Ferrari F2003-GA
Encyclopedia
The Ferrari F2003-GA was the car used by Scuderia Ferrari
in the 2003 Formula 1 season, designed by Rory Byrne
and Ross Brawn
. Its development was based on the previous Ferrari F2002
, and featured bulbous sidepods and a lengthened wheelbase to aid aerodynamics. The engine and gearbox were developed versions of the previous model. The car was designated "GA" as a mark of respect to Gianni Agnelli
, the recently deceased head of Fiat
.
The car was introduced just before mid season in 2003, as the F2002 was seen as good enough to be competitive whilst the F2003-GA was developed further. The car was fast and competitive, but had a tendency to overuse its tyres, which led to several late race tyre problems in mid seasons, during the unusually hot European summer. As a result, Williams
and McLaren were able to mount a consistent challenge to Ferrari and push Michael Schumacher
for the championship.
After Bridgestone
engineers discovered Michelin
were using tyres which changed construction, causing the French tyre maker to provide remoulded tyres late in the season, Ferrari became competitive again, and were able to hold off both Williams and McLaren for the constructors' championship, whilst Schumacher snatched his sixth drivers' title, breaking Juan Manuel Fangio
's record which had stood for 46 years.
The car won seven races, five pole positions, and five fastest laps before being replaced with the dominant F2004
in 2004, a car which was almost identical to its predecessor.
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
in the 2003 Formula 1 season, designed by Rory Byrne
Rory Byrne
Rory Byrne is a South African engineer and car designer, most famous for being the chief designer at the Benetton and Scuderia Ferrari Formula One teams....
and Ross Brawn
Ross Brawn
Ross James Brawn OBE is an English motorsport engineer and Formula One team principal. He has worked for a number of Formula One teams, serving as the technical director of the championship-winning Benetton and Ferrari teams. He took a sabbatical from the sport in 2007 but returned to F1 for the...
. Its development was based on the previous Ferrari F2002
Ferrari F2002
The Ferrari F2002 was one of the most successful Formula One car designs of all time. Designed by Ross Brawn, Rory Byrne and Paolo Martinelli, it won fifteen Grands Prix, from a total of nineteen races in 2002 and 2003....
, and featured bulbous sidepods and a lengthened wheelbase to aid aerodynamics. The engine and gearbox were developed versions of the previous model. The car was designated "GA" as a mark of respect to Gianni Agnelli
Gianni Agnelli
Giovanni Agnelli , better known as Gianni Agnelli , was an Italian industrialist and principal shareholder of Fiat. As the head of Fiat, he controlled 4.4% of Italy's GDP, 3.1% of its industrial workforce, and 16.5% of its industrial investment in research...
, the recently deceased head of Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
.
The car was introduced just before mid season in 2003, as the F2002 was seen as good enough to be competitive whilst the F2003-GA was developed further. The car was fast and competitive, but had a tendency to overuse its tyres, which led to several late race tyre problems in mid seasons, during the unusually hot European summer. As a result, Williams
WilliamsF1
Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head...
and McLaren were able to mount a consistent challenge to Ferrari and push Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher is a German Formula One racing driver for the Mercedes GP team. Famous for his eleven-year spell with Ferrari, Schumacher is a seven-time World Champion and is widely regarded as the greatest F1 driver of all time...
for the championship.
After Bridgestone
Bridgestone
The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese....
engineers discovered Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
were using tyres which changed construction, causing the French tyre maker to provide remoulded tyres late in the season, Ferrari became competitive again, and were able to hold off both Williams and McLaren for the constructors' championship, whilst Schumacher snatched his sixth drivers' title, breaking Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio , nicknamed El Chueco or El Maestro , was a racing car driver from Argentina, who dominated the first decade of Formula One racing...
's record which had stood for 46 years.
The car won seven races, five pole positions, and five fastest laps before being replaced with the dominant F2004
Ferrari F2004
The Ferrari F2004 is a championship-winning Formula One racecar, designed by Rory Byrne, Ross Brawn and Aldo Costa for the 2004 Formula One season...
in 2004, a car which was almost identical to its predecessor.