A Good Clean Contest?

Last month, I considered the return to F1 of Michael Schumacher, and particularly what the rest of the pit lane will be thinking, especially those who remember some of the tactics the seven time World Champion employed from time to time. Now the great man has submitted himself to interrogation by the assembled media, and it seems he is not happy at the line of questioning.

But the questions are bound to be put: this is the driver who managed, by fortunate coincidence, to take out Damon Hill during the last race of the 1994 season after Hill’s pursuit of Schumacher induced a rare driving mistake and the leading Benetton hit the wall. Had Hill been able to continue and win the race, Schumacher would have been pipped for the World Championship.

Worse, Schumacher tried to drive Jacques Villeneuve off the road during the last race of the 1997 season, and this time the authorities took a suitably dim view, disqualifying him from the championship. And the following year, Schumacher rear ended the car of McLaren driver David Coulthard in torrential rain at Spa-Francorchamps, then angrily blamed the Scot, who had slowed and moved his car to one side of the track to let Schumacher past!

So perhaps it is understandable that some question the manner in which Schumacher approaches the sport. Hopefully he will answer his critics with his driving, and nothing more.