very beginning.

The young Briton, who shared the team with the reigning double world champion, Fernando Alonso, was at a high level from the very first moment, obtaining podiums in his first races, and his first victory in the Canadian GP.

The presence of two great drivers in McLaren caused an internal struggle in the team, which led to Kimi Räikkönen finally winning the championship and forcing Alonso\’s departure from the team, which bet on Hamilton\’s talent after his great debut year.

The following year, without the Spaniard in the team, Hamilton snatched the title at the last moment from Felipe Massa, in one of the most dramatic moments ever seen in the category. In 2009, with the aerodynamic changes, McLaren\’s performance worsened, although the Englishman was still able to obtain 2 victories.

6. Sebastian Vettel

Active years: 2007-

Entries: 294

Wins: 53

Podiums: 122

Pole Positions: 57

Best result in the 00s: Championship runner-up in 2009

After a year as a test driver, Sebastian Vettel made his F1 debut at the 2007 United States Grand Prix with BMW Sauber, replacing Robert Kubica, who suffered a heavy crash at the Canadian Grand Prix. At just 19 years of age, Vettel became the youngest driver in history to score points.

His great performance earned him a seat at Toro Rosso for the last 7 races of the season. In 2008, the young German established himself as one of the great promises of the category and achieved a magnificent and unexpected victory in the Italian GP in the rain. After his great year, he was promoted to Red Bull in 2009.

In 2009, Vettel definitely became one of F1\’s biggest stars, scoring multiple wins and podiums with the energy drinks team, and beating his teammate, the more experienced Mark Webber.

Vettel was runner-up, behind Jenson Button, who had built up a big margin during the first part of the season that was impossible to close, although it seemed like it during some moments of the season. This was Vettel\’s first season with a competitive car, prior to his domination of the category.

7. Felipe Massa

Active years: 2002, 2004-2017

Entries: 272

Wins: 11

Podiums: 41

Pole Positions: 16

Best result in the 00s: Championship runner-up in 2008

Felipe Massa made his F1 debut in 2002 with Sauber, and after a year\’s absence returned in 2004. The young Brazilian performed well in a slow car, beating his teammate, 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve, in 2005.

His solid performances earned him a seat at Ferrari for 2006, as Michael Schumacher\’s second driver, taking his first wins and podiums in the category that season, and finishing third in the championship, which was not bad at all.

In 2007, Massa was beaten by his new teammate, Kimi Räikkönen, who won the championship, but in 2008 it was the Brazilian who led the team. No one has come closer to winning a championship than Massa in 2008. The Brazilian took six victories that season and fought to the end with Lewis Hamilton.

Massa crossed the finish line of the final round first, which was good enough to win the world championship, but incredibly, Hamilton overtook the position he needed to win the title at the last corner, snatching the championship from him at the last moment.

In 2009, Massa tried to fight for the championship, but an accident at the Hungarian GP sidelined him for the rest of the year. Massa returned in 2010 but was never again the driver he was before.

8. Rubens Barrichello

Active years: 1993-2011

Entries: 326

Wins: 11

Podiums: 68

Pole Positions: 14

Best result in the 00s: Championship runner-up in 2002 and 2004

With 326 entries, Rubens Barrichello is the third driver with the most races in history, behind only Kimi Räikkönen and Fernando Alonso. After establishing himself as a fairly solid and regular driver during the 1990s, the Brazilian signed for Ferrari in 2000.

Barrichello was at Ferrari during his greatest period of splendor in the category, however, he was never at the level of his teammate, Michael Schumacher, being the perfect second driver of the German and helping him in the championship when he needed it.

The Brazilian was runner-up in 2002 and 2004, third in 2002, and fourth in 2000 and 2003, and accumulated many wins and podiums, but never came close to winning the title. In 2006, Barrichello signed for Honda and after a season fighting for points consistently, the team worsened, with 2007 and 2008 being very uncompetitive.

After Ross Brawn\’s purchase of Honda and the renaming to Brawn GP, Barrichello had a winning car again in 2009 but was outperformed by his teammate, Jenson Button, who won the title, while the Brazilian was only third. 2 more seasons at Williams and Barrichello retired from F1 as the most experienced driver to date, having raced in 3 different decades.

9. David Coulthard

Active years: 1994-2008

Entries: 247

Wins: 13

Podiums: 62

Pole Positions: 12

Best result in the 00s: Championship runner-up in 2001

David Coulthard is the fifth driver in history with the most points in his career, and although he never won a championship, he was close to achieving it on several occasions, standing out for his great consistency, as he always maintained a high level.

Coulthard signed for McLaren in 1996 and finished third in the championship in 1997 and 1998, being the second driver of Mika Häkkinen, who won the championships in 1998 and 1999. With the change of decade and the domination of Ferrari, the Scot was McLaren\’s leader, but could not fight for the championship, being third in 2000 and runner-up in 2001.

After 2002, his pace worsened, being beaten by his teammate Kimi Räikkönen. Coulthard joined the newcomer Red Bull in 2005, whose project, with a large investment behind it, promised a winning car in the coming years.

However, the early years were tough, with cars that could barely fight for points. 2005 was the first year in which Coulthard finished outside the top 10 in the championship. Even so, the Scotsman got the best out of those cars, taking the team\’s first podium in F1, at the 2006 Monaco GP, and another one at the 2008 Canadian GP, in what was his last season in the category.

10. Juan Pablo Montoya

Active years: 2001-2006

Entries: 95

Wins: 7

Podiums: 30

Pole Positions: 13

Best result in the 00s: 3^rd in the championship in 2002 and 2003

Juan Pablo Montoya did not spend many years in Formula 1, but enough to leave his mark on the category. The Colombian, known for his temperament on and off the track, and his aggressive driving, was tremendously fast and efficient and had no qualms about speaking his mind.

Montoya made his F1 debut in 2001 with Williams, and already in his first season, he achieved one victory and three podiums, although the consistency and unreliability of his car did not allow him to finish many races. In 2002 and 2003 the Colombian was at a great level, achieving some victories and podiums, finishing both seasons third in the championship and showing great overtaking skills.

In 2005, Montoya signed for McLaren, and despite being beaten by his teammate Kimi Räikkönen, the Colombian continued at a high level, very even with the Finnish driver. In 2006 he continued in great form but only participated during the first half of the season, as he was dismissed from the team after announcing that he would participate in NASCAR in 2007.

11. Mark Webber

Active years: 2002-2013

Entries: 217

Wins: 9

Podiums: 42

Pole Positions: 13

Best result in the 00s: 4^th in the championship in 2009

After participating in some endurance races and two years as a reserve driver for Benetton, Mark Webber made his F1 debut in 2002 with the backmarker Minardi, before joining Jaguar in 2003.

During two seasons with Jaguar, without a very competitive car, Webber beat his teammates, although he could hardly fight for points. His good performance earned him a seat at Williams for 2005, a season in which he scored his first podium in the category, at the Monaco GP.

The Australian joined the Red Bull project in 2007, helping to consolidate the team in the category alongside David Coulthard, with whom he was very close in both 2007 and 2008. In 2009, the energy drinks team made a qualitative leap forward, with this season being the first time Webber had a competitive car.

The Australian scored two wins and eight podiums that season, proving that with a car to match he could be among the best, although he was beaten by his teammate, Sebastian Vettel, whom he could never match. Webber became Red Bull\’s second driver, and although in 2010 he almost won the championship, it was the German who triumphed with Red Bull.

12. Robert Kubica

Active years: 2006-2010, 2019, 2021

Entries: 99

Wins: 1

Podiums: 12

Pole Positions: 1

Best result in the 00s: 4^th in the championship in 2008

With his F1 debut in 2006 with BMW Sauber, Robert Kubica became the first Polish driver in the history of the category, replacing Jacques Villeneuve for the last 6 races of the season. The Pole scored an incredible podium finish in his third race, establishing himself as a driver with a great future in the category.

Kubica was very consistent in 2007, scoring points in most races, which was the most the car could offer. In 2008, however, BMW Sauber improved, becoming an upper midfield team.

Kubica got the best out of his car and achieved 1 win and 7 podiums that season, finishing fourth in the drivers\’ championship. In 2009, however, Sauber declined again, and the Pole could hardly fight for points, although he managed to get a podium at the Brazilian GP. At the end of the season, he signed for Renault for 2010.

The Pole was one of the great talents of F1, as he always outperformed his cars, and got the most out of them. However, his career was cut short in 2011, after he suffered a rally accident, which affected the mobility of his right arm. It was said that Kubica could have driven for Ferrari if that accident had not happened.

Conclusion

The 2000s saw the emergence of some of the great legends of contemporary Formula 1, some of whom dominated the category for years and some of whom are still racing today.

It was a very competitive decade that pitted drivers who began their careers in the 20th century against drivers who consolidated their careers in the 21st century, many of whom have been the references of today\’s Formula 1 drivers.