Era

I'm going to miss Michael Schumacher.    

His decision to retire for good is not all together a surprise . . . but I'd hoped he was to find a seat at Sauber and give it one more go.

I was fascinated with Michael when he first arrived in F1, but fell against him during his early days at Ferrari and the incredible battles with Mika Hakkinen in '98 and '99.    I was at the time and remain to this day very impressed with Hakkinen as a driver and as a person.    In hindsight, my favoritism probably wasn't as much a slight against Schumi as it was a nod for Hakkinen's merit as a competitor, as a sportsman.  

It would prove, however, a few years later before I attended my very first Grand Prix: Imola 2004

I will never forget walking across the bridge toward the start/finish straight, hearing for the first time the ultra-violent, screaming banshee shrill of a Ferrari V-10 exiting the pits.    By the time I'd launched into high gear to run inside the circuit to find the quickest perspective through an obstructing fence, Schumi blasted by at absolute flat chat.   It was surreal.

Schumi on his way to another uncontested victory at Imola in the V-10 F2004

Therefore, it was only during the latter third of his career that I would see him drive in person.    Schumacher won, outright, the first three Grands Prix that I attended.  Despite being in Italy attired in one of my standard Ferrari shirts, I actually hated his victory at Imola, probably because I was afraid he might win every race that year.

2004 was indeed a banner year for Michael and Ferrari.     Together they absolutely demolished the field, and I remember like yesterday the demeanor Schumacher carried to Melbourne to start the 2005 season.    

To this day I've never seen an F1 driver as confident in his place as Schumacher was as the circus arrived for the start of the 2005 season in Melbourne.    Unfortunately for Schumacher and Ferrari, the party was just about to end.  

Renault came into 2005 with a new car, the kind of car Fernando Alonso needed to steal Schumacher's crown and firmly stamp his name as the next great force to be reckoned with in F1.

Most notably, it was the 2005 Imola race where, at least symbolically, the baton of passing eras in F1 history was passed.   Ferrari looked to have regained their footing after a rough start to the year, but Alonso held a resurgent Schumacher at bay.

I did not manage to make a Grand Prix in 2005 . . . I was quite fortunate to have dodged the disaster in Indianapolis that year, but I did make it to two Grands Prix in 2006:    Indianapolis and Monza!

Schumi's '06 win at Indianapolis came complete with his standard exuberance

Stunned to have been so rudely toppled from their throne, Ferrari rebounded in 2006 with the 248-F1, a much improved chassis from the F2005, and although they were nowhere near the same dominant force, Schumacher pulled off an amazing victory in Monza to come within range of wresting the title from Alonso.  

En route to his last victory in Italy, mere laps from the flag

To witness a Ferrari victory at Monza is indeed something special.     Given the significance of this victory in the World Championship, bringing Schumi within a couple of points of Alonso's lead, the atmosphere amongst thousands of Tifosi on circuit was electric.

I was actually standing near Raikkonen's pole position grid slot when Michael announced his retirement

However the Monza plot was also thick with rumor of Schumacher's pending initial retirement, soon confirmed by his announcement in the post race FIA press conference.  Certainly everyone realized that this might prove to be his final victory in Italy for Ferrari.

Schumi's ambitions for an 8th World Driving Championship were further boosted by his 91st and final Grand Prix victory two weeks later in Shanghai.   He equaled 2nd place finisher Alonso's point tally for the first time as the circus moved to Suzuka for the penultimate round, the Japanese Grand Prix.     

Things were at first looking good for Schumacher.    He was leading before his Ferrari engine suffered a uncharacteristic melt-down, handing the Japan victory and probable title to Alonso as Michael was left thanking his crew in the Ferrari garage.     

What was allegedly to be his final race came at Interlagos, where he and Alonso were separated by 10 points.    The elusive 8th title was only possible if Michael won the race with Fernando scoring nothing.
The win would have brought the pair even on points, but Michael would have managed 8 victories to Alonso's 7, thus giving him sole possession of the crown.   Even had the race gone Michael's way these were pretty high odds, and Alonso emerged with his second consecutive World Championship.    

The 7 time World Driving Champion left Interlagos and F1 holding just about every record in the book, and Ferrari allegedly gifted Michael his 248-F1 as a going away present.

Therefore, 2007 began minus Schumacher and with Kimi Räikkönen now leading Ferrari to a dominant victory in his first race for the Scuderia in Melbourne.    Michael briefly slipped away from the paddock, but with increasing frequency through 2008 and into 2009, he slowly began reappearing as a consultant along Ferrari's pit wall.   

Then came mid 2009, and Massa suffered a horrendous collision with a wayward spring from Barrichello's Brawn in Hungary.   Felipe fortunately ultimately recovered, but he was finished for the 2009 season.   The team immediately turned to Schumi to fill Massa's seat.   

Testing restrictions were already in place by 2009, but Ferrari uncovered a loophole which allowed Schumi some much needed time in an older car . . . the F2007.     Schumacher was still recovering from an accident he endured while dabbling in motorcycle racing, and it was far from certain that he would be fit enough to handle the g forces a F1 car unleashes on the driver.

Excitement and speculation were piqued . . . many were elated by the possibility that Schumi would be on the grid in a Ferrari for Valencia.    Unfortunately, the medical results were not good regarding his healing from the bike accident and Ferrari, out of loyalty, turned to long time test driver Luca Badoer.

So although temporarily deprived, the stage had now been set for Schumacher's return.     

As the 2010 season approached, Luca di Montezemelo strongly campaigned the FIA for permission to field three cars.    Montezemolo wanted Michael back driving for the Scuderia, but not at the expense of losing Räikkönen and Massa, the former having won the '07 Championship and the latter . . . so closely knit as to being almost family . . . having lost by merely a single point on the very last corner of the last race in '08.

Schumi's actual F2007 test chassis at the
2011 Ferrari Racing Days/Challenge weekend in Monterey

Sadly the FIA said no, that no team could have more than two cars on the grid . . . a questionable policy in it's own right . . . and Schumacher, having opened the doors to competing again on the world's grandest stage, was not to be denied.

Ironically, Mercedes had already decided they wanted back into F1, and had negotiated to takeover Brawn F1, the former Honda factory outfit.     Given his relationship with Ross Brawn, and that Mercedes played a role in Michael's early career, it was no surprise when they announced that Schumacher would be joining Nico Rosberg on the squad for 2010.

There was some minor controversy prior season start with Brawn handing Schumi the lower car number (normally indicating team leader) strictly on Schumacher's vocal superstition against even numbers.

Schumi tosses his W-01 into Lesmo during practice for the Italian Grand Prix, 2010

High expectation greeted Schumi's re-entry into the world's highest form of motor sport, but the season did not go as planned.   Michael was hardly competitive in the season's Bahrain opener.   By the time the team's closed the European season at Monza, Schumacher had not even managed a podium, with 4th place at Catalunya being his best result to date.

Schumi's faithful fans second guessed his return, and whispers rose to normal conversation that he had perhaps jeopardized his legendary status in returning.

All the same, I personally found myself extremely fortunate to have another chance of watching Schumi drive at Monza.     The area just outside the Mercedes garage and pit box was a busy spot on Thursday's Pit Walk.   No doubt I was somewhat oddly fascinated seeing the former Ferrari Champion in Italy, working for Germany's Silver Arrows . . .

Schumi acknowledging his Monza fans

. . . and I was apparently not alone in that sentiment!

In the eyes of many, Schumacher belonged at Ferrari

Schumacher was also upstaged on several occasions by his teammate Nico Rosberg, and actually finished a couple of places down from him in the final championship tally.     This trend continued through 2011.    In fact, the 2011 season proved at times more frustrating than 2010.

I attended one Grand Prix in 2011 with my very first trek to Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix.    After a much delayed, drenched, but absolutely stunning race on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Schumacher netted his best result of 2011, coming very close to his first podium since returning.

There was even one moment when it looked as though he could challenge for the win.     Either way, the driver I saw that day was the Michael of old, and I'm certain many considered the race a turning point in his comeback.

Close call for the podium in Montreal . . . 

My next Grand Prix was Belgium, 2012.     I did not realize this prior our arrival, but it happened to be Schumacher's 300th Grand Prix.     Considering that he began his F1 career at Spa, I considered myself fortunate to be in attendance.  

2012 initially looked to offer more promise, but Michael was still being upstaged by his teammate with Nico taking the team's very first victory in the third race of the year at Shanghai.    Schumi finally found himself on the podium with a 3rd place finish in Valencia, but there were no indications that the car nor Michael's driving were ready to fight at the front.

One off lid for Schumi's 300th Grand Prix start . . . appropriately at Spa

Schumacher's 7th place finish in Belgium equalled his second best results of the year to date, but it would be the following race at Monza where he finished 6th, moving his 2nd best result up one notch.

Free Practice:   Ascari

Following a disastrous outing in Singapore, where he lost track of where he was to slam straight into the back of Jean-Eric Vergne, many joked that Michael experienced a "senior" moment.      It was not long after that Schumacher called a press conference to announce that he would not be back in 2013, and that this retirement was for good.

Heading to Austin for the inaugural United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas, I wondered what it would be like to experience, again, what I believed to be the final time I'd see Schumi compete in F1.

USGP: good quali, yet 16th in the end

Schumi qualified well, but the race proved consistent with these trying days at Mercedes, and as he passed our seats on the cool down lap against the rakish late fall Texas sun, I did not see the exuberant Michael Schumacher of old.

USGP cool down lap:    the final time

I doubt that many foresaw the struggles Schumacher would face since returning in 2010.

On one hand, we should realize that as Schumi simply did not step back into the fray and trounce everyone, it speaks very highly of F1.    Today's grid is indeed formidable.

On the other, the past three seasons have shattered myth, revealing Michael to be merely mortal like the rest of us.

I've heard close friends argue that Schumi threw away his legacy.     I see their point.    Given the contrast from his time at Benetton and Ferrari, it's almost as if he enjoyed walking as a living legend, protected in the safe confines of retirement.     Many believed that he would quite simply step into a F1 car after three years and pick up where he left off.

Although I never believed it would be that easy, I have very much wanted to see him win again.  I have missed his exuberance on the top step.

Who can forget Schumi conducting his orchestra (the Ferrari team) to the Italian National Anthem?  I'd hoped to see a new iteration of his musical prowess to the German Anthem.  I expected him to find the podium more than once, and much prior this year's mid season European Grand Prix at Valencia!

I'm thankful that I probably witnessed the best performance of his comeback in that soggy Montreal race.

Michael made enemies over the course of his F1 career.    Questionable incidents in championship deciding races against Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve remain the most fabled.  

There were also bizarre, funny moments, such as parking his Ferrari 248-F1 at the exit of Rascasse during the closing stages of Monaco qualifying in 2006.    I will never forget Flavio Briatore's exclamation "he's parking the car, he's just parking the car" accentuated with the sound effect of a handbrake on the FIA review video.

Sadly, many will permanently label Schumi a cheater, and I've had to accept that we will most likely never witness his 92nd Grand Prix victory.

Saying goodbye (symbolically) to US fans in Austin

As the 2012 season winds down to a close this weekend in Brazil, and as Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso duel to determine who will become the youngest three time World Driving Champion in history, I'll have a hard time ignoring the man whose records pale their accomplishments in comparison.

Michael Schumacher brought a lot of passion and fascination to the sport I love above all others.    Although I was not always his number one fan, I will respect him more and more with each passing year.

I feel fortunate to have witnessed one of the greatest drivers in history compete at the highest level, and no matter how elated or disappointed I may find myself with the outcome of the 2012 World Championship, I will feel the impact of this passing era.





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