STORY OF THE DAY: Victory in France seals Schumacher’s fifth world title

Michael Schumacher won the 2002 French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours, the eleventh round of the Formula One World Championship, and secured his fifth Drivers’ Championship. The achievement equalled Juan Manuel Fangio’s long-standing record, with six races still remaining. Kimi Räikkönen finished second for McLaren and David Coulthard completed the podium.

Schumacher’s route to victory was far from straightforward. After starting behind Juan Pablo Montoya, he crossed the pit-exit line and received a drive-through penalty, allowing Räikkönen to take command. Five laps from the finish, oil left by Allan McNish’s failed Toyota caused Räikkönen to slide wide, and Schumacher swept past to claim both the race and the championship.

The F2002 was built around a carbon-fibre composite monocoque, Ferrari’s three-litre V10 and a compact longitudinal gearbox. Its tightly packaged rear bodywork, efficient aerodynamics and low weight produced an unusually complete racing car. Strong performance combined with outstanding reliability allowed Ferrari to dictate races across widely differing circuits.

Michael Schumacher, born in Germany, had won two world titles with Benetton before joining Ferrari in 1996. He became champion for the Scuderia in 2000 and 2001, then completed a third consecutive Ferrari title at Magny-Cours. Winning the championship earlier in the calendar than any previous driver underlined the scale of his and Ferrari’s dominance in 2002.