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.





ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT JIM HUNTER
MAY NOT BE USED WITHOUT PRIOR CONSENT

Valencia!

Such is life, but 2012 is flashing by while throwing up challenges of greater complexity and frequency than I'm used to.      Therefore, it is somewhat a shame that I'm not free to sit back in further dissect this amazing F1 season.

This season has already produced more uncertain outcomes than the prior five or six seasons combined.     If I had more time, I'd do some serious research to back up that assessment.

The European Grand Prix at Valencia was no exception.  

Valencia looks a blast to drive . . . especially the practically flat out blind weaving back to the start/finish straight . . . but until yesterday the venue had never offered much in terms of racing.   Last year's GP was probably the most boring in recent memory.

Therefore it was very much a surprise on Sunday to be treated to the stuff from which F1 legends are drawn, and Fernando Alonso's sensational drive from 11th to an emotional victory in front of his native Spanish fans will be replayed on highlight reels for years to come.   

It's hard for me to ignore the potentially symbolic nature of the Valencia podium:     Alonso, overcome with emotion, standing between Ferrari's two most recent world champions.    This crazy season is a long way from becoming subject to internet trending but if I were a betting man I might put a small fortune on this moment.

Alonso won from midfield on this circuit aforementioned for guaranteeing lackluster racing.     He came into 2012 with a dog of a car that would confound most drivers, and has demonstrated remarkable tenacity driving beyond the car's capability and respect for his team in patiently, diligently working for improvement.      Sunday Alonso and Ferrari were rewarded.   

I found Alonso parking his somewhat revitalized F2012 in front of the grandstand and unrolling his newly gifted Spanish flag reminiscent of Senna's celebrations at Interlagos.

What makes this year's European Grand Prix so exceptional, however, is that Alonso's drive was not the only noteworthy performance on display.

Alonso benefitted from a couple of key retirements, most notably Sebastian Vettel, who in typically ho-hum fashion sped away from the front.   Whatever I personally feel for the marketing entity he drives for, I have to hand it to Vettel for remaining a driver not to be discounted.    

Romain Grosjean was also sensational, and had his Lotus Renault electrical system not packed up he might have ultimately robbed victory from Alonso.     Grosjean's path into F1 has been rocky, but his speed and fight are very real.     Despite that his 2012 has so far proven a collection of peaks and valleys, he's holding his own against Kimi Raikkonen.    If he can continue to mature and avoid some of the mistakes which have cost him, he may very well finish ahead of Kimi in the final tally.

Raikkonen put in another solid drive to 2nd.    Kimi capitalized on good fortune when Hamilton's tires went off in the closing stages, but after what happened in China that pendulum was due to swing his way.     I still find Kimi perplexing.    His flashes of brilliance are often segued by moments where it appears some young lady in the grandstands might have caught his attention.      That said, he's an amazing talent, a great benefit to the sport, and I fully expect him to provide quite a show over the remainder of the year.

It was great to see Michael Schumacher back on the podium.     Two and one half seasons following his 2010 return?     I doubt most of us thought it would take that long.      It was fantastic.   I'm hoping he finds his way one or two steps up before year's end.

Finally, a word about Hamilton.    I really have to feel for the guy.      He has been thwarted by his own crew at some point in practically every GP this year.      I'm not anti-McLaren, but when it comes to how passionately and fervently many McLaren fans lash out at Ferrari, I can only laugh at their calamitous pit stops.  

I lost respect for Hamilton several years ago because he'd spend more time on the radio yelling at his team than driving the car.     The irony is that if he were doing that now I'd probably back him up!    LOL

Regarding his clash with Maldonado, I laugh at claims that Hamilton was an innocent victim of an overly aggressive overtaking attempt.     Hamilton was not t-boned.    Much to the contrary, he drove over Maldonado's wheel as result of an ill conceived attempt to squeeze Pastor and protect his position.     The accident was a racing incident, nothing more, with both drivers carrying equal blame.

All in all an absolutely fantastic European Grand Prix . . . and we've much to look forward to as the circus now moves to the core of the European season and some of the fastest, most fabled circuits on the calendar.

  

Forza Fernando

Fernando Alonso's performance in yesterday's Italian Grand Prix was epic, and his stunning move past Hamilton and Vettel to take the lead into the Prima Variante will stand time as one of his finest moments in F1.    He almost always starts well, but following a remarkably similar jaw dropping performance earlier this season at Catalunya, Alonso's place among the all-time greats must now be firmly cemented.  

Through sheer force of will and extraordinarily disciplined car control, Fernando managed to gift the Scuderia and the Monza Tifosi a podium finish that almost certainly was not on offer.    

The F150 in Massa's greatly improved hands has proven a midfield runner at best.    Given the strength of Red Bull and McLaren, it is mind boggling to consider that the European season has closed with Alonso lying 2nd in the championship.    Given Ferrari's endless struggle with tire temperature and compounds, it is hard to grasp how Alonso has managed to keep up with everyone else chasing Vettel.

Fernando was certainly aided in his quest by Michael Schumacher, who served a significant part of the GP as yet another thorn in Lewis Hamilton's wayward season.      I have to feel for Lewis, as though I much enjoyed Schumacher's drive among the front runners, Hamilton was probably robbed the opportunity to close on Alonso and eventually assume his spot on the podium.     I don't subscribe to the suggestion that Schumacher was driving dangerously, only that he pushed boundaries as he always has.

I did find it curious, however, at how effortlessly Button managed his way past Schumi when Lewis continually found himself blocked.

Finally, Liuzzi had no one to blame but himself for the season's best display of a F1 car posing as a bowling ball.       Having sat right at that spot in 2006 and 2010, I can't imagine what it must've been to witness first hand that errant HRT skittering across the grass!

All in all, another fantastic race in what has been a season full of memorable Grand Prix moments!

Looking Back: Monza '06

Watching the Italian Grand Prix this morning had me thinking back to my first Grand Prix at Monza - 2006.  We stayed in a little town called Cinesello Balsamo, which is just a train stop away from Monza. This is the trip I think of as our “planes, trains and automobiles” trip, though in reality it was more like trains, busses, cabs, shuttles and a whole lot of walking, and when I say a whole lot of walking, I’m not exaggerating even a little bit.


Our first Grand Prix ever was in 2004 at Imola, also in beautiful countryside much like Monza, only in Imola our lovely host drove us from our apartment right up to the race track. Staying in Cinesello Balsamo, we thought, how much trouble could one extra train stop be? Well, for starters, a bus ride was required from our hotel to the train station, and then from the train station in Monza either bus or race shuttle to the track entrance – and when I say entrance, that’s a loose term. The bus dropped us off at the far edge of the Parco di Monza – what seemed about a 3-mile walk to the actual entrance to the track. But I digress, we were excited to be there, no matter how much walking was required, I was just glad I had brought good shoes.


The good thing about the walk into the track was that all along the way were lots of places to get cappuccino, espresso, panini and brioche. The park is also quite beautiful and as we walked around, checking out the track and getting the lay of the land, I’ll never forget how astonishing it is to see the old banked track in person. The steepness is like nothing I’ve ever seen and can only be fully appreciated in person, particularly after the race when the fans are allowed to climb up and over it to get out onto the track.

Aside from the walking, the other thing that stands out is how good the food was at the circuit – pomodoro e mozerella and prosciutto e formaggio panini – the latter being my favorite. Even after the race weekend was long over and we were on our way to Tuscany, I still thought about how wonderful those simple sandwiches were - on bread that is nothing like anything you can find in a US grocery store.


On Thursday, after the pit walk, as the crowd was shooed towards the exit at the end of the day, we followed signs to a place that will, for us, always be a part of our Monza experience – The Pit Stop. A little bar tucked away off the beaten path, far enough off, in fact, that we thought somehow the signs were wrong. Just as we were wondering if we’d made a wrong turn, we saw the small patio with six tables. Inside was a bar with a few more tables, and not crowded like you would think, a friendly, welcoming place to rest our feet and have a beer.


When we were unable to successfully get a cab from The Pit Stop back to our hotel, we took the bus to the Monza centro storico where we made two great discoveries. The first being a wine shop that sold some fantastic wine from Italian F1 driver Jarno Trulli, the second Prater Pizzeria where we had a great dinner, but I think the dinner the following night at Ristorante Costa was our favorite.


On Friday, after making our way back to Cinesello Balsamo from a long day at the autodromo, the concierge at our hotel recommended Ristorante Costa to us for dinner. Not wanting to do any more walking, we asked if he could call us a cab. To him, my request made no sense, as he assured me this restaurant was only 50 meters from our hotel, just a few short blocks. He even wrote the brief instructions on the back of the hotel business card – make a left at the light, walk 50 m to the square where the restaurant is.


This is where we learned how true our Italian instructor’s joke about the Italian term “due piedi” is. The term literally means “two steps” and as she explained to us, when you ask for directions in Italy, you are often told the destination is only “due piedi” when in reality, it’s quite a hike. After twenty minutes of walking, we were just about to give up when we saw the restaurant on the far corner of a square. Glad we didn’t give up. We got a great meal, even with my super limited Italian – fortunately my Italian vocabulary is strongest when it comes to food. In addition to the great food and a particularly good tiramisu, they also had a man on a tiny stage playing keyboards who was very entertaining. When we first arrived, we was playing The Beatles and James Taylor. Later he was joined by a woman who sang Italian songs.  


On Saturday we decided to forget the bus to the train to the shuttle to the edge of the park ritual, and hired a cab to take us right to the entrance of the circuit for qualifying. This was a good call, not just for saving our feet, but also because that’s how we met our great friend Jon who, along with his traveling companion, was also looking for a more direct route to the track and was more than happy to share a cab with us.


At the end of the end of the day, we returned to what would become our favorite post race hang out, The Pit Stop. Too tired and hungry to imagine making a trek anywhere else, we ordered a meat plate where I was first introduced to the mysterious cold cut called “speck.” Delicious, but I had a hard time figuring out exactly what it was. It was only later that I learned that it is cured ham – similar to prosciutto. We also ordered some pasta, nothing fancy, but both the torchetti pesto and the tagliatelle Bolognese were surprisingly good for what was basically bar food.


Race day was the perfect combination of everything I think the Monza experience should be – the weather was beautiful, Ferrari won (this particular race it was Schumacher – his last win at Monza, at least up to now) and after the race was over, we celebrated with a bottle of Jarno Trulli’s wine with our friends on the patio at The Pit Stop. Wish I was there right now.

Traci Carroll

2 decades in . . .

I'd been meaning to post a few thoughts on Michael Schumacher, and his drive in Montreal could not have come in more timely fashion.

Schumacher did not arrive in F1 quietly.    After his stunning debut with Jordan, two world championships with Benetton, sheer domination at Ferrari, and every controversial incident along a career which has spanned two decades, one could be forgiven for not seeing what remained to be accomplished.

When 2010 proved difficult if not out right embarrassing, Schumi became a target of doubt and skepticism from many of this most ardent supporters.      As Eddie Jordan so aptly stated, "a falling god now railing against his own mortality and risking that of others," 2010 served up plenty of ammunition for those who preferred that he had remained mythologically invincible in retirement.

2011 hasn't exactly been a return to the good ol' days.    Mercedes is not on par with Red Bull, McLaren, nor Ferrari.      Schumacher and teammate Nico Rosberg have so far struggled consistently in the midfield trying to peck their way into the higher order of those trailing Sebastian Vettel.

Schumi's perseverance to carry on despite losing immortality is indeed rare in this world which we live.    His willingness to face trial, humility, and defeat might ultimately prove a stronger testament to his sportsmanship than hiding safely behind mythology in retirement.

I'm glad he's back and F1 is a better place as a result.     It is clear to me that he loves driving, competition.  I am certain that he's still determined to show the "kids" on the grid that he still has what it takes.

I don't know that it is humanly possible for Schumi to return to the driver he was several years ago, but his drive in Montreal reminded me of the world champion who won, outright, the first 3 Grands Prix I attended.  

If only the Mercedes was capable of winning this season, it would be great to see Schumi back on the podium.

Another GREAT clip

If you followed F1 last year, I'm sure you'll enjoy this clip from the BBC, narrated by Eddie Jordan.

Of note, I love the shot of Schumi powering out of severe oversteer with sublime grace.

BBC 2010 clip

Cheers