F1 fan Kartik Sunku gives us his thoughts in the article The return of Michael Schumacher – A two sided coin? Read on and feel free to add your thoughts in our comment box.
Consecutive podium finishes, champagne celebrations, molested by fans for autographs, all the limelight et all. Yes, I’m speaking about the champion of racing, the god of wet weather driving, Michael Schumacher. When Schumi was at his peak with Ferrari, people almost started to believe that “racing was a state of mind”. When he retired, it was the perfect time, this united feeling of praise, awe and utmost respect. And of course, the sinking feeling of how there’s been another victim, another casualty to age causing him to give up the steering wheel and to never again entertain us sitting on the 8 cylinder monster. It was good riddance for a few but the seven time world champion was never going to leave our hearts, be it the staunch fanatics of his or the fans who sit back at home and “enjoy the show” and even the ones who believed Senna was the best thing that ever happened to the sport.
His last race at Sau Paolo was an absolute peach. His car “almost” gave up three times, but he still managed to slingshot the aggressive likes of Kimi Raikkonen and Giancarlos Fisichella displaying the overtaking splendour he possessed. The world dropped a tear or two to see the big man hang up his boots. Formula One lost brother Schumi.
Well, that was a good 6 years back! Getting ourselves back today, it has been a good 42 races to kill the inertia or whatever that people speak of. No podiums, no pole positions, nothing! I’m pretty darn sure it’s not the way he imagined it.
His return to the sport was the most spoken of. People who were sceptical were treated like outcasts. It was like Formula One got a new lease of life. A lot of the fans had given up on the sport owing to his retirement which goes to show the effect he had on the sport. It is almost like the relationship India as a team shares with cricket. It was supposed to be “EPIC”.
We started to remember the masterstrokes of Ross Brawn and Schumi tactically in the pits and the sheer ruthlessness on track absolutely decimating anyone and everyone who dared to get overtake him, and sometimes he went overboard as well. But hey, passion has its limits right? Pushing th car to the limit and beyond was his job and he was brilliant at it! One race comes to my mind after all this gaga about his driving – The 1998 race at Hungaroring when he rattled his Ferrari at qualifying pase, lap after lap during the race reducing the ability of the other drivers to an absolute miniscule. It was frightening to say the least.
But it’s all so devastatingly different now. If you see a car go wide, or kick up some dirt, take the escape road or a car getting to the pits by a pick-up truck-there’s a good probability that its Schumacher’s Merc.
It is quite a scene today looking at him high-fiving with drivers half his age, some of them who grew up with Schumi as their inspiration and who ironically look at him apparently as “the oldest swinger in town”! And of course, his dismal driving to add to this all.
Like a smoker steadfastly refusing to quit, Schumacher’s every race which ends up being either out of the points scoring zone or a low one coupled with starting somewhere in the middle of the grid is slowly eroding the legacy he’s established over the years.
He’s managed to bring back a good number of fans to follow the sport again. It’s the upside to the whole situation of his return but he sure has down sided everyone and everything he had managed to influence in his “former” career.
They all say, a 7 time world formula one champion should surely have known better. I agree.
What are your thoughts on the return of Michael Schumacher?
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Hey Kartik,
Very well written. I myself got my interest in F1 because of this man. Lost interest when he hung up his boots. And again started watching F1 all because of him. No doubt he has tried his level best in pushing the Mercedes car to the limit but now age is showing in his driving. I do not doubt his skills but he is lacking in him the strength to win with a slightly worse car.
I wish you could also point out his last year’s Canadian Grand Prix , where our RAINMAN was unstoppable. The way he controlled his chariot through the heavy rains was impeccable.
No wonder Schumi’s return has brought many back to F1 but I think his accolades have been forgotten in his (I wont say dismal performances because he has tried his level best i believe) lack of podiums and poles since his return.
Shachi, he’s had maybe a couple of spurts of good performances through his 2 seasons and five races in his “second career”. But think about it, Nico has out-qualified him every race and has ended up a good number of points ahead of him as well. If its the technology we’re blaming, then Nico is proving otherwise right? But this season has been dismal luck for the big man, I agree. Hope he delivers the goods at Monaco! Would like nothing more than that mate.
Michael Schumacher should never of returned
It has been embarrassing at times. The season is brilliant, but it doesnt need Schumacher any more.
You mention many came back to F1 due to Michael Schumacher coming back.
During his dominating days several years back he almost drove me away from the sport, as it was always a forgone conclusion that he would win every race.
It has been sad to see a talent returning to No podiums, No pole positions, and No reason to stay
That is one way of looking at it. But Schumacher during his peak amassed so many fans that probably doubled the fan following of Formula One as a whole. The domination period did do good to the sport that way. It was a technologically dormant phase for F1. Look at what the sport has become now. Highly dynamic. Its a good thing our generation has gotten to witness both sides to the sport.
Thats True Though Bernie is probably the main reason F1 is so accepted throughout the world, rather than Schumi