Ferrari clinch fourth consecutive title in supreme fashion

24 years ago today, Ferrari locked out the front row, locked out the podium's top two steps, and locked up their fourth consecutive constructors' championship with a commanding one-two finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Rubens Barrichello led from pole to flag at the Hungaroring on 18 August 2002, crossing the line just 0.434 seconds ahead of teammate Michael Schumacher to clinch Ferrari's team title with four races still remaining. 

The result was emphatic, if somewhat processional, and underlined the sheer dominance of the F2002 package that season.

Barrichello made a clean getaway from pole, with Schumacher slotting into second and Ralf Schumacher holding third for Williams. From there, the two Ferraris simply disappeared into the distance. 

Overtaking has never been easy at the tight, twisting Hungaroring, and Ferrari's pace advantage meant the race settled into a rhythm early, with strategy the only real variable.

Both cars ran aggressive multi-stop strategies, using clean air to extend their advantage rather than fighting each other. 

Schumacher never seriously attacked his teammate, and Ferrari managed the gap to bring the cars home safely. "We had a great car, a great team, great pitstops, great everything today," Barrichello said afterwards.

Ralf Schumacher completed the podium for Williams, while Kimi Räikkönen climbed from 11th on the grid to fourth for McLaren. David Coulthard took fifth, with Giancarlo Fisichella rounding out the points in sixth for Jordan.

A title wrapped up in style

Under the 2002 points system, Ferrari's maximum 16-point haul, combined with Williams managing only four through Ralf Schumacher's third place, made it mathematically impossible for any rival to overhaul them. 

Juan Pablo Montoya's disappointing run to 11th compounded Williams' afternoon.

For Barrichello, the bigger picture mattered more than personal glory. "The most important thing about this result is that we have won the constructors' championship," he reflected.

Schumacher, meanwhile, set the fastest lap on lap 72 in typical fashion, later admitting with a grin that the sudden burst of speed was "just to wake myself up." The seven-time champion, by then, already had his fifth drivers' title all but sealed.

It was Ferrari's fifth 1-2 of a season in which they were simply untouchable.

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