Blundell's view: 2001 F1 season & beyond - Part 1.

In the first of a two-part interview with ex-F1 driver Mark Blundell the Brit talks exclusively to Crash Dot Net about the 2001 F1 season, his top five drivers of the year and a lot more:

Q:
Mark the 2001 season ended in October. Sum up your feelings of the year in a few words?

Mark Blundell:
Overall it was a good season - one full of woes, excitement and some pretty damn good races - and while it won't ever be remembered as a spectacular season it all bodes well for an even better year in 2002.

Q:
If you had to pick out your top five or so drivers' who would they be? And why?

MB:
I think first up quite obviously it would have to be Michael Schumacher. He retained his title, did an outstanding job and apart from Monza and Indianapolis - where he could have handled everything better - it was all round a great job.

I think DC also did really well he drove hard and gave 100% and for me he was the next best. Unfortunately though for him the car didn't have the reliability or consistency needed to mount a proper championship challenge. If he gets a better car next year though watch out...

Third in my top five is Juan Pablo Montoya. The Colombian brought a breath of fresh air to the series and in many ways he stuck two fingers up at the 'establishment'. Early on in the season he learnt the hard way when a few ''rookie'' mistakes - although he was hardly a rookie with all his experience in racing - let him down. By the end of the year though he could hardly be faulted and overall I thought it was a good year for an outstanding racer.

Next in the overall scheme of things would have to probably be Rubens Barrichello or Ralf Schumacher. Ralf won three races so would probably edge the Brazilian and while the German showed real commitment and strength by the final three or so races he looked a bit frustrated, and I think JPM was starting to get the upper hand. Barrichello meanwhile did a great job to back up Michael but the big question now is can he improve any more in 2002?

Kimi Raikkonen also did well. The Finn came in with virtually no experience and the fact that next year he will be seating in a McLaren says it all. Nick Heidfeld and Jarno Trulli also deserve a mention and well Mika Hakkinen had his moments there just wasn't enough.

Q:
Which driver (or drivers) was the biggest disappointment in 2001?

MB:
I think for me it would have to be Eddie Irvine. If we go back 12 months or so to the start of the season and listen to what he said, then I really expected a lot more than he delivered. As the self-proclaimed 'second best driver' in F1 I thought he should have got a lot more good results and while when its needs to be done he delivered for me that just wasn't enough. There comes a time in my view when the Irv should stop worrying about the amount of column inches he gets and get on with the job at hand - scoring points behind the wheel of a racing car.

Q:
Kimi Raikkonen has got a lot of praise - was it justified?

MB:
Yeah - it was very justified. In terms of what he had done before coming to F1 - 22 or 23 single seater races - then he did an outstanding job. It went a bit sour once he had signed for McLaren, which was a bit worrying but overall he had a fantastic season.

He is now though in one of the top three teams and next year there will be lots of pressure. McLaren will expect results and it will be interesting to see how he handles it. Based on this year though he seems destined for great things and there is no doubt he has a great opportunity in 2002.

Q:
Is he your rookie of the year?

MB:
I think so. In many ways he was a true rookie swapping something like 150 horsepower in 2000 for a massive 850 in 2001. Plus he had to deal with all the extra publicity and everything else that goes with F1.

Q:
What about Fernando Alonso - he did just as good a job in the Minardi as Raikkonen in the Sauber - didn't he?

MB:
Alonso did a great job too for sure. It didn't always get noticed though because he was at the back of the field and Raikkonen in the Sauber was frequently up front. In qualifying the Spaniard was particularly good - dragging the Minardi as high up as possible - and there is no doubt he is a talent of the future.

Q:
Is his move to Renault a good one?

MB:
I think it is a positive move. It will do him good to be with a top team and besides he is still young so he has time is on his side. It may also prove good with regard to getting a drive with the team in 2003.

Q:
Jenson Button had a torrid year in 2001 - what does he need to do next year?

MB:
Luckily for Jenson he still has the Renault drive for 2002 and that one season is going to be crucial. His biggest challenge will be to beat his team-mate - Jarno Trulli - and if he does that then he will be ok. If he doesn't, if his team-mate beats him like Giancarlo Fisichella did this year then he won't be with Benetton in 2003 and he could be in real trouble.

Coming soon: Part two of Mark Blundell's 2001 F1 season review.