|
Post by René on Oct 30, 2021 11:41:09 GMT
I watched the Schumacher film on Netflix the other week and it was quite a good documentary I must say. I know 'Schumi' isn't the most popular driver on this forum but he was a very, very good driver with an unbelievable focus and determination to succeed.
It was very much a trip down memory lane as I could remember almost every moment of his F1 career. I was at Spa when he made his debut (of course not knowing then how important that moment was) and the year after when he won his first race with the Benetton (must dig up the photos.. ). And then of course the Ferrari years. I wasn't a big fan of Michael at first. Jean Alesi appealed much more to me as the ideal Ferrari driver and I remember I was in two minds about Michael coming to Ferrari. But I also realized Ferrari needed the best driver to become the best again. And the doubt soon disappeared.
But then there were of course the difficult moments, most notably Jerez 1997. And also the highlights, the biggest without a doubt Japan 2000. I admit I cried before the tele. 21 years I had to wait and then Michael won the title for Ferrari. Unforgetable. Also a lot of early career and some insight from the family. What I found most interesting and almost forgot about, was that Niki Lauda was an advisor at Ferrari in the early 90's and was the driving force behind Schumacher coming to Ferrari. Like he did many years later with Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes, he convinced Michael to come to Ferrari. Niki's mark on the sport is much bigger than his three titles alone. Anyway, I thought it was worth watching as an F1 fan.
|
|
|
Post by Carl on Oct 30, 2021 19:02:40 GMT
I watched the Schumacher film on Netflix the other week and it was quite a good documentary I must say. I know 'Schumi' isn't the most popular driver on this forum but he was a very, very good driver with an unbelievable focus and determination to succeed.
It was very much a trip down memory lane as I could remember almost every moment of his F1 career. I was at Spa when he made his debut (of course not knowing then how important that moment was) and the year after when he won his first race with the Benetton (must dig up the photos.. ). And then of course the Ferrari years. I wasn't a big fan of Michael at first. Jean Alesi appealed much more to me as the ideal Ferrari driver and I remember I was in two minds about Michael coming to Ferrari. But I also realized Ferrari needed the best driver to become the best again. And the doubt soon disappeared.
But then there were of course the difficult moments, most notably Jerez 1997. And also the highlights, the biggest without a doubt Japan 2000. I admit I cried before the tele. 21 years I had to wait and then Michael won the title for Ferrari. Unforgetable. Also a lot of early career and some insight from the family. What I found most interesting and almost forgot about, was that Niki Lauda was an advisor at Ferrari in the early 90's and was the driving force behind Schumacher coming to Ferrari. Like he did many years later with Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes, he convinced Michael to come to Ferrari. Niki's mark on the sport is much bigger than his three titles alone. Anyway, I thought it was worth watching as an F1 fan.
René, I suspect your view of Michael Schumacher is colored (rosso) because of your great love for Ferrari. My view is that he tainted his awesome talent by too many childish displays, the most glaring the deliberate crashing into Damon Hill at Adelaide, correctly assuming he'd get away with it because of ecclestone's admiration of ruthlessness. He certainly was an indispensable part of the best organized Ferrari team and deserving of great success, but I'd have more respect for a less fanatical version. It always amazes me that a great driver can be Doctor Jekyll in person and Mr. Hyde in the cockpit, despite my evil twin terrorizing the neighbors whenever the moon is full... Cheers, Carl
|
|
|
Post by René on Oct 30, 2021 19:39:27 GMT
Carl, it may sound strange but I actually agree with everything you say. Yes, I was very emotional when Michael won the championship in Japan 2000. A 21 year wait takes its toll. And I was often in awe of his driving abilities. He really was an exceptional talent. But as you said, he tainted his talent on too many occasions by unsportsmanlike conduct. Adelaide 94 was really very bad and Jerez 97 still hurts a lot. Not the loss of the championship but the way it happened when he ran into Jacques, Gilles’ son. I will always have a love-hate relation with Michael.
Schumacher is all about Ferrari success, Jean Alesi much more about Ferrari passion. I hope and believe Charles will be both.
|
|
|
Post by Carl on Oct 30, 2021 21:04:43 GMT
Carl, it may sound strange but I actually agree with everything you say. Yes, I was very emotional when Michael won the championship in Japan 2000. A 21 year wait takes its toll. And I was often in awe of his driving abilities. He really was an exceptional talent. But as you said, he tainted his talent on too many occasions by unsportsmanlike conduct. Adelaide 94 was really very bad and Jerez 97 still hurts a lot. Not the loss of the championship but the way it happened when he ran into Jacques, Gilles’ son. I will always have a love-hate relation with Michael. Schumacher is all about Ferrari success, Jean Alesi much more about Ferrari passion. I hope and believe Charles will be both. René, Charles Leclerc seems to fulfill your hope, a hybrid combination of both passion and success. I was expecting more from Jacques Villeneuve after his astonishing sophomore year in CART, winning not only the Indy 500 but the overall championship, and then Formula One World Champion at 26! Soon an oddball tendency took over and he dabbled in this and that, never seeming focused. Potentially one of the all time greats, he wasn't especially interested. Others have traveled to the beat of a different drum and walked away. Maybe his father's legacy overwhelmed. Cheers, Carl
|
|
|
Post by chrisb on Oct 31, 2021 11:07:10 GMT
Not having Netflix Rene I haven't watched the documentary but would like to, I am not sure if its a whitewash like Senna [which won a Bafta but was so totally one-sided it lost its way] and it might be difficult to do so. Adelaide 1994 still burns but it's other negative aspects of Michael that cloud my opinion of him - or rather confuse my opinion is a better way to describe it, shutting out Johnny from developments etc, is really what I don't like, the team-mates making way for him and on Occassion when Felipe completely outdrove him, especially at Turkey. I also didn't appreciate the way the FIA or BCE wanted him to win. always. Incidentally Rene was there any mention of the 94 traction control allegations?
However on a more positive note, I met Michael, and away from camera or competitor what a down to earth lovely bloke who had a nice sense of humour he was, and that image he portrayed to camera and competitor was either a defence mechanism or a calculated approach, rather like Stirling or Jack playing mind games with their competitors. He was also incredible and I preferred him when he wasn't racing anyone but set a target by Ross where he could just roll off so many extremely fast laps, and of course his driving in the wet showed his immense talent, his flaws always tainted it for me as it did Ayrton, but one cannot deny just how fast he was, to me a driver who is amazing in the wet is an amazing driver and Michael was very very good.
In any era I can think of bar one, there has always been dispute between the quickest and 2nd quickest, Ascari-Fangio, Fangio- Stirling, Stirling -Jimmy etc, and with Michael it was Mika - who for me was one amazing driver but debatable as to who was the better?
|
|
|
Post by robmarsh on Nov 2, 2021 9:06:47 GMT
It is a really heart warming documentary, more about the man than all his achievements I thought. In fact to me it almost seemed like a farewell speech. I felt very sad afterwards.
Chris your comments about him away from the camera ring true with the comments a friend of mine, a marshal at Kyalami in 1993, made after Schumacher was driven off the track by Senna and spent the rest of the race chatting to the marshals. I have also read similar comments in quiet a few articles. I think the same could be said for all the drivers from SLH, through Prost to Senna and most of the youngsters today. After all deep down they must be petrol heads just like us. I have also read comments from people who really know him, that he is actually a very shy person and his public persona was exactly as you have surmised.
Like you he had some flaws and actions that take away some of the gloss on his achievements which is sad but maybe that is also a reflection of the greedy, win at all costs attitude that seems to prevail in much of society these days. Your point about BCE wanting him to win also holds water. They needed a superhuman after Senna died and BCE wanted inroads into the German market. The same has happened to a large extent to SLH I think.
Anyway if you get a chance, look at it and celebrate the positive aspects of Michael Schumacher and let the negative ones go. Neither can be changed anyway.
|
|
|
Post by René on Nov 3, 2021 16:26:50 GMT
Anyway if you get a chance, look at it and celebrate the positive aspects of Michael Schumacher and let the negative ones go. Neither can be changed anyway. My feeling also, Rob. As expressed earlier, I've always been in two minds about Schumacher but he was a phenomenal driver and he played a big part in the history of our sport. Worth watching.
|
|