MS Retires!

A lot has happened since that Grand Prix Friday in Belgium 1991.

It al started with a severe case of bad judgment on the part of one Bertrand Gachot. Giving a London cabdriver the mace-treatment, gave him some jailtime in a London prison, meaning his employer, Jordan F1, had to replace him for the Belgian GP. And Willi Weber spotted his chance, pitching one Michael Schumacher to teamowner Eddie Jordan. Allthough Jordan wasn’t convinced on the spot, an improvised testsession at Silverstone made Jordan decide in Schumachers favour. And from then on, the monster was released. Schumacher didn’t loose any time in building a name for himself. Putting the Jordan on 8th spot in qualifying, destroying his teammate Andrea DeCesaris. The race lasted about a couple of hunderd meters. On top of the Raiddilon the Jordan came to a sudden halt because of mechanical failure. The entrance however, was made. It took the F1world about one practicesession to meet Michael Schumacher in a way to never forget him again, no matter what happened.

Within the two weeks separating the Belgian GP from the Italian GP, Bernie Ecclestone urged Flavio Briatore, -then time Benetton teammanager- and Eddie Jordan to make a deal to place Schumacher alongside threetime worldchampion Nelson Piquet, swapping seats with Roberto Moreno. Schumacher went on showing Piquet his time was up.

1992, teaming up with Martin Brundle, showed Schumacher scoring his first victory. Exactly one year after his debutrace at the same Belgian track. Sure, both of the Williams cars had their problems, but Schumacher was right up there to pick up the rewards.

From then on, no season went by without a victory for Michael Schumacher. In 1993, Ricardo Patrese swapped the second seat at Williams for the second seat at Benetton. 1993 was the background for the final battle between Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna. Not as epic as they were in the final years of the eighties, but nonetheless there were some tight moments. Schumacher operated in the limelight, taking the victory in Portugal, the race where Alain Prost took by terms of mathematics his fourth and final title.

In 1994 it was time for Michael Schumacher to take his leading role and aim at the title. He got his work cut out for him though. Ayrton Senna saw a yearslong dream fulfilled: a winning car at Williams Grand Prix. The Ford V8 against the unbeatable Renault V10. However, it seemed the Williams team had problems adapting to the new rules, banning al sorts of electronic aids. Ayrton was quick but to score any points. Uptill the fourth race in the season, Imola, Schumacher was well ahead in the pointstandings. We all know what happened during the race at Imola but it didn’t mean Schumachers run for the title was without obstructions.

A three race ban and a disqualification from his victory at the Belgian GP meant Schumacher had to take it down all to the wire. The final race at Adelaide was to decide the winner, Schumacher/Benetton or Hill/Williams. A controversial collision meant the title was for Schumacher. His first drivertitle. The first of many.

The second one came soon after. For the 1995 season, Benetton got use of the much desired Renault V10, the same spec as Williams were using at the time. Schumacher was unbeatable and at the GP at Aida his second title was fact.

Something else important, or in terms of the future even more important, happened during the 1995 season. At the Hungarian GP Ferrari and Schumacher announced their deal. Schumacher was about to step up to the challenge of giving Ferrari the driverstitle. Their first for over 16 years.

His debut was during private testing at Fiorano. Schumacher, clothed in a white, sponsorneutral overall, gave the Ferrari 412T2 a beating, commenting the car wasn’t as bad as he’d expected....

The 1996 season saw Schumacher teaming up with Eddie Irvine, who’d managed to catch Ferrari’s interest while racing at Jordan along side Rubens Barrichello. Starting a new partnership, with an all new engine, Ferrari was never in contention for any title in this season. They had a long way to go. Williams teammates Hill and Villeneuve were battling it out. Hill took the title and was subsequently sacked by his team.

1996 did give the Ferrari/Schumacher fans another important chapter for their historybooks. The spanish GP. On a soaking wet track, Schumacher showed why he is the one and only “Regenmeister”. His first victory at the wheel of a Ferrari and in a style which had become Schumachers trademark.

Time went on and in 1997 the Ferrari was good enough to take the titlefight to the very last race. This time however, it wasn’t to be. The Jerez 1997-incident was again a controversial one. Schumacher trying to hold Villeneuve from victory by punting him off the track. Schumacher was punished by those in charge, taking away his position in the standings. Only on paper however. His 1997 points and victories do count.

In 1998, perhaps Schumachers only true nemesis stepped up. Mika Hakkinen was fully recovered from his horendous crash during practice at the 1995 Adelaide GP and McLaren had put a winning car on the tarmac. Nor Schumacher, nor Ferrari was able to challenge and Mika Hakkinen took his first title.

Still Schumacher had not managed to clinch the drivertitle for Ferrari and time (or patience at least) was running out. Schumacher was employed by Ferrari at high (sponsor)cost and it was time they gained something from it. In 1999 the fight with McLaren picked up where it had left off in 1998. Both teams had to be at the top of their game, more then ever. A crash during the opening lap of the GP at Silverstone, left Schumacher with multiple fractures in both legs and he was out for a number of races. Again no drivertitle? At least not for Schumacher, but Eddie Irvine stepped up to rise to the challenge. Helped by Mika Salo (amazing at Hockenheim, strangly off the pace at Hungary) Eddie kept up with Hakkinen in the McLaren. Ferrari needed something extra though, to keep that genuine shot at the title. Something extra, named: Michael Schumacher. They brought him back for the Malaysian GP and Schumacher drove circles around the entire field. As Irvine put it after his win: “Schumacher not only is the best first driver, he is also the perfect second driver.” A controversy about Ferrari’s bardgeboards was thrown out at the FIA’s headquarters in Paris, so again, down to the final race. Unfortunately, Irvine didn’t stood a chance against Hakkinen at Suzuka, and was soon after replaced with his former teammate at Jordan, Rubens Barrichello.

And so, the new millenium creeped upon us. Still no drivertitle for Ferrari. Constructors yes, driver, no. But what better season to do it in, than the first season of the new millenium? And sure enough, this time the fight between Ferrari/Schumacher, McLaren/Hakkinen was decided in the advantage of the first. Finally, there it was. After the 1979 title for Jody Scheckter, the drivertitle was back at Maranello. And as turned out, was back to stay...

In both 2001 and 2002, Ferrari were well ahead of the field and Schumacher retained the title.

2003 showed some cracks in the Ferrari-supremacy. At Hungary, Schumacher was actually lapped by none other than Fernando Alonso, who went on to win his first ever race that day. A protest by Bridgestone, concerning the construction of the tires of competitor Michelin however, brought a change in the balance of power. The 2003-title was also one for Schumacher to chalk up.

In 2004 it was back to the supremacy Ferrari-fans all over the world had come accostumed to, but in 2005 Ferrari were trailing Renault and Schumacher had to let the honors to Fernando Alonso.

And now we’ve come to the Italian GP 2006. Schumacher took his 90th victory and announced his retirement from racing.

A lot has happened since that Grand Prix Friday in Belgium 1991. A young Fernando Alonso had just celebrated his tenth birthday, the Ferrariseats were occupied by Alain Prost and Jean Alesi, most of the cars still had manual gearboxes. Fifteen years on, Michael Schumacher has 90 victories and seven drivertitles, with a good shot at eight. At october 22nd, at Interlagos Brazil, Schumacher will take part in his final GP.

A driver on top of any statistic imaginable but also often surrounded with controversy. A driver who was the benchmark for any other driver for well over a decade. What can one honestly say when such a driver announces his retirement? I can’t think of anything better then: Thanks a lot Michael, thank you for everything. Take care and good luck for your final three GP’s.

Whatever became of Bertrand Gachot? He was never able to gain any mentionable success when back in racing. He has made fortune in selling enerydrinks and is done racing.

 

Great write-up. Thank you Michael!!! Now go and get that 8th!!!

 

Yes, nice, thank you.

 

yes. thats a good write up. except that he broke his right leg, not both legs

 

woops.....

 

I've started to like Michael more and more lately so I actually got very sad when he announced his retirement. I thought I'd be jumping of joy but I'm rather crying!

His emotional speech really got to me as well.

I wish him the best future possible!

 

Thank you, Michael, for the joys and the memories. I will be telling my grandchildren about you.

Sadly, I can't help but feel as though part of my soul has died today.

 

This weekend says it all for Michael Schumacher:
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I too am VERY SAD that he is retiring....he has his life to lead...it's just a bit of selfishness on my part. I worked hard and scraped my way into owning a Ferrari from the musclecar / corvette world. And perhaps the biggest source of pride that I could say was how Michael and Ferrari were the pinnacle of the racing world. At work when all the guys are talking Nascar I would be talking F-1 and how the awesome MS and Scuderia were unstoppable. Michael and F-1 have made me a sports fan where I never was before. I am not a young man, nor old, somewhere in between. But I have come to rely and expect MS and Ferrari to continue forever....they are a part of me....and my social structure. To listen to him talk about retiring put me to tears....what will we do? Who will carry on? Can we carry on? And it was obvious that Michael had a few hard moments too....but kept his cool and his emotions in check. The racing world will be a much darker place without him. I WILL SO MUCH MISS SEEING HIM DRIVING FOR THE GREATEST TEAM IN THE WORLD EVER !!!

I never expected this event to be so difficult for me......(shaking my head)

I wish Mr. Schumacher all the best....and words cannot tell him how much his talent and efforts have meant to me. I can't ever tell him how I would set my alarm to get up practically in the middle of the night so I could watch him live on Speed...to see yet more history in the making. At least I can say I saw it all......a time of glory that may never happen again. It has been a truly incredible time...and we are all the more richer for it.

Yes there are many detractors of MS....anyone at the top will have that. But I TRULY HOPE that Michael realizes how much we will miss him and what he has meant to us.

THANK Y0U MICHAEL.........THANK YOU....!!!!

 

It's a shame to see him go and I felt emotional with him as he made the announcement in the interview room. I hope he can go out on top with the championship this year. I guess we should expect the last three races to be complete sell outs to see the greatest driver of all time finish out his career.

 

As happy as I am for him, that he retired. Im kind of disappointed that I will never be at a F1 race to see him win.

 

This is really sad that he retired. I was pretty emotional about his annoucement. As many of you know, I just started watching F1 in 98. So for me to see him retire is a big loss. But I wish him all the best, next season will not be the same without him. By the way how about Kubica, that guy is awesome. Hopefully we will see him fighting for a championship between Kimi and Alonso one day.

 

Thanks for the memories Michael.

The one that will stick the most in my mind is standing in the paddock at the Ferrari 50th Anniversary in Rome and Michael driving past about a foot (maybe 2) away, giving the car a little squirt of throttle to build up enough momentum to cut the engine and coast into the 'F1 pit'. Don't suppose I'll ever get quite that close to an F1 car on the move again.

 

Sad to see him go. Im glad i got to see him race in person its something i'll never froget.

I wonder how Brazill will be this year. if will they race him to the finish or will they back off once he's in the lead?

 

Ditto

 

Although this is hard for all of to take (even I got choked up reading about it) its nice to see he will still be involved with Ferrari. THIS I find *very* exciting to see what his new role will be. You can bet he won't be checking tire pressures at Fiorano. OHHHHH NOOOOO! I think he will have one of the best jobs in the world, whatever it will be!

Any ideas?

1) Factory tours? ok doubt it, too easy for him hes over qualified
2) Official Test Driver like Lambos Balboa?
3) Replace Todt?
4) hmmmmmmmmmmmm..................

Chris

 

Though I have only come to follow Michael Schumacher and Ferrari racing in Formula One since 2001 I have never latched on to one single athlete in any sport. I've done everything possible to catch any race or any info about what he and the team were up to whether it was the off season trying to download Ferrari F1 car sounds to saving change to catch the Grand Prix at Indy. I was never able to make it to see him drive and I had promised myself that if he continued on for one more season I would be there. I had a huge lump in my throat as I watched the announcement that he was retiring.
Living in this land of Nascar none of my frineds have a clue who he is or what he has accomplished in what is my opinion the highest form of sport on this earth. I've tried to explain to those who never got to witness the talent he has in a race car or any car for that matter but if you never saw it you cannot comprehend. I will continue to watch Kimi and Formula One but everyone knows that there will be a huge part missing not just from Ferrari but from all of motorsports on this planet.
To Michael...though I never got to see it in person thank you for the memories. It's been a pleasure to say the least. I hope that you continue to stay with Ferrari and show your face. Enjoy your retirement.....you have earned it.

 

A couple of years ago, I calculated Michael's career winning percentage (by simply dividing the number of wins by the number of races). As I recall, it was somewhere around 33%. In other words, he had won roughly a third of all the F1 races he had competed in! Of course the number took a dive last year, but I'd guess it's still in the high twenties. (Maybe someone can recalculate it.) Simply staggering!

Best of luck, man. We'll sure miss you.

 

Thanks to Michael for being THE guiding light that brought Ferrari back to the forefront of Formula 1! I've had so many great moments in my life watching him pull of the seemingly impossible with amazing confidence and determination, matched by nerves of steel. F1 will lose some of its luster after he leaves, quite sad.

I wonder what on earth he is going to do with himself, a very fit 37, incredibly rich, and talent to spare. How will he keep himself entertained???!!!

 

I am deeply saddend and think that he still had a few more good years in him, however, ending up like DC would be sad to see. I think he was inticed to retire, the body language on JT and Luca and the look on PLF face spoke volumes, plus when he leaned over and put his hand on Kimis shoulder that was also very telling....

I can understand why he would want to not burn any bridges at Ferrari. He was one if not the best ever! I have a model of him on the same level as my Enzo figurine, that speaks volumes. I cried when he announced it, but the world is not fair and just like a corporation could give a **** about any of its employees Ferrari is now thinking of itself and not its drivers, much like many years ago.
I have always been a team man but if he decided to go to MB or BMW part of me would be rooting for him to win, well maybe not MB! :-(

Arivederci Commendatore Schumacher!

Rob

 

he's done the right thing,now he will be the best for many,many years!
he will miss F1,
i won't miss him,
but I am gratefull to have seen such a master at work!

 

thanks mike . win the 06 champs and retire on top

 

According to Ferrari's press release today, Schumacher has won 90 races out of his 247 starts. 71 out of 178 for the Scuderia. That's 36%. Fangio holds the record having won 47% of his starts (24 out of 51). Not sure why Ferrari claims that the only record Schumi won't achieve before retirement is the one for race starts (Riccardo Patrese started 256 races! He ended his career as teammate to Schumacher at Benneton.)

Interestingly, Schumacher is retiring from racing at the age of 37 and Fangio didn't start racing Grand Prix cars until he was 40.

C.

 

I have never been a huge MS fan until today.
Everything just turned out so perfect; MS's win at Monza and the subsequent announcement.
I am so very disapointed by Ferraris actions. Luca trying to kiss up and be the life at Michaels party. And who is this blah blah blah - Ferrari dude standing in the background as if to lend credibility to this disgrace.
I was somewhat puzzled by Massas victory last race instead of MSs. I feel it was to prepare/give us a new driver to cheer for.
A very tough choise for Michael. He was getting bigger than Ferrari. Solution ?; Adios.
This situation reminds me of when Emmit Smith/Troy Aikman were cut from the Cowboys. Hey thanks for the victories, but see that door ?
Michaels announcement was articulate and controlled, much more controlled than on my end.

A TRUELY heroic figure.