Jackie Stewarts ramblings from the Bar

Stewart points out Schumi flaw
Thursday October 19 2006
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Sir Jackie Stewart believes a 'flawed' Michael Schumacher has made the right decision to retire.


Although hailing Schumacher's achievement in turning a once-ailing Ferrari team into winners again, Stewart feels the time is right for him to bring the curtain down on his 16-year career in Formula One.


Schumacher calls it a day on Sunday following the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, with his chances of winning a record-extending eighth world title highly remote.


The 37-year-old German needs to take the chequered flag and then hope current championship leader Fernando Alonso fails to pick up a point.
Regardless of the drama that is likely to unfold, Stewart feels Schumacher is doing the right thing in hanging up his helmet.


"Michael has one flaw in my view in that there is hardly a weekend he hasn't been off the road at one time or another, and sometimes several times because he stretches the elastic a tad too far," said Stewart.


"Now maybe he knows if he goes off today's tracks are so safe he's not going to do any real damage to the car or himself, but still you're in the hands of the gods once you leave the black-top.


"That's one of the reasons I'm pleased to see him retiring, because I think it's the right time for that."
Stewart, though, insists Schumacher is the reason Ferrari ended a 21-year wait for the drivers' title when he won the first of what proved to be five championships in a row in 2000.


"Michael brought Ferrari from 21 years of not winning a title to being champions many times," Stewart told the BBC.


"I put that down much more to him than president Luca di Montezemolo or team boss Jean Todt. Without Michael Schumacher it would not have happened.