The Iceman Waiteth

This is my (Backmarker's) timeline in which I try and describe how Formula One might have looked had Enrique Bernoldi got the Sauber drive for 2001, instead of Kimi Räikkönen. I'll actually make a post on the F1 Rejects' forum when I've completed 2001.

2001

Driver changes for the 2001 season

A number of changes to the teams' line-ups were made for the 2001 season: Olivier Panis, having spent a year testing for McLaren, moved to BAR, replacing Ricardo Zonta, who became test driver at Jordan; Jenson Button moved to Benetton, making way at Williams for Colombian CART sensation Juan Pablo Montoya; Gaston Mazzacane joined Prost from Minardi, with Nick Heidfeld leaving the French team for Sauber; making debuts would be the aforementioned Montoya, a young Spaniard called Fernando Alonso at Minardi, and Enrique Bernoldi at Sauber.

The Sauber decision had been a contentious one. Team Principal Peter Sauber had preferred a young Finnish driver called Kimi Räikkönen, but sponsors Red Bull had lobbied for their driver, Enrique Bernoldi to get the seat. In the end, with doubts circulating about the Finn's ability to cope with the reality of Formula One competition, given that he had only driven in 23 events so far, money talked, and Bernoldi got the drive.

As a result, the line-ups for the 2001 Formula One Season were as follows:

Team	#	Driver
Ferrari
	1	Michael Schumacher
	2	Rubens Barrichello
McLaren-Mercedes
	3	Mika Häkkinen
	4	David Coulthard
Williams-BMW
	5	Ralf Schumacher
	6	Juan Pablo Montoya
Benetton-Renault
	7	Giancarlo Fisichella
	8	Jenson Button
BAR-Honda
	9	Olivier Panis
	10	Jacques Villeneuve
Jordan-Honda
	11	Heinz-Harald Frentzen
	12	Jarno Trulli
Arrows-Asiatech
	14	Jos Verstappen
	15	Pedro de la Rosa
Sauber-Petronas
	16	Nick Heidfeld
	17	Enrique Bernoldi
Jaguar-Cosworth
	18	Eddie Irvine
	19	Luciano Burti
Minardi-European
	20	Tarso Marques
	21	Fernando Alonso
Prost-Acer
	22	Jean Alesi
	23	Gastón Mazzacane

Australia

At the sharp end of the grid there was a signal of intent from Ferrari, with Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello qualifying first and second on the grid. Nick Heidfeld managed a credible tenth place, with his team-mate Enrique Bernoldi down in sixteenth, just ahead of the Benettons.

In the race Schumacher converted pole position into a win, with David Coulthard second, and Rubens Barrichello in third. Nick Heidfeld performed very credibly, finishing fourth, their highest finish since 1998. Enrique Bernoldi's race ended a lot sooner, spinning off on the second lap.

Race

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Points
1	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	10
2	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	6
3	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari	4
4	Nick Heidfeld	Sauber-Petronas	3
5	Heinz-Harald Frentzen	Jordan-Honda	2
6	Olivier Panis	BAR-Honda	1

Malaysia

For the top teams it was more of the same in Malaysia. Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello put their Ferraris on the front row of the grid. Nick Heidfeld would start from eleventh, while Enrique Bernoldi could only manage nineteenth.

The race did not get any better for Sauber. Bernoldi had a driveshaft issue that prevented him from even leaving the grid, and with rain falling Heidfeld spun out on the third lap. Despite losing positions because of the rain, Schumacher and Barrichello pulled off a series of overtakes in order to finish first and second respectively.

Race

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Points
1	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	10
2	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari	6
3	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	4
4	Heinz-Harald Frentzen	Jordan-Honda	3
5	Ralf Schumacher	Williams-BMW	2
6	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	1

Drivers' Championship standings

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Points
1	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	20
2	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari	10
2	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	10
4	Heinz-Harald Frentzen	Jordan-Honda	5
5	Nick Heidfeld	Sauber-Petronas	3
6	Ralf Schumacher	Williams-BMW	2
7	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	1
7	Olivier Panis	BAR-Honda	1

Brazil

At Interlagos there was hope for the other teams that they wouldn't have to endure further Ferrari domination. While Michael Schumacher was on pole again, Rubens Barrichello was in sixth behind the Williams and the McLarens. Qualifying also went well for Sauber, with Nick Heidfeld and Enrique Bernoldi qualifying ninth and tenth respectively.

Just like Malaysia before, the Brazilian Grand Prix was beset by rain, with the lead changing hands between Michael Schumacher, Juan Pablo Montoya and David Coulthard on multiple occasions, with Coulthard ultimately prevailing. Heidfeld managed to finish fourth, a lap behind the lead trio. Hopes for a double points finish were dashed when Enrique Bernoldi span off the track.

Race

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Points
1	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	10
2	Juan Pablo Montoya	Williams-BMW	6
3	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	4
4	Nick Heidfeld	Sauber-Petronas	3
5	Olivier Panis	BAR-Honda	2
6	Jarno Trulli	Jordan-Honda	1

Drivers' Championship standings

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Points
1	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	24
2	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	20
3	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari	10
4	Juan Pablo Montoya	Williams-BMW	6
5	Nick Heidfeld	Sauber-Petronas	6
6	Heinz-Harald Frentzen	Jordan-Honda	5
7	Olivier Panis	BAR-Honda	3
8	Ralf Schumacher	Williams-BMW	2
9	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	1
9	Jarno Trulli	Jordan-Honda	1

San Marino

For the first time of the season, Michael Schumacher was not on pole, instead qualifying fourth. Pole was instead taken by David Coulthard, with Mika Häkkinen lining up just behind him in the sister McLaren. For Sauber, Enrique Bernoldi out-qualified Nick Heidfeld for the first time, starting the race from tenth, one position ahead of his team-mate.

In the race the McLarens were not as quick off the line as Ralf Schumacher's Williams, the German going from third to first before Tamburello. Ralf Schumacher held on for the win, making him and Michael the first grand prix-winning brothers. David Coulthard finished second, and, with Michael Schumacher suffering a suspension failure, took the lead in the championship. Enrique Bernoldi's good qualifying performance was undermined by a steering issue during the race, and Nick Heidfeld finished just outside the points in seventh.

Race

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Points
1	Ralf Schumacher	Williams-BMW	10
2	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	6
3	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari	4
4	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	3
5	Jarno Trulli	Jordan-Honda	2
6	Heinz-Harald Frentzen	Jordan-Honda	1

Driver's Championship standings

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Points
1	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	26
2	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	24
3	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari	14
4	Ralf Schumacher	Williams-BMW	12
5	Juan Pablo Montoya	Williams-BMW	6
6	Nick Heidfeld	Sauber-Petronas	6
7	Heinz-Harald Frentzen	Jordan-Honda	6
8	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	4
9	Olivier Panis	BAR-Honda	3
9	Jarno Trulli	Jordan-Honda	3

Spain

In the weeks between Spain and Malaysia there had been a driver change, with Gastón Mazzacane being sacked by Prost, and replaced by French driver Stéphane Sarrazin. Despite there having been rumblings that Jaguar were preparing to sack Luciano Burti, the lack of a viable replacement seemingly put paid to the idea.

Normal service was resumed in qualifying, with Michael Schumacher taking his fourth pole of the season. Lining up beside him was reigning world champion Mika Häkkinen. For Sauber, Enrique Bernoldi again managed to qualify his car just ahead of Nick Heidfeld, with the Saubers lining up ninth and tenth respectively.

In the race all had looked set for Häkkinen to take his first win of the season, before a hydraulic problem on the penultimate lap caused his retirement from the lead. Michael Schumacher swept past, and took the race win, with Juan Pablo Montoya a distant second. Joining the pair on the podium was Jacques Villeneuve, his first podium finish foor BAR. Heidfeld was able to use his experience to ensure that he finished ahead of Bernoldi, the pair finishing sixth and eighth respectively. In his first race for Prost, Stéphane Sarrazin finished a respectable eleventh, just behind Jean Alesi.

Race

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Points
1	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	10
2	Juan Pablo Montoya	Williams-BMW	6
3	Jacques Villeneuve	BAR-Honda	4
4	Jarno Trulli	Jordan-Honda	3
5	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	2
6	Nick Heidfeld	Sauber-Petronas	1

Driver's Championship standings

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Points
1	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	34
2	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	28
3	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari	14
4	Ralf Schumacher	Williams-BMW	12
5	Juan Pablo Montoya	Williams-BMW	12
6	Nick Heidfeld	Sauber-Petronas	7
7	Heinz-Harald Frentzen	Jordan-Honda	6
7	Jarno Trulli	Jordan-Honda	6
9	Jacques Villeneuve	BAR-Honda	4
10	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	4
11	Olivier Panis	BAR-Honda	3

Austria

Once again, Michael Schumacher was on pole for the grand prix, with championship rival David Coulthard only able to qualify seventh. Nick Heidfeld qualified well, and would start from sixth, with Bernoldi behind him in tenth. Stéphane Sarrazin actually out-qualified Jean Alesi by one position, and would start from nineteenth on the grid.

In the race a battle for the lead developed between Michael Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya. When Michael Schumacher tried to overtake Montoya at the second corner, the Colombian outbreaked himself, with both drivers running off the track, and handing the lead to Rubens Barrichello. During pit stops Coulthard was able to get ahead of Barrichello, and went on to take the win, with Michael Schumacher finishing second, Ferrari having ordered Barrichello to cede the position to his team-mate. Both Saubers finished outside the points, with Heidfeld eighth and Bernoldi ninth. Sarrazin finished the race just behind his team-mate in eleventh place.

Race

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Points
1	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	10
2	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	6
3	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari	4
4	Olivier Panis	BAR-Honda	3
5	Jos Verstappen	Arrows-Asiatech	2
6	Eddie Irvine	Jaguar-Cosworth	1

Driver's Championship standings

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Points
1	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	40
2	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	38
3	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari	18
4	Ralf Schumacher	Williams-BMW	12
5	Juan Pablo Montoya	Williams-BMW	12
6	Nick Heidfeld	Sauber-Petronas	7
7	Heinz-Harald Frentzen	Jordan-Honda	6
7	Jarno Trulli	Jordan-Honda	6
7	Olivier Panis	BAR-Honda	6
9	Jacques Villeneuve	BAR-Honda	4
10	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	4
11	Jos Verstappen	Arrows-Asiatech	2
12	Eddie Irvine	Jaguar-Cosworth	1

Monaco

David Coulthard had high hopes for retaking the championship lead from Michael Schumacher at Monaco, given that he qualified first on the grid, with Michael Schumacher second. Nick Heidfeld was the fastest of the Saubers, but was only sixteenth, with Enrique Bernoldi in eighteenth. Stéphane Sarrazin was well down the grid in twenty-first, only ahead of Tarso Marques.

Come the parade lap, David Coulthard's launch control played up, and prevented him from pulling away from the grid. By the time that the McLaren engineers had got the car started Coulthard was forced to start from the back of the grid. Coulthard managed to work his way back to fourth over the course of the race, but having qualified on pole and with the championship race heating up, the Scot was disappointed with the result. Michael Schumacher predictably led home Rubens Barrichello to take his fifth win at Monaco. Eddie Irvine raised a couple of eyebrows by ending the race just behind the two Ferraris in third. An accident with Jos Verstappen ended Nick Heidfeld's race early, and Bernoldi was the best of the Saubers, finishing tenth, with a wheel sensor failure requiring him to drive very gently in order to bring the car home. Jean Alesi scored Prost's first points of the season, finishing sixth, but Stéphane Sarrazin's afternoon was ended when a brakes issue forced his retirement.

Race

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Points
1	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	10
2	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari	6
3	Eddie Irvine	Jaguar-Cosworth	4
4	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	3
5	Jacques Villeneuve	BAR-Honda	2
6	Jean Alesi	Prost-Acer	1

Driver's Championship standings

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Points
1	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	50
2	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	42
3	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari	24
4	Ralf Schumacher	Williams-BMW	12
5	Juan Pablo Montoya	Williams-BMW	12
6	Nick Heidfeld	Sauber-Petronas	7
7	Heinz-Harald Frentzen	Jordan-Honda	6
7	Jarno Trulli	Jordan-Honda	6
7	Olivier Panis	BAR-Honda	6
7	Jacques Villeneuve	BAR-Honda	6
11	Eddie Irvine	Jaguar-Cosworth	5
12	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	4
13	Jos Verstappen	Arrows-Asiatech	2
14	Jean Alesi	Prost-Acer	1

Canada

O, Canada! The halfway point of the season, and characteristically for 2001 Michael Schumacher qualified on pole, just ahead of his brother. Heinz-Harald Frentzen had succombed to illness, and so was replaced in the Jordan by Ricardo Zonta, who qualified twelfth. Enrique Bernoldi was the quickest of the Saubers, qualifying ninth to Nick Heidfeld's eleventh. Stéphane Sarrazin was again near the back of the grid, qualifying nineteenth in the Prost.

In the race it was Ralf Schumacher who was the faster of the brothers, hunting Michael down before passing him during pit stops. This was the first time ever that two brothers had finished first and second in a grand prix. David Coulthard fell further behind in the championship race, as his Mercedes engine let go fifteen laps from the end. Nick Heidfeld's race was ended by Eddie Irvine, but Enrique Bernoldi scored his first points of the season, safely bringing his Sauber home in fifth, just behind Jean Alesi's Prost. The final points position was filled by Luciano Burti, who just managed to keep an impressive Ricardo Zonta behind him, with Sarrazin eighth.

Race

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Points
1	Ralf Schumacher	Williams-BMW	10
2	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	6
3	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	4
4	Jean Alesi	Prost-Acer	3
5	Enrique Bernoldi	Sauber-Petronas	2
6	Luciano Burti	Jaguar-Cosworth	1

Driver's Championship standings

Pos	Driver	Constructor	Points
1	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari	56
2	David Coulthard	McLaren-Mercedes	42
3	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari	24
4	Ralf Schumacher	Williams-BMW	22
5	Juan Pablo Montoya	Williams-BMW	12
6	Mika Häkkinen	McLaren-Mercedes	8
7	Nick Heidfeld	Sauber-Petronas	7	8	Heinz-Harald Frentzen	Jordan-Honda	6
8	Jarno Trulli	Jordan-Honda	6
8	Olivier Panis	BAR-Honda	6
8	Jacques Villeneuve	BAR-Honda	6
12	Eddie Irvine	Jaguar-Cosworth	5
13	Jean Alesi	Prost-Acer	4
14	Jos Verstappen	Arrows-Asiatech	2
14	Enrique Bernoldi	Sauber-Petronas	2
16	Luciano Burti	Jaguar-Cosworth	1