Michael may have been the greatest driver to have ever lived (in statistics)...so far, but we do remember him partly because of the other side of his personality. I have stumbled across something that maybe I should have left covered away from you, but I will show it you anyway. We know that these moments in F1 have seen him do the things that are a bit too aggressive or a tad controversial. 1) Australia 1994 2) Jerez 1997 3) Austria 2002 4) Monaco 2006 5) Hungary 2010 As I said I found something you may have already seen.....Austria 2001. Michael spun out on the first corner and two things struck me whilst watching it. 1) The incident is amazingly similar to Abu Dhabi 2010. 2) Schumacher hit reverse and then 1st gear and parked the car on the track before the cars came back round again. This may have been to ensure a restart, if it was...his plans failed. Anyway, I put it on for us all to discuss. Enjoy
Impressive from the marshals! It looks like you've called it, but equally he could have been trying to rejoin the race, and stalled (although isn't there a rule against using the reverse gear in a race?). I don't know, he'd have to tell us.
Yes but his front right is mashed, he repeatedly shakes his head so it looks like there was no chance anyway? A desperate move to get back into it? Or to stop it?
Excellent post Manny! - Very magnanimous; I believe your suspicions are well-founded. He even jerks his head forward as if to reinforce the idea of an accidental stall, parking it slap bang in the middle of the track. - He'd got the car running again (very cleverly; through avoiding a stall in the first place), so having demonstrated an instinctive ability to avoid a stall, he then stalls it after he'd got moving again! - His speed by that point was such that the stall was either a deliberate drop in revs or actually braking without using the clutch. Very cunning…
His head snapping forward and shaking it gave it away, I would have tried to cheat in the same way and done exactly the same thing to try to blend it. But I guess that's why I'm a fan of his. Sad moment for him and for his fans there, being Schumacher in front of a live audience.
By the time he stalls, the clutch is already fully in. These cars aren't too happy at tickover so it is important to keep the revs up. It is a simple choice: you either get going with loads of revs or you stop with the hand operated clutch fully disengaged. - One or the other; black or white. As one of the most experienced drivers F1 has known - even several years ago - he knew this. Looking at the evidence, one is left with two choices: either it was deliberate or it was incompetent. Schumacher incompetent? Well, it's possible but extremely unlikely. My opinion is that the stall was deliberately induced with insufficient revs, or deliberately braking without disengaging the clutch. I know you admire him Manny but I think it's a good job we're all different. In this case, I really admire your magnanimous advertising of Schumacher's skulduggery, particularly since I know you admire him far more than I admire Schumacher's manipulative tactics. Very few F1 fans who write in to fora have the inner integrity to focus on the negatives of their hero. Well done. Schumacher himself would never do what you have done; it is not in any part of his personality. (Having had many dealings with him, I say this from the bottom of my heart). Admirable Manny. Truly admirable…
I remember Alonso saying he was going to lay down flat in front of his car at the start of the race in protest.
It was a sad day for me when he returned to F1. I had thought at last he and the fixing days were over. Was I naive ? Of course I was and am. The 'sport' is a market-driven business with a pretence of 'best-of-engineering'. All carefully stage managed. However I still enjoy it !!!
Schmucher has been looking well settled during Practice 1 and 2. I would not be too surprised if this is one of the relatively few occasions he beats Rosberg. It is a good chance for him since this circuit suits his style. Similar for Webber over Vettel; but as you say, time will tell.
We know that these moments in F1 have seen him do the things that are a bit too aggressive or a tad controversial. .................... He's a "tad" more than that, and the longer he continues to try and mix it with the current generation, the more his reputation will suffer (imho).
