The season in context
The Return of the Scuderia
After narrowly missing out on the title in both 1998 and 1999, Ferrari entered the new millennium determined to end one of the longest championship droughts in Formula One history. Michael Schumacher, joined by Rubens Barrichello in his first season with the Scuderia, once again faced fierce competition from Mika Häkkinen and McLaren, setting the stage for another chapter in one of the sport's greatest rivalries.
Throughout the season, Schumacher and Häkkinen exchanged victories as neither team managed to establish complete control. Their battle produced some of Formula One's most memorable moments, none more famous than Schumacher's breathtaking overtake on Häkkinen at Spa-Francorchamps while lapping Ricardo Zonta, a move that has become one of the defining images of modern Formula One.