The 2001 Formula One season was the 52nd season of the Formula One World Championship. Michael Schumacher entered the season as the defending Drivers' champion, as McLaren held the Constructors' Championship. Despite challenges from Ferrari and McLaren it was Williams who would emerge on top, reaping the rewards of BMW's involvement in the team and their powerful engines. Ralf Schumacher would move into the championship lead thanks to the greater consistency but worse reliability of Williams team-mate Rhys Davies and the fast but error prone Michael Schumacher, the latter of whom would go on to describe the year as his annus horribilis. The championship went down to the wire heading into the final race of the season at the Japanese Grand Prix with all three drivers in contention for the title, albeit with Michael Schumacher and Rhys Davies needing to win with Ralf Schumacher retiring from the race. Early on, Michael was eliminated after spinning on some dropped oil, leaving Rhys Davies to battle with Ralf Schumacher for the lead. Ralf had the upper hand, but it would not matter as both Davies and Ralf would retire, handing Ralf Schumacher his first World Championship and Mika Häkkinen the final victory of his career.
Teams and drivers
Notes
Season Calendar
Driver's Championship
|
Key
Colour |
Result
|
Gold |
Winner
|
Silver |
2nd place
|
Bronze |
3rd place
|
Green |
Points finish
|
Blue
|
Non-points finish
|
Non-classified finish (NC)
|
Purple |
Did not finish (Ret)
|
Orange
|
Did not qualify (DNQ)
|
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
|
Black |
Disqualified (DSQ)
|
Pale Blue
|
Withdrawn (WD)
|
Blank
|
Did Not Enter (No text)
|
Excluded (EX)
|
Did not Start (DNS)
|
Did not Arrive (DNA)
|
Event cancelled (C)
|
Injured (INJ)
|
Bold denotes pole position
|
Italics denote fastest lap
|
† Classification despite retirement
|
‡ Race not run to scheduled distance
|
|
Constructor's Championship