Formula One: Michael Schumacher Has Not Changed At All – Rubens Barrichello
Michael Schumacher’s comeback to Formula One after a three year hiatus from the paddocks hit a new low at last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. The German’s bid to protect his 10th place from former Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello in the dying moments of the race was deemed so hazardous by the Hungary race stewards that they dished out a 10-place grid penalty on Schumacher for the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix. Many are of the opinion that the seven-time world champion deserved a harsher penalty at the Hungaroring.
By forcing Barrichello over against the pit wall and subsequently instigating the Brazilian’s drive on the grass at speeds nearing 200mph, Schumacher proved, by putting both of their lives at risk, that he retains in full measure the relentlessness that won him seven Drivers’ titles. Yet what he apparently no longer possesses, however, is the pace that took him to 91 Grands Prix victories.
“Horrible” is how Barrichello described Schumacher’s dangerous manoeuvre as he just got through. The Brazilian felt Schumacher should have been instantly black flagged and likened the German’s moves to those of kart racers. Stunned, Barrichello ruled out the option of holding a dialogue with the Mercedes driver over the incident, arguing that it would not help matters at all. Barrichello accused Schumacher of believing he was always in the right and lamented that a three year retirement from Formula One had not changed the German’s racing ethics at all. The Brazilian proceeded to remark that Schumacher’s stint had been the most deplorable instance of defensive racing he had witnessed in his career. Barrichello said it surprised him to see someone of Schumacher’s experience pull off such a clumsy move. The Brazilian said such a manoeuvre would have been more understandable had Schumacher been a rookie.
The Hungaroring stint was hardly the first time Schumacher has come under fire for dangerous on-track tactics. At the 2010 Canadian event, Schumacher attempted to retain his position by forcing Renault’s Robert Kubica off the track and later, in the same run, he infamously ruined Felipe Massa’s race after damaging the Brazilian’s car in an audacious manoeuvre.
Since the German resumed the professional Formula One duties at the beginning of the 2010 season, his displays have become less and less spectacular. Schumacher bagged points in six of his initial seven runs, but in the last five races he has managed to score only twice. Although some of his lacklustre displays can be put down to the shortcomings of his Mercedes car, Schumacher has found himself persistently outclassed by his less experienced teammate, Nico Rosberg. The statistics are decisively in favour of Rosberg, highlighting the extent to which the seven-time world champion has lost his spark upon his comeback. Rosberg has managed to accumulate 94 points compared to Schumacher’s sorry bundle of 38. Rosberg has also managed to outpace his famous teammate on eight occasions to two in the qualifiers and climbed the podium three times this year when Schumacher’s best result has been a fourth place finish.
At the height of his career, Schumacher was the undisputed king at Ferrari. The whole team revolved around him and teammates, including Barrichello, were hired to watch the German’s back. But that was the old Formula One days. The sport has evolved for the better since Schumacher waved goodbye to Formula One in 2006 at Interlagos. The new seed of drivers do not feel intimidated by one of the all time greats of the sport. Jaime Alguersuari, who is half the age of Schumacher, easily outpaced him at the year’s Australian event for quite a few laps.
Both Schumacher and Barrichello were present at the ill-fated 1994 event at Imola (the San Marino Grand Prix) when Ayrton Senna, popularly regarded as the greatest Formula One driver ever, and Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger were tragically killed. Formula One is a much safer sport today than it was nearly two decades ago, but that does not mean a possibility for the worst accidents does not exist. Barrichello is fully mindful of that. Schumacher apparently prefers to turn a blind eye.
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