2003 Formula One Team and Driver Profiles
Driver profiles
LONDON (AP) -- The Formula One teams for the 2003 season:
Ferrari
The Italians swamped the field last season with 221 points -- 129 points more than BMW Williams. Ferrari holds the record for F1 victories with 159 and points won (3,766).
Williams
Finished with 92 points, far behind Ferrari. Was the team of the 90s when it won five constructors' titles. Has 108 F1 victories and 2,232 points.
McLaren
A distant third last season, McLaren is the most successful team in F1 after Ferrari with 135 victories and 2,743 points.
Renault
In its first season running under the Renault name the French team finished fourth with 23 points. Renault and Benetton before them have 15 career wins.
Sauber
The small Swiss team has yet to win a race in 329 starts, but it finished fifth last season ahead of better financed teams like BAR, Toyota and Jaguar.
Jordan
The Irish team is struggling to survive and has managed only three wins since being established in 1991. Finished with nine points last season.
Jaguar
Finished with eight points last season. Entering its fourth season, it has never lived up to expectations since it took over Stewart Ford following the '99 season.
BAR-Honda
Founded in 1999 with talk about winning the first race, Jacques Villeneuve's BAR is still without a victory in 134 races. Scored seven points in 2002. Only Minardi and Toyota were poorer.
Toyota
Scored two points in its first season in F1. Will be watched closely for progress this season with two new drivers and a relatively large budget ($210 million US).
Minardi
The doormat of F1, Minardi has yet to win a race since entering F1 in 1985. Scored two points last season.
Drivers
LONDON (AP) -- Here is a thumbnail look at the drivers for the 2003 Formula One season:
Ferrari
Michael Schumacher: He holds almost every F1 record including 64 race victories and five series championships. If he wins again this season he breaks the record of Juan Manuel Fangio set in the 1950s. Regarded by many as the greatest driver in the sport's half-decade history. In 2002 he reached the podium in every race and won a record 11 times. About the only record he doesn't hold is Ayrton Senna's mark for pole positions.
Rubens Barrichello: The Brazilian has five GP victories and is emerging as a respected talent to rival Schumacher. He won his first race in 2000 and took the checkered flag four times last season. He is beginning to live up to some of the promise he showed early in his career, though many think he is still not ruthless enough.
Williams
Juan Pablo Montoya: Very confident -- some say arrogant -- the Colombian has yet to live up to his billing. In two seasons he has won only once in 34 races, but is often compared to Schumacher for his car-handling ability. He won the pole seven times last season but failed to win any of the races.
Ralf Schumacher: Often regarded as the No. 2 at Williams, the younger brother of Michael Schumacher is actually more accomplished than Montoya. He has four career victories including one last season. His biggest rival on the track seems to be Montoya. The two have a frosty relationship.
McLaren
David Coulthard: The Scot has 12 career victories and has been runner-up for the season title, but has seemed to come up short of expectations. He won one of only two races last season not claimed by Ferrari (Monaco). Finished a disappointing fifth last season with 41 points.
Kimi Raikkonen: The Finn did not outscore his teammate, but he did outqualify him regularly. He finished sixth in the overall season standings and is regarded as one of the top young talents in the sport. He is still looking for his first F1 victory but has reached the podium four times.
Renault
Jarno Trulli: Trulli has moved around since joining F1 in 1997. The Italian is still looking for his first victory and this season will be under pressure against new and highly regarded teammate Fernando Alonso.
Fernando Alonso: The Spaniard returns to the front line of F1 after spending the 2001 season with Minardi and 2002 as a Renault test driver. He is also regarded as one of F1's most talented young drivers.
Sauber
Nick Heidfeld: The German will be under pressure with veteran Heinz-Harald Frentzen joining the team. He was frequently outqualified last season by teammate Felipe Massa. Finished 2003 in 10th place overall.
Heinz-Harald Frentzen: The German has won three GP races and is still one of F1's best. Drove for ill-fated Prost in 2001 and ill-fated Arrows in 2002. He came within 10 points of winning the season title in 1999 for Jordan.
Jaguar
Mark Webber: The Australian wasn't sensational last season for tail-end Minardi. But he was good enough and now gets a chance with a big-time team. Finished fifth in his debut in his home Australian GP, his only result of the season.
Antonio Pizzonia: Nicknamed the "Jungle Boy" because he grew up in the Amazon region of Brazil, he makes his F1 debut. His addition leaves Jaguar as the most inexperienced team on the grid.
BAR-Honda
Jacques Villeneuve: The Iberville, Que., driver won the world title in 1997 with Williams. It's been more difficult since then, although he commands the highest salary in F1 behind Schumacher. He managed just four points last season but is hoping to return to his late 90s form.
Jenson Button: The Englishman joins his third team after spells with Williams and Renault. Should have a good car and will be under pressure to perform from Villeneuve.
Jordan
Giancarlo Fisichella: The Italian is still waiting for his first F1 victory. Many think he should have won already. Could be at a handicap with Jordan opting for Friday-only testing.
Ralph Firman Jr.: One of four rookies in 2003. At 27, he will be one of the most experienced rookies to ever enter F1. Last year he won the Formula Nippon series in Japan.
Toyota
Olivier Panis: The Frenchman moves from BAR and should give Toyota added reliability. Has one career win in F1 and five podium finishes. BAR director Dave Richards wanted to partner him with Jenson Button, but was unable to make the deal when Villeneuve declined to move back to CART for one season.
Cristiano de Matta: The Brazilian joins Villeneuve and Montoya as former CART champions moving to F1. He is hoping for the same success. Could struggle to match the results of his French teammate.
Minardi
Jos Verstappe: The Dutchman drove for Arrows in 2001 but sat out last season. Is very popular in his native Holland but has never delivered on his promise, usually driving with also-ran teams.
Justin Wilson: The Englishman becomes the tallest driver in F1 at six foot three. Got his drive partly because of his ability to bring several million in sponsorship to the cash-strapped team.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
