Michael retiring
So here we go then, the last three races of Michael Schumacher's career, the three which might clinch him his eighth driver's title, a remarkable feat, in his 15 years in Formula 1.
I'll hold my hands up and say I definitely preferred Mika Hakkinen over him when I started to watch F1 in about 2000, and was gutted when Schumacher got the first title in 21 years for Ferrari. Eventually I also grew to like Hakkinen's successor, Kimi Raikkonen, who ironically will be the man who replaces the great man at the Scuderia next season.
My respect of him certainly did not improve, after what he did in Adelaide 94 and Jerez 97, his will to win crossing the line of ruthlessness and determination. Late gems like this year's Monaco brainfart where he parked the car at Rascasse to prevent Alonso from getting a decent lap time in was a rather unpleasant trip down memory lane. Of course the team orders crap in Austria 02, and the botched attempt to stage the closest finish ever with Barrichello in USA, are all blemishes in what has been a fine career.
Definitely some of his drives have been absolutely stunning. His maiden win in Spa 92, where he showed maturity beyond his years, as after rejoining from a spin, following closely behind team mate Brundle, he realised the tires were badly blistered. Thus he pitted, and the strategic timing of that ensured the win.
Numerous wet weather drives also have been the forte of Schumacher, Nuburgring 95, Spa 95 where he terrifically blocked off Damon Hill on wets using some of the most robust moves you will ever see on dries. Spain 96 of course, blitzing on a raintrodden track. His fastest lap was 2.2 faster than the second fastest lap, and that in an absolute dog of a Ferrari. Another Spain memory was in 94, where he got jammed in fifth gear from about 20 odd laps in, but still managed to bring the car home in second, a fantastic achievement.
Of course, when he was dominating F1 many of them found it dull, when someone was winning the same thing year in year out, but there was a driver on top of his game, and years on, I for one can say I saw a driver who mastered the rest, and dominated brilliantly.
Next year will be the first year that I watch F1 without this particular man on the grid, and it certainly will be a new experience, but hoppefully Kimi will continue the tradition at Ferrari, and with new boys like Kubica doing a great job, perhaps it is indeed the right time for him to retire.
He went out in style at Monza, home of the tifosi, and his actions said it all once he went past the chequered flag, without a shadow of a doubt it was time for him to go, and watching a legend leave is definitely a new experience, having not went through the likes of Senna, Prost, Mansell and Piquet and so on.
He will missed for sure, consistency was his greatest strength, and he was able to challenge for races almost every weekend since I started watching Formula 1. His achievements calls for respect, and his longevity at the top was something special, and I for one will miss his trademark leap at the top step of the podium, oh and his arrogant smirk.
Michael in the wets at Spa - a masterclass
I'll hold my hands up and say I definitely preferred Mika Hakkinen over him when I started to watch F1 in about 2000, and was gutted when Schumacher got the first title in 21 years for Ferrari. Eventually I also grew to like Hakkinen's successor, Kimi Raikkonen, who ironically will be the man who replaces the great man at the Scuderia next season.
My respect of him certainly did not improve, after what he did in Adelaide 94 and Jerez 97, his will to win crossing the line of ruthlessness and determination. Late gems like this year's Monaco brainfart where he parked the car at Rascasse to prevent Alonso from getting a decent lap time in was a rather unpleasant trip down memory lane. Of course the team orders crap in Austria 02, and the botched attempt to stage the closest finish ever with Barrichello in USA, are all blemishes in what has been a fine career.
Definitely some of his drives have been absolutely stunning. His maiden win in Spa 92, where he showed maturity beyond his years, as after rejoining from a spin, following closely behind team mate Brundle, he realised the tires were badly blistered. Thus he pitted, and the strategic timing of that ensured the win.
Numerous wet weather drives also have been the forte of Schumacher, Nuburgring 95, Spa 95 where he terrifically blocked off Damon Hill on wets using some of the most robust moves you will ever see on dries. Spain 96 of course, blitzing on a raintrodden track. His fastest lap was 2.2 faster than the second fastest lap, and that in an absolute dog of a Ferrari. Another Spain memory was in 94, where he got jammed in fifth gear from about 20 odd laps in, but still managed to bring the car home in second, a fantastic achievement.
Of course, when he was dominating F1 many of them found it dull, when someone was winning the same thing year in year out, but there was a driver on top of his game, and years on, I for one can say I saw a driver who mastered the rest, and dominated brilliantly.
Next year will be the first year that I watch F1 without this particular man on the grid, and it certainly will be a new experience, but hoppefully Kimi will continue the tradition at Ferrari, and with new boys like Kubica doing a great job, perhaps it is indeed the right time for him to retire.
He went out in style at Monza, home of the tifosi, and his actions said it all once he went past the chequered flag, without a shadow of a doubt it was time for him to go, and watching a legend leave is definitely a new experience, having not went through the likes of Senna, Prost, Mansell and Piquet and so on.
He will missed for sure, consistency was his greatest strength, and he was able to challenge for races almost every weekend since I started watching Formula 1. His achievements calls for respect, and his longevity at the top was something special, and I for one will miss his trademark leap at the top step of the podium, oh and his arrogant smirk.
Michael in the wets at Spa - a masterclass
posted by Melvin at 9:21 PM
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