planetf1.com

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You said long before, not before. There's a difference. Anyway, I'm not going to get petty over something so insignificant now.

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Thanks mate, appreciated

Sure, no problem.

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Being Schumacher's final race as a racing-driver in Formula 1, time for me to pay tribute to him; hopefully you will all indulge me.

Most of all, I want to thank Schumi for what he has given me as a fan over the past 21 years.

I started following him from his first race when I was nine years old. I was naive enough at that age to believe the commentators when they were talking him up as the next 'big thing'; turned out in this instance they were right. Supporting him could not have been a more fortunate decision. Everyone wants the highs of watching their favourite sportsperson perform well and with Schumi in the first part of his career it was a bit like Christmas every race weekend. I don't judge greatness on statistics, but his numbers are significant to me because they represent all the joyous moments: wins, brilliant drives, amazing moments. The greatest of all memories I have is the absolute faith I came to have in him - no matter how bad things looked, no matter how difficult the task, if it was possible Schumi would make it happen. And the fact that when he had a bad race in the context of so many good ones, I could sit back back and just have a laugh because in the big scheme of things it didn't matter.

However, the fact that it wasn't all good is a part of what makes it so special. The disappointments in the first years at Ferrari made the victories all the sweeter. I put my head in my hands during Jerez '97 and when he parked it at Rascasse at Monaco in '06 and was frustrated by his aggression on track, but as I got older I came to understand that him being flawed and making those mistakes made him human and real and someone that I could not just support but see as both aspirational and inspirational. If Schumi the god-like racing driver couldn't always make it happen, could stuff up and make bad decisions, there was hope for the rest of us. The only thing I would have liked from him was a bit more honesty and willingness to own some of the things he did.

He taught me some of the greatest lessons about success in work and in life. I don't think that Schumi was the most talented person ever to step into a Formula 1 car, but I do believe he became the most complete because he worked at himself to get the most out of his strengths and iron out his weaknesses. He left no stone unturned in his quest for success - his physical fitness, his involvement in the technical and developmental side, his work with the team. What I take from the sustained success of his years at Ferrari is not so much that he earned it on track, but that he earned it with his dedication to everything involved in being part of Formula 1. It taught me that no matter how talented you are, you've always got to work hard and I hold in highest esteem his determination, motivation, dedication and energy. I take my hat off to him for sustaining all that for as long as he did. It also taught me that sometimes in order to have the success we have to have the flaws because they are two outcomes of the same character trait: Schumi's apparent over-aggression and desperation in some moments was to me the other outcome of the determination that had him at the factory until all hours of the night and able to put in 20 qualifying laps in a row in a race at will.

I never agreed with his arrogant tag; indeed he stands out to me as someone who can reach the highest echelons of achievement without letting it go to his head and while remaining humble. He always thanked the team, made the people who had supported him feel important, downplayed his own role in the achievement and treated everyone involved equally. I don't believe that an arrogant person would have rescued a dog from the Brazilian GP paddock nor missed celebrations when a work colleague was injured nor shunned the spotlight. I used to respond to people who regarded him as arrogant with, "Well he's not, but even if he was, don't you think he would have earned it?" Having met him and having known quite a number of people who have worked with and known him, he is regarded above all as a genuine person. Those who have worked with him adore him, describing it as a pleasure and an honour. That too is something I find inspirational - to be that great and to also be genuine, have humility and be genuinely liked - they rarely exist together. I despise fakeness in people and I'd say it is in part because I see no reason for it, if someone like Schumi can avoid it.

Following him as a fan was also a great comfort. That he was so competitive for so long meant that no matter what other crap was going on in my life or what other struggles I faced I could always look forward to and enjoy the race weekends. I suffered from very severe depression at one point in my life and that joy that he brought into my life was a big part of what kept things from getting too black. The news of his comeback is a perfect encapsulation of the saying, "Never say never". If there has been one thing in my life that I would have staked everything I have on it would have been that when Schumi retired it was for good; it's a bet I would happily have lost, just for the sheer joy of the announcement and the hope and anticipation that came with it.

Although the second part of his career has not brought the highs that I dreamed about and has been frustrating, I don't, for one second, regret him pursuing that opportunity. It was worth it for the possibility that it could have been amazing. It taught me more as well: Schumi said that he learnt how to lose; as a fan I learnt how to cope with that disappointment and frustration. I had always said that with everything that he had given me as a fan, Schumi had earned my support regardless of what eventuated and I was tested on that these past few years, and I am proud to say that I didn't let him down in the same way as he has never let me down - for all his struggles I have no doubt he has been giving it as much as he did in the past on every level. I have no patience with any Schumi fan who deserted him. It cemented my belief in his lack of arrogance and his dedication and determination; under the circumstances he could very easily have thrown in the towel or made a fuss publically about the car or the team but he did none of that and pursued the task with the same attitude as he did in the past when he was winning. And when things were going well in some races I enjoyed and was reminded of the overwhelming excitement and happy emotion that came as part of supporting Schumi.

When I turned 30 this year, what I reflected on was that I was gearing up for another year with Schumi racing. In my wildest dreams as a child I could not have imagined that being the case and it really crystallised the milestone of my age and of his time in the sport.

His helmet thanks us for sharing his passion. To that I say that the pleasure has always been mine.

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Formerly kai_

^Great read You're very lucky or should I say grateful, to watch him from an early age. I start so late now but I've always watched him since my first season(2012) and well things hadn't work out for him. I've also seen how many haters are out there that hate him so much but I guess that's what you get when you're on top of the sport. I don't care if Nico out-raced him for three seasons in a raw, he showed to us that he was human and could make mistakes. As martin brundle put it, his talented but flawed..

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Latest F1 vid I made http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C4qJXyRLDg&feature=youtu.be

Before anyone takes this the wrong way.... I've been a Schumi fan since I started watching F1 around 1998/9 - when a v good friend of mine was a huge F1 fan, interested me in the sport and told me that Schumi loved dogs, so was the driver to support!

But I'm tired of hearing how Schumi's results were the result of being the No. 1 at the team, even though I agree that he enjoyed the more favourable strategies.

Can anyone come up with a list where he beat his team mates as a result of team orders? Austria '02 is obvious, even though he 'gave up' the next race win to Barri. I know there must have been a couple of others during his time at Ferrari, but can't remember them and would prefer to have the 'facts' at hand when the old 'Schumi only won those WDC 'cos he was No. 1' discussions crop up.

But I agree with Kai in that I was v lucky to be supporting the best driver in F1 at the right time , although I missed his earliest years It was wonderful to enjoy a legend in the making - something v rare.

Great read kai, couldn't have put it better myself. It's been a privilege to watch Michael race, it's just a shame I didn't get to see him in his earlier years.

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I think it's too hard to go down the path of arguing that based on the blatant instances because that doesn't factor in the times he was ahead based on the favourable strategies or the preference in developmental approach.

But I don't think he would he have achieved less if he hadn't been given #1 status. Even if the statistics are slightly skewed in his favour or the margins are victory slightly more preferable than they would have been otherwise, I've never seen an argument that suggests to me that he would have been beaten by his teammates but for #1 status. Schumacher was a better driver than them, in most cases head and shoulders above them. And if he achieved some of what he did with mind games, greater attention to elements other than driving, such as his fitness, and motivating his team to go the extra mile for him when they wouldn't for his teammate, then that's simply all part of being a Formula 1 driver and his teammates should have raised their game.

Nor do I think that the #1 status detracts from his achievements. I understand the wish that we have the top four drivers on the grid in the two best cars duking it out without any differentiation in assistance and with minimal interference from the team. But that isn't and never has been Formula 1. There isn't a driver regarded as a great in Formula 1, with the statistics to back that up, who hasn't, at some point, been on the receiving end of what could be considered favourable treatment. Whether that has been prescribed #1 status or simply the fact that the team gravitated towards them and developed in preference with them because they were the better driver is IMO fairly immaterial. Schumacher's was more blatant, but again, all that does is skew the statistics somewhat; it doesn't mean that he would be regarded as any less great.

I have a friend who is very anti-Schumacher and we've argued this repeatedly. He says that the statistics don't mean anything. So I say to him that he's welcome to take out as many WDCs and race wins as he feels justified in doing and even just look at the performances that Schumacher put in. And then he says that Schumacher would ONLY be a 5xWDC with about 70 wins (that was his best attempt). To which my response is, "I thought statistics didn't count?" Schumacher's not a great because he has 7xWDCs and 91 wins; he's a great because of his exceptional, consistent ongoing performance.

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Formerly kai_

Exactly.

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Kai - Can't disagree with any of that.

I've only recently been trying to think of instances where Schumi was clearly receiving the benefit of team orders etc. as it seems to be more obvious nowadays that Alonso is getting Ferrari to disadvantage Massa to benefit Alonso? But everyone says 'its always been the same'.

As far as I can recall, it wasn't the same during the Schumi years - or at least it was v rare for his team mate to be told to move over or other team orders applied?

By Bruno Mantovani.

I was going to write a similar post to Kai's, but I don't find it necessary anymore You said almost everything I wanted to say. I've been a Schumi fan since the summer of 1994. Brazil 2006 was extremely emotional and so far, this day has been even more so. Here's a tip for all you Schumi fans: if you don't want to cry, don't watch Schumi videos on Youtube

It's not only that my favourite driver and sportsman (in fact, only sportsman I've ever been a fan of) ever will quit racing after today, it's also a certain era of my life coming to an end. As I did in 2007-9, I will after today not actively watch F1 anymore. Michael has been critisised a lot for coming back and for underperforming. I've been grateful for every single race I've had the possibility to watch him drive and I will be extremely sad to see him go. This summer I was pretty sure that he would drive for at least one more season, but I guess that just wasn't meant to be.

It makes me extremely sad that neither this year nor in 2006 Schumi could leave entirely voluntarily. The way things were handled this year and especially what was going on in 2006 leaves a certain amount of bad taste in one's mouth, since I at least have a feeling that Michael would have wanted a different outcome on both occasions.

Canada 2011, Monaco 2012 and Valencia 2012 are moments that I'll never forget. In a way they are much more emotional for me than the dozes of victories that Michael achieved during the dominance era.

Michael, thank you for all these years, for the fantastic memories and for three additional years! Today another huge peace of my childhood and youth will become past. Let us all one more time cheer for our hero and enjoy the final race!

Very true what Brundle said about Schumacher on Sky a few minutes ago;

If he'd won one less WDC and a few less races, he'd be far more reverred as a sportsman.

I was going to write a similar post to Kai's, but I don't find it necessary anymore You said almost everything I wanted to say. I've been a Schumi fan since the summer of 1994. Brazil 2006 was extremely emotional and so far, this day has been even more so. Here's a tip for all you Schumi fans: if you don't want to cry, don't watch Schumi videos on Youtube

It's not only that my favourite driver and sportsman (in fact, only sportsman I've ever been a fan of) ever will quit racing after today, it's also a certain era of my life coming to an end. As I did in 2007-9, I will after today not actively watch F1 anymore. Michael has been critisised a lot for coming back and for underperforming. I've been grateful for every single race I've had the possibility to watch him drive and I will be extremely sad to see him go. This summer I was pretty sure that he would drive for at least one more season, but I guess that just wasn't meant to be.

It makes me extremely sad that neither this year nor in 2006 Schumi could leave entirely voluntarily. The way things were handled this year and especially what was going on in 2006 leaves a certain amount of bad taste in one's mouth, since I at least have a feeling that Michael would have wanted a different outcome on both occasions.

Canada 2011, Monaco 2012 and Valencia 2012 are moments that I'll never forget. In a way they are much more emotional for me than the dozes of victories that Michael achieved during the dominance era.

Michael, thank you for all these years, for the fantastic memories and for three additional years! Today another huge peace of my childhood and youth will become past. Let us all one more time cheer for our hero and enjoy the final race!

lol. Martin Brundle has a vendetta against Schumi because he's an ex-McLaren driver, and he always has. I refuse to listen to his biased commentary anymore, it was alright when he had Murray Walker as a foil, but now it's just the Lewis Lovefest every race. He picks on the slightest mistakes drivers he dislikes make and makes excuses when drivers he likes make mistakes.

Anyway, at the very least I'm going to hide my Hot Wheels 2002 WDC model for a while. I was not impressed by Schumi slowing down to a crawl to let Vettel past. Still, only fitting that he should go out with one last controversy.

Wow Kai...you have summed up my thoughts beautifully

My story.

Before Michael my rainy Sundays were filled with trying to change the channel without Dad knowing...it never worked. Dad would open one eye - 'OI I'm watching that race!'...I knew the likes of Senna, Prost and Mansell & when a new name came on the scene I sat up and took notice.

Wow Shumacker he has a turquoise car, number 5. I demanded we watch the next race at stupid o'clock and the rest is history. Dad never slept through another race again...all those early mornings he would grimace at the wide eyed monster he had created.

He would scoop me up when Michael lost...Japan 1994 I howled into my pillow when he told me the aggragate times...he would high 5 when Michael won & we were a team.

Japan 1995 I stayed awake so I could be the first to tell him 'OMG Damon went off!'...'Shush Rach'...'But DC went off aswell - twice no less!'...'Why dont you just tell me who won?'

Silverstone three years later I was incredibly sun burnt and thought the man masquerading as Michael was a mirage. He was narrow & short and I thought 'ok who are and what have you done with my Michael?'

It was my Michael and I stared in complete disbelief, only managing to half-shriek 'I love you!!!'...head and heart did not work together. He winked at me and walked off to his security guards then disappeared on his motorbike.

Japan that year I curled into a small ball in front of the TV when Michael stalled and Dad moved me onto the sofa. I cried myself to sleep after Michael's puncture.


Silverstone 1999 was a blur. I didnt watch the start back then. I would run in to the kitchen when Michael had lined up on the grid and sing the Italian National Anthem very loudly. I returned and said 'Is he Ok?'...Dad's face fell. He shut me out of the room and told me Michael had crashed...I wrestled him into the living room and fell to my knees at the TV...no movement...heavy impact and I felt I'd fallen down a well.

Mum moved me onto the sofa and offered up the reassuring words...'oh he's ok...just a broken leg'...no mum it'll never be ok.

Japan again! This time 2000..'but he's pit early Dad'...'don't worry Rach they know what they're doing'...Michael emerged the champion and I cried my eyes out...finally a Ferrari World Champion!

2003 was the year that sealed it for me as a Michael fan. I was close to quitting my law degree and the day before my final exams Michael won the Canadian GP. I can't begin to describe the feeling...floating on air and NEVER GIVE UP! He was hounded to the line and won despite not having the best car. I passed my degree and have always accredited Michael with the pass

I went for my first proper job interview on the back on Michael winning San Marino 2006. It gave me the confidence and spring in my step to get the job.

Monza 2006...Mum had heard about Alonso in the advert break and had seen me holding a coffee. 'Rach...ermm put your cup on the side for safe keeeping yeah?'..I exploded after Alonso DNF'd...then as Michael hugged his team it started to become obvious.

'He's saying goodbye..isnt he Dad?'..Dad just hugged me and said 'we've won Rach'.

I never thought Michael would come back. I'm glad he did and I'm glad for every moment I had that I never thought would happen.

From dead last in his last race to 7th...thank you Michael for the last 18 years and 8 months...you've given me hope when I wanted to give up & happiness throughout my darkest days. Goodbye 7 times World Champ...I love you.


Think I'm gonna go phone Dad now

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Brazil 1994 Brazil 2012

So many people have said that Michael should never have come back. I don't know how he feels himself and am not trying to guess. What I think is that it was the right thing to do. He loves racing, that's a fact. He loves Formula 1, that's a fact. He left too early in the first place.

He got an opportunity for the last time in his life to race at the highest level and he used it. It doesn't matter that he failed according to many. He obviously enjoyed his three bonus years and he certainly was competitive. If he didn't enjoy racing, he would not have fought like crazy for positions around 10th place, would he? Schumacher still is a 7-time world champion, he still has those 91 race wins. If someone wants to use the past three seasons against him, they can use, but it won't take away any of the wins or championships.

That's really adorable. Might be the cutest thing I ever read, eheh. How old are you now?

That reminds me a little of my initiation into F1, courtesy of my nonno. He was obsessed with all sports, but especially soccer and F1; didn't miss a single race from the late 70s onwards, he told me once. When I was little we would go over to my grandparents' every Sunday and I also would always try to change the channel to soccer/football during the race. I actually started taking a little more interest when JV (I'm Canadian) won the title in 1997, but the first year I saw almost every race was in 1999, by which time I was a rabid Ferrarista. His battles with Mika were great, I was only 10 years old, but I still remember how intense some of those races were. That first title in 2000 was the best, after all the hard work and close calls of the previous seasons. Unfortunately my interest crashed for a few years, starting in 2005, partly because they once again changed the rules to try and unseat Ferrari and Michael at the top, and also partly because that spring my nonno went into the hospital. I watched some races in the interim but wasn't so into it, again largely because of the rules, but as it happened, I was over at my nonna's the Sunday that Felipe won the first race of 2010, and carried on my nonno's tradition of turning up the TV volume to an absolutely ridiculous level during the Italian national anthem. Nobody complained.

I'm still very disappointed over the way his relationship with Ferrari ended- they should have given him better, TBH- but this little blip with Mercedes doesn't cancel out everything he accomplished with the cavallino. People who claim Ferrari fans didn't love Michael must live in a different reality, he was the greatest ever.

Raquello, our stories are even more similar than you think, spookily so, actually! Beautiful recollection, thank-you for sharing; it took me back through my own memories.

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Formerly kai_

Gutted for you Michael! This was a disgraceful year in the Merc.

OTOH, happy trails, and I'm sure you will be happy wherever you are. Class act.

No probs...I think we're both the same age (30)..I could fill a book with memories!

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Brazil 1994 Brazil 2012

My dad used to watch Formula 1 and I'd get annoyed because to me it was just 'cars going around the circuit'. The day of the Belgian GP in 1991 I wanted to watch a video and when he wouldn't let me because the race was on I sat and sulked and then got sucked in. From then on we watched it together and he'd explain it to me, put things in perspective, calm me down when I got emotional. When Schumi's engine blew in Suzuka 2006 I think I called him 'daddy' for the first time in about 15 years!

2003 was a particularly huge moment for me as well. That never say die, never give up, never let yourself be beaten by the problem and the challenges and the setbacks. When I think about giving up I actually still say to myself, "Really? Talk about disrespect for Schumi!"

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Formerly kai_

Awwwww

Suzuka 2006 Dad had to tell me to sit down...he had seen a problem with Michael's car before the advert break. I have a tendancy to stand in front of the TV grunting like a New Zealand All Black while Michael is racing.

'Rach I don't think his engine is ok'...I spun round from a squat position...'WHAAT??'

I havent sobbed so much in a long time...watching his engine blow up....Alonso leading and Michael just being the most amazing person to his team.

If anyone hasn't seen that video then I urge you to watch it. He knew it was over and yet everyone got a hug.

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Brazil 1994 Brazil 2012

What is there to say other than Danke Michael, 21 years, ups and downs but I wouldn't change a thing. It's been the best.

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1994 1995 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

It's been awesome!

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Brazil 1994 Brazil 2012

Probably one of the last interviews , very emotionating:
Michael Schumacher on his Formula 1 career
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nks9aJAzCMI

Even though I'm a HUGE Schumi fan, I agree with Brundle to a small extent.

Brundle is undoubtedly biased against Schumi, but he's right that 'knockers' are able to use a few (VERY few over so many years) questionable incidents to denigrate Schumi's achievements. A terrible shame as, IMO, Schumi is the greatest driver ever and its unfortunate that some use those few incidents to belittle his incredible results.

The Merc didn't allow Schumi's talent to shine, but Brazil proved (yet again) that he is able to deliver the best possible result from his car.

Respect to the guy, I'm no fan of his but it's sad to see him leave.

If we're relating stories - I was distraught when Schumi announced his retirement in '06 and, as you can imagine, desperately looking forward to the WDC decider in Brazil.

I'd moved to Thailand that year and the race was 'live' around midnight. I'm a 'morning' person, but no problem as there was no way on earth I was going to miss that race! Come 11 or so I was desperately flicking channels trying to find the coverage (small TV programme provider, so no way to check in advance - but every previous race had been shown) - with zero success...

For some reason, they didn't show Brazil '06 and I was reduced to texting with a UK friend to find out how the race was going! I can't begin to tell you how angry/distraught I was, but I changed my TV programme provider for the next season...

That was beautiful kai
We will all miss him
I am older than Schumacher, so it's kind of hard to idolize him (I idolized Harrison Ford and Roger Moore!)
But I feel where you are coming from.

Forum just became a whole lot classier!

danke michael...

some may hate, some love, but I think anyone can respect how much you have given the sport over the years

Well anyone who's honest would have to agree with it, because it's true.

It's no an anti-MS statement to say he would have many more fans if he'd not punted Damon Hill off the track in Australia to win his first title - or tried to do the same thing to Villeneuve a few years later, or done those cynical swaps of position with Barichello on a few dell-documented occasions.

Sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture, and at times he's failed to do that. He'd still have been the most successful F1 driver of all time, but far more people would appreciate the fact without those few incidents.

So what do you think of Mohammed Ali, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, Senna, Alonso, every single whiny soccer star etc.?
The age creates the men. You have to judge them in context. I would put many of these men behind Michael.
If Michael himself said he wished he could have been a better person, that would mean something to me.
As for Brundle, ex-competitor and never-fan - pfft! Who cares?

Which is why I was previously asking for someone to remind me of "those cynical swaps of position with Barichello on a few dell-documented occasions". I can only remember Austria '02, although there must be others. Meanwhile Massa has swapped positions with Alonso a number of times in the last few races (edit - or at least since Alonso joined Ferrari)!

How funny/strange it was to see Schumacher start his last race with a puncture. He then fought his way back up, also having a nice duel with Kimi. Lots of 2006 flashbacks there.

Very fitting he finished 7th. A number that marked his career.

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-Ayrton Senna fan-

2013 follower of :

Fernando Alonso

The last duel. A picture which says more than 1000 words about Michael Schumacher. A pure racer. To the edge, to the limit.

Good posts Kai, Rachel. And the rest, I'm sure Michael would appreciate the good words.

I personally find it remarkable that people always try to find the negative aspect to anything. It's Murphy's law. People remember Maradona for the "hand of God" and the cocaine scandals, not for the number of dribbles and goals he gave us. Tyson will always be the guy who bit Hollifield's ear, not the guy who was literally untouchable for so many years.

It's how it goes it seems. I think people should let reality sink in and take a good look at themselves. In 20 years he's had three spur of the moment bad calls (two arguably). But really, why does anyone think that he can't make mistakes and bad judgements? Who hasn't made a mistake in their workplace? Who hasn't emailed the wrong person, made a typo, crashed his car or made any kind of mistake? If we are to judge like that then each and everyone of them should hang their helmets and go home. They are normal men, just like you and me. Normal people make mistakes. Get over it, everyone else has. Even JV, DH and the tarmac in Rascasse. I would only want a bit more clarity, just like Kai said, if nothing else because as a star he has young people looking up to him.

Michael always had this effect on people. Marmite, either loved him or hated him. People who met him and worked with him loved him. That's enough to be called a great. His driving qualities were there for everyone to see. He was not always the best, not always the strongest, but his work, cleverness and determination more than made up for everything. He was the complete package. And his duration in this sport, tells it's own tale.

I've surely learned a lot from him and I'd like to thank him for these 20 years. It's been a pleasure. A real pleasure

Johnny, re: Barrichello moving over, you say cynical, the rest of us say smart. It may have offended your British sensibilities about "fair play," but it was legal, and F1 teams are in the business of winning championships, and Schumacher's Ferrari were willing to do what it took to win them. Maybe if he'd died on the track, or driven for a British team, you'd think of those "punting off track" incidents differently, as strangely they don't seem to have tainted the legend of Ayrton Senna, who even announced his intentions beforehand...