wet weather racing drivers, the good and the great

[chrisb]

that is magnificent and speaks a 1000 words - thank you Mikael

[charleselan]

Not only did Jimmy have to contend with the car jumping out of gear and a slipping clutch, he was also mindful of keeping his very quick young fellow countryman safe. All through the race Jim drove within himself, and his truly immense capabilities. He was very aware of Jackie in second place and just made certain that whenever he might smell a chance of challenging Jim, JC would put in faster lap just to dissuade him of such a thought.

A truly masterful drive that was in all probability the greatest wet weather drive in the history of the sport.

To think also that he didn't want to disclose that fact that the car was jumping out of gear, as it might have upset Colin Chapman. The man was a total genius and second to none.

[Carl]

Jan 14, 2018 12:20:11 GMT mikael said:

Jan 12, 2018 7:24:35 GMT chrisb said:

... but Jimmy at the old Spa [do we have any photo's of that?] in 1965

The attached photo is a personal favorite. Clark's eyes beam out "full concentration!" -- and looking at the wheels on the right-hand side the car seems to be in a state of serious aquaplaning.

(Source: ESPN)

Mikael,
                Wonderful picture of a day when Clark's genius was in its full glory.  You are right about the apparent aquaplaning, something Clark either anticipated or sensed immediately and responded to with calm perfection.

-Carl

[mikael]

Somehow, it occurred to me that, at the very end if the present year (2023), ten years will have passed since the skiing accident of Michael Schumacher.

Ten years - and still, not a single "non-insider" has the slightest idea about his true condition ...

[Carl]

Jan 24, 2023 18:13:50 GMT mikael said:

Somehow, it occurred to me that, at the very end if the present year (2023), ten years will have passed since the skiing accident of Michael Schumacher.

Ten years - and still, not a single "non-insider" has the slightest idea about his true condition ...

I think his condition can be discerned. Almost always, the family of someone in a deep vegetative state or, far worse, permanent braindeath, arranges for complete privacy. Michael Schumacher never regained consciousness after venturing onto a rock-strewn slope and falling hard.

Jean Todt has visited and reports only that "Michael is in good hands", which reveals nothing, and there has been speculation that a camera attachment may have shattered his helmet upon impact.

His family has done the right thing by protecting his privacy.

[mikael]

That could very well be the sad truth, Carl; yes, that's probably how it is.

[René]

Yes I would agree. Had there been any good news to report, the world would have known.

With regards to the photo of the 1996 Spanish Grand Prix, that was a brilliant wet weather drive from the German. Maybe not the most popular driver at our table but man he could drive. And that was his first win in red. Will never forget that race. 

[robmarsh]

I thought Michael was a brilliant driver and was too talented to resort to the tactics he did on at least three very public occasions. Outside of the car he was a lovely human being by all accounts. My only other gripe is the way he refused to have a driver of equal stature in the same team though I don't think there were too many around at the time.

[René]

He was brilliant. 'Villeneuve like' in the rain, but then Jacques's dad of course. 

[mikael]

Ken Okuyama, who designed the famous and spectacular Ferrari Enzo (or should it rather be said the “Enzo Ferrari”?) is a native of the city in which we lived in Japan. Some years ago, he was invited to give a lecture to the engineering students at the university there, where I worked. It was very interesting. And interestingly, he spent quite some time describing a meeting, in Maranello, with Michael Schumacher (MS), who obviously had impressed him greatly. He said, also, that MS was a genuinely nice guy, completely “down to earth” in all respects. One thing that had impressed Okuyama was that MS, at that meeting, had arrived directly at the (Ferrari) factory gate – basically in the “back yard” – without any ceremony whatsoever, in a small rental Fiat A curious thing that Okuyama clearly liked to tell, was that he was so surprised to find that MS is a “rather small guy”. (Okuyama is very tall (180+cm) for a Japanese; and MS is 175cm, if I am not mistaken.) He had expected – he said – to meet a tall, broad-shouldered man; and MS didn’t appear like that at all.

[chrisb]

I had the pleasure of meeting MS in 1995 at a Goodyear test at Silverstone, I also met Jean and Damon, but MS was just such an approachable, humble person total contrast to his what I would call his competitive face, but as soon as someone else showed up he was back to the arrogant person, a good act,

I always felt that it was a terrible shame Michael resorted to such terrible antics as a driver he could be fantastic

[René]

Jan 25, 2023 15:31:17 GMT mikael said:

Ken Okuyama, who designed the famous and spectacular Ferrari Enzo (or should it rather be said the “Enzo Ferrari”?) is a native of the city in which we lived in Japan. Some years ago, he was invited to give a lecture to the engineering students at the university there, where I worked. It was very interesting. And interestingly, he spent quite some time describing a meeting, in Maranello, with Michael Schumacher (MS), who obviously had impressed him greatly. He said, also, that MS was a genuinely nice guy, completely “down to earth” in all respects. One thing that had impressed Okuyama was that MS, at that meeting, had arrived directly at the (Ferrari) factory gate – basically in the “back yard” – without any ceremony whatsoever, in a small rental Fiat A curious thing that Okuyama clearly liked to tell, was that he was so surprised to find that MS is a “rather small guy”. (Okuyama is very tall (180+cm) for a Japanese; and MS is 175cm, if I am not mistaken.) He had expected – he said – to meet a tall, broad-shouldered man; and MS didn’t appear like that at all.

Great story! Michael loved the little FIATs, he really did. Of course for promotional purposes as an employee of the FIAT group but he genuinely liked them privately also.

[Carl]

Jan 25, 2023 17:43:48 GMT chrisb said:

I had the pleasure of meeting MS in 1995 at a Goodyear test at Silverstone, I also met Jean and Damon, but MS was just such an approachable, humble person total contrast to his what I would call his competitive face, but as soon as someone else showed up he was back to the arrogant person, a good act,

I always felt that it was a terrible shame Michael resorted to such terrible antics as a driver he could be fantastic

Having radically different personalities is strange, as Doctor Jekyll could attest.

I wonder if Schumacher was nice when you met because he felt intimidated, Mr. Brooke

[chrisb]

Carl, as if...me intimidating...

Later on I did watch his interchanges with Johnny Herbert and he was just so different Mr Hyde would have been impressed. I also met Damon at the same time, and it was interesting, he has the most amazing hazel coloured eyes and would not pay any attention to anyone whilst he was working, but once the test stopped he changed also into another very approachable bloke, it did strike me at the time how both of them were quite 'down to earth' and how relaxed they both were out of the limelight,

[René]

I think they are simply extremely focused on the job which can come across as arrogant. Schumacher was extreme at this and so was Senna.