Bold & Italic = Championship Contender i.e. drivers that have a serious chance to become 2004 World Champion.
Probable GP winner i.e. drivers who have serious chances of wining single races, but not enough to mount up a serious Championship bid
italic = Possible 1st time GP Winners
Normal type = also rans (due to equipment mostly)
(My addition)
The upcoming season will begin with three rookies, two returnees, nine Grand Prix winners, and only one World Champion on the grid. Atlas F1's Richard Barnes previews the 2004 Formula One drivers line-up
1. Michael Schumacher
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 35
GP Starts: 194
Wins: 70
Pole Positions: 55
WDC Points: 1038
WDC Titles: 6
9th season at Ferrari
Just how many more trophies, records and historical benchmarks can fit into the six-time champion's already stuffed trophy cabinet? Plenty, if we add Schumacher's insatiable hunger for success to the impressive testing times and apparent reliability of the new Ferrari F2004. 2003 proved that Schumacher could still win on reliability and consistency alone, but could no longer dominate because of it. It's unlikely that Bridgestone will have managed to reverse the trend towards Michelin superiority. But if they've managed to even maintain the performance status quo, and if the weather is more accommodating to Bridgestone's strengths, Schumacher can be counted upon to do the rest.
2. Rubens Barrichello
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 31
GP Starts: 177
Wins: 7
Pole Positions: 9
WDC Points: 337
WDC Titles: 0
5th season at Ferrari
Freed from the chokehold of mounting championship pressure that affected his rivals late last season, Barrichello once again showed that he can turn in fast, consistent and error-free race performances. If he can carry that momentum into 2004 and avoid his routinely miserable luck for at least the early part of the season, he could emerge as a championship dark horse. Few believe he has the consistency and staying power to keep within reach of Schumacher all season. But they also said that about Raikkonen in 2003...
3. Juan Pablo Montoya
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 28
GP Starts: 50
Wins: 3
Pole Positions: 11
WDC Points: 163
WDC Titles: 0
4th season at Williams
Williams' driver line-up looks unstable and vulnerable, with Montoya due to leave at the end of the season and lingering questions over Ralf Schumacher's future with the team. In such circumstances, Montoya looks the better bet for a strong championship campaign. His 'all or nothing' approach last year served him extraordinarily well, before letting him down when he most needed a break. That single light shower at Indianapolis was arguably all that stood between Montoya and the championship. The experience might have mellowed another driver, and resulted in a more conservative approach to 2004. It's unlikely to have mellowed Montoya. The Colombian will come out with all guns blazing again.
4. Ralf Schumacher
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 28
GP Starts: 115
Wins: 6
Pole Positions: 4
WDC Points: 235
WDC Titles: 0
6th season at Williams
Like Rubens Barrichello, the younger Schumacher is able to turn in purple patch performances that leave everybody wondering why he can't do it every weekend. If it's a feng shui phenomenon in which Ralf's performances are determined by the harmony of his environment, then his pre-season contract extension differences with Williams don't bode well. On his day, the younger Schumacher has no reason to fear anybody, including his brother. What Ralf lacks, and what Michael has in abundance, is the gift of manufacturing his own luck through being on the dance floor, week in and week out.
5. David Coulthard
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 32
GP Starts: 157
Wins: 13
Pole Positions: 12
WDC Points: 451
WDC Titles: 0
9th season at McLaren
Coulthard probably wishes that the revised single-lap qualifying format would just go away. Everybody else wishes that the Scot would analyse less and, as the classic marketing slogan urges, 'just do it'. Coulthard has a fine opportunity this year. The media and McLaren fan focus will all be on his teammate Kimi Raikkonen, freeing Coulthard from championship expectations and allowing him to drive with renewed enthusiasm and aggression. For the past ten years, Coulthard's measured and analytical approach has produced patchy and ultimately unsatisfactory results. He has little to lose by trying a more spontaneous and instinctive approach this year.
6. Kimi Raikkonen
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 24
GP Starts: 49
Wins: 1
Pole Positions: 2
WDC Points: 124
WDC Titles: 0
3rd season at McLaren
The 24-year old Finn will be the focal point for the 2004 season, even more so than Michael Schumacher, Juan Pablo Montoya and Fernando Alonso. Was 2003 a freak year in which absolutely everything went right for Raikkonen, or was it an unlucky year in which so much more could have swung his way? Were the multiple second places, punctuated by just one win, a triumph of consistency or a tragedy of defensive driving? Even with the disappointing testing form of the new McLaren, 2004 will serve to define Raikkonen as doggedly consistent journeyman or brilliantly gifted winner who simply needed a slightly better car in order to dominate. Even if he doesn't challenge all the way for the championship, Raikkonen's first goal will be to add substantially to his single career GP win, and prove that 2003 was no fluke.
7. Jarno Trulli
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 29
GP Starts: 111
Wins: 0
Pole Positions: 0
WDC Points: 71
WDC Titles: 0
3rd season at Renault
Trulli was all set to make a big statement at Suzuka for the final GP of 2003, until the qualifying shower demoted him to the back of the grid. Nevertheless, he should feel confident and optimistic going into the 2004 season. Renault has looked ominous for some time, and it is now only a matter of time before the team can win consistently. Trulli's Spanish stable mate Fernando Alonso will carry the weight of those expectations, and that should suit Trulli fine. For the last two years, he's diligently remoulded his image of being a one-lap qualifying specialist into that of a more complete driver, able to sustain pace for a full two hour race duration. Trulli's maiden GP win is now considered overdue, and 2004 should be his year to join the winners' circle.
8. Fernando Alonso
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 22
GP Starts: 32
Wins: 1
Pole Positions: 2
WDC Points: 55
WDC Titles: 0
2nd season at Renault
Alonso's goals and expectations for this year are almost diametrically opposed to Kimi Raikkonen's. While the Finn will be seeking to turn routine second places into more frequent GP wins, Alonso will want to augment the occasional mercurial drive with the consistency to finish regularly on the podium. If the new Renault is as good in race trim as it's looked in testing, then Alonso will be a legitimate championship contender. He'll need season-long consistency to follow through on the immense promise of the car, and his own precocious talent.
9. Jenson Button
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 24
GP Starts: 66
Wins: 0
Pole Positions: 0
WDC Points: 45
WDC Titles: 0
2nd season at BAR
For the first time in his career, Jenson Button enters a season with a teammate who is neither an ex-World Champion nor vastly more experienced than the 24-year old Englishman. Instead, Button's performance this year will be compared to the rapid but erratic Takuma Sato. Both were paired with Giancarlo Fisichella in the past, and both emerged as beaten, but wiser and better drivers. Smooth and steady are Button's primary weapons. He won't mind losing the odd battle to the unpredictable Sato, as long as he wins the war and ends the season as BAR's higher WDC finisher. With BAR looking genuinely competitive in pre-season testing, simply finishing higher than his teammate may not be enough, and Button could be eyeing a top six championship finish.
10. Takuma Sato
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 27
GP Starts: 18
Wins: 0
Pole Positions: 0
WDC Points: 5
WDC Titles: 0
1st season at BAR
The Japanese star's disastrous debut F1 season for Jordan in 2002 was salvaged by a creditable fifth place performance at his farewell race at Suzuka. After a sabbatical season of testing for BAR, Sato returns to full GP action with the team for 2004. In Jenson Button, he has a far less intimidating teammate than Giancarlo Fisichella proved at Jordan. Sato's sole 2003 race performance, standing in for Jacques Villeneuve at Suzuka, did little to dispel his reputation for overdriving and accidents, even though he was largely blameless in the collision with Ferrari's Michael Schumacher. With BAR's apparent new competitiveness, Sato will be tempted to overdrive again in the quest for a maiden podium finish. If he can resist the urge, he may emerge as the star of the season.
11. Giancarlo Fisichella
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 31
GP Starts: 123
Wins: 1
Pole Positions: 1
WDC Points: 94
WDC Titles: 0
1st season at Sauber
It will be a bitter pill for Fisichella to witness two former teammates, both of whom he outperformed comprehensively, securing drives with BAR while the Italian once again finds himself in inferior machinery. The move from Jordan to Sauber represents a small step up for Fisichella, but nowhere near the level of machinery his talent deserves. Even his maiden victory at Brazil last season wasn't the moment of glory that he'd have wished for, with the victory confirmation and celebrations delayed until the Wednesday following the race. Fisichella will routinely outrace his inexperienced teammate Felipe Massa, and may secure a couple of minor placings to show for his season's effort. At this stage of his career, that's not going to create job satisfaction for the unluckiest driver in the field.
12. Felipe Massa
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 22
GP Starts: 16
Wins: 0
Pole Positions: 0
WDC Points: 4
WDC Titles: 0
Returns to Sauber
If anybody eclipsed Takuma Sato's 2002 season in terms of sheer incident value, it was Massa. The former Formula Renault star attacked the car, the track and the rest of the field with a manic intensity that defied belief at times. Like Sato, Massa took a year off actual racing to test for Ferrari in 2003, and the experience should have chiselled away the rougher edges. For Ferrari, the testing input must have also proved invaluable, as Massa treats a steering wheel like no other driver in the Ferrari stable, nor any other in living memory. If Massa can just drive smoothly to the finish without incident in each race, he'll probably score valuable points for the team on several occasions. If he can finish ahead of Fisichella even just two or three times in the process, he'll do his reputation a power of good.
14. Mark Webber
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 27
GP Starts: 32
Wins: 0
Pole Positions: 0
WDC Points: 19
WDC Titles: 0
2nd season with Jaguar
Just one of several golden prospects in F1, Webber has shown an ability to impress the right people consistently, even without the level of machinery that Raikkonen and Alonso enjoy. There is still no verifiable benchmark of the Australian's talent, as he invariably gets paired with inexperienced rookies. Jaguar's signing of Christian Klien as Webber's teammate for 2004 won't change that trend, although Klien may at least get a full season to prove his worth. The Jaguar will prove frustrating for Webber again this year, and he'll be itching for a chance to shine in a more competitive car. It's unlikely to be a lengthy wait.
15. Christian Klien
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 21
GP Starts: 0
Wins: -
Pole Positions: -
WDC Points: -
WDC Titles: -
1st season with Jaguar
The former German Formula Renault champion and F3 Series runner-up inherits a position that few drivers relish in F1 - the combination of an uncompetitive car and a stellar teammate. It's a combination that damaged both Antonio Pizzonia's and Justin Wilson's F1 prospects last year, and Klien will be on the defensive from the beginning. The one positive is that Klien secured the best rookie drive for this year, with Jordan and Minardi being the only other teams to hire rookie drivers. The Austrian has already developed an image of calm professionalism, and he'll need it. If he can ride out a rollercoaster first season, he may be set. Webber is unlikely to stay with Jaguar for too long, and the team is equally unlikely to attract a big name star as a replacement.
16. Cristiano da Matta
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 30
GP Starts: 16
Wins: 0
Pole Positions: 0
WDC Points: 10
WDC Titles: 0
2nd season at Toyota
Brazilian da Matta did enough to claim the title of 'rookie of the year' in 2003, even though the year was marked by the scarcity of rookie talent coming into F1. At times, da Matta showed genuine promise, and actually lead for 17 laps at Silverstone. His 2003 WDC tally of 10 points, four more than veteran teammate Olivier Panis, was a respectable showing. With Toyota expected to continue their climb towards the sharp end of the grid, da Matta will be expecting to at least double that points haul this year, to consolidate his position and set himself up as one of the F1 'regulars'.
17. Olivier Panis
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 37
GP Starts: 140
Wins: 1
Pole Positions: 0
WDC Points: 70
WDC Titles: 0
2nd season at Toyota
At 37, Panis is the oldest driver in the current F1 field, and a nasty high speed testing accident at Barcelona in February wasn't the ideal start to his season. Although the Frenchman won't expect to secure another decent drive after Toyota, he still plays a valuable and often under-rated role for the team, his vast experience the perfect foil to teammate Cristiano da Matta's relative lack of experience. Panis probably doesn't have high expectations of adding greatly to his lone career GP win at Monaco in 1996. But, if Toyota can meet their expectations soon, Panis will show that he can still mix it up with the sport's regular winners.
18. Nick Heidfeld
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 26
GP Starts: 66
Wins: 0
Pole Positions: 0
WDC Points: 25
WDC Titles: 0
1st season at Jordan
After several moderately successful years with Sauber, Heidfeld swaps places with Giancarlo Fisichella - the Italian taking Heidfeld's place at Sauber and the German inheriting the de facto senior driver position at Jordan. It's not a move that is likely to enthral either driver. In former and happier times for the team, a Jordan apprenticeship helped to launch several star careers - the Schumacher brothers, for starters. With the influx of major manufacturer teams and the declining role of the privateers, Heidfeld has every reason to feel disillusioned. Touted as a potential future star by Mercedes early in his career, he is still waiting for that works drive - and gradually slipping down the ranks of privateer drives in the process. The fact that Fisichella won in the Jordan last season will be of little consolation to Heidfeld. We're unlikely to see another freak race like Brazil 2003 this year.
19. Giorgio Pantano
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 25
GP Starts: 0
Wins: -
Pole Positions: -
WDC Points: -
WDC Titles: -
1st season at Jordan
Like fellow rookie Christian Klien, Pantano used German Formula Three as a stepping stone to F1, along with a pair of top three Formula 3000 championship finishes in 2002 and 2003. However, it's the funding that he brings to Jordan, rather than any standout qualities as a driver, that ultimately secured the second seat for the 25-year old Italian. Neither Pantano nor the team can have realistic high hopes for the 2004 season. Jordan will be pinning their hopes squarely on Heidfeld. If Pantano manages to score any points at all, it will be seen as a welcome bonus.
20. Gianmaria Bruni
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 22
GP Starts: 0
Wins: -
Pole Positions: -
WDC Points: -
WDC Titles: -
1st season at Minardi
Both of Minardi's new signings for 2004 bring much-needed financial backing to the team. Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber both proved recently that it's not impossible to impress the major team owners while driving a Minardi, and 22-year old Gianmaria Bruni will be hoping to emulate these rising stars. As ever, Minardi will be counting on reliability rather than performance to score the odd points finish. Bruni will be praying that the new one-engine rule leads to significantly more mechanical retirements than 2003.
21. Zsolt Baumgartner
Statistics
-----------------------------------------------------------
Age: 23
GP Starts: 2
Wins: 0
Pole Positions: 0
WDC Points: 0
WDC Titles: 0
1st season at Minardi
It was fitting that Baumgartner, the first Hungarian ever to compete in F1, should have debuted at his home GP for Jordan in 2003. While Baumgartner's debut was a significant event for local F1 fans, it attracted little attention, positive or negative, from the rest of the F1 world. With a full season to show his potential as an F1 talent, and a new teammate with even less experience than himself, Baumgartner will feel less pressurised than he did at Hungary 2003. As with Bruni, Baumgartner will be fervently hoping that teams further up the grid will be plagued by unreliability problems. |
