Michael Schumacher was hired by Ferrari to bring back the world title to the proud Italian outfit. It took the 31-year-old driver five tries, but when he did, it touched off massive celebrations throughout the world. Schumacher's title was the first in 20 years for Ferrari, which also won the constructor's title for the second year in a row. The German ace won an astounding nine times during the 2000 Formula One season, responding brilliantly to intense midseason pressure applied by McLaren's Mika Hakkinen, who was seeking his third consecutive title. Schumacher won the last four races of the season to take his third world title by 19 points over Hakkinen, who himself enjoyed a superb year.
