There has been a lot of talk among our small group of friends about Michael Schumacher. And in particular - his ability (or inability) to win. He is a true champion, no doubt about it. The records speak for themselves. He won the drivers championship not only with Ferrari but with Benetton as well! He holds the records for the maximum driver's championships, maximum poles, maximum podium finishes, maximum wins in a season, maximum.......well almost everything. And in 2002 he finished every race on the podium, with 11 victories out of 17 races! He is the highest earning sportsman by more than double! Phew!
One aspect that still baffles me quite a lot is "Is it the Man or the Machine" in Formula 1. With all due respect to the winners, I am quite sure that this still is a sport where your equipment decides your success. True, your ability is tested; but that is quite meaningless if you are in a slow car. Or in an unreliable one. Eddie Irvine is a classic example. He was among the top three drivers during his time with Ferrari. But after his shift to Jaguar he slipped right down to the bottom rungs of the sport. But his skill was good enough to get him a podium finish with relatively much slower Jaguar in Monaco. But his success rate was much lower than when he was with the scarlet red Ferrari team.
Coming to the most important and popular person in motor sport, Schumi, he began his career with Jordan as a replacement driver. He performed exceedingly well in his debut. In Shumi's first two seasons with Benetton he drove to his potential but was unable to deliver because of the limitations in the car compared to the Williams and McLarens. The '94 and '95 season saw him win the drivers championship for Benetton. Some reasons for that might be: In '94 the Benetton was the fastest car on track by far. It was so fast that its raw speed fuelled thoughts among people, that the team had found a loophole or a way to violate the FIA regulations. '94 also saw F1 lose one of it's heroes Aryton Senna. Now, there was no more competition for someone of the class of Michael!
In '95 the richest company wanted the best! Michael joined Ferrari and has never contemplated leaving it since. But Scuderia, with not even one Championship win till that time, couldn't give Michael the machine he needed to win. Improvements in the car were made constantly and by '99 they had the car to show the world that they were the best. Unfortunately a brake failure saw Schumi crash, break his leg and lose out on more than half the season. By the turn of the millennium it was Schumi all the way. Schumi and Hakkinen, his only competitor, were in a different league all together. But Mika got the better of Michael. In 2002 Ferrari won 15 out of 17 races. Schumi won 11 of those. This was the time Kimi, Montoya, Alonso were getting the hang of F1 'and learning their first lessons'. Then came Ferrari's (temporary) slump. In '04 Michael managed to hold off Kimi to win the championship by one point. The car they released for 2005 was the "pits"! The tyres didn't help make things better.
2006. Things weren't looking too bright for the Ferrari - Michael combination, with Renault winning the first three races. In San Marino, the race held last weekend, Schumi drove magnificently in the middle portion of the race where the Ferrari was much slower than the Renault of Alonso. This is the best I have seen him drive in a long long time! This is why I became his fan. To hold back a faster car (moreover that of Alonso) takes some doing! And he did it with relative ease. Is this a come back. Or is this a one-off? Let's wait and watch! Alonso will give the "speedmaster" a run for his money.
Getting back to the main argument. The "Man or Machine" issue can be looked at from another perspective. That Formula 1 is a team sport and the driver is only a part of this big team. So, the "Man" and "Machine" are essentially one. Then why does the driver get all the credit? Doesn't every man doing his small part deserve a share in the glory that the driver gets, for the sleepless nights that they have put in to get their "Machine" in top form to get their "Man" to the top?
Talent is one thing, and having the car to show it off is another! If the right combination can be found, they will be invincible. Like the Ferrari - Schumi one. Another is the budding combination of Renault and Alonso!
Any guesses for the victor of 2006
GO ALONSO!
GO ALONSO!
1 comment:
Finally glad to key in my comment...Better word..Relieved..!
MAN or MACHINE in F1 is an absolutely apt question..Infact I had similar thoughts when I started gettin addicted 2 dis sport..But I had greater avenues 2 decide upon..Is it de driver, de technology, de strategy, de money each team can spend on research, de sponsorers each driver can boast off with etc n etc...Phew! Thatz too many thingz for a single sport if u ask me!! n what makes f1 sooo popular...A combination of all these..But what makez me crazy..de pure physics,technology n aerodynamics involved n needless 2 say the thrill every sport offerzz!!!
Now comin 2 de challenge thrown here...Most of de ppl ard me know that I m an ardent Schumi fan n thats not without a reason..! Itz not Schumi unchallenged, itz Schumi bein unsurpassed...Itz not about Schumi losin de title,itz all abt Schumi pavin way for new blood,itz not abt Schumiz luck, itz all abt Schumiz perseverance n well whatz de machine gotta do when controlled by such an undefiable champion?? It just gotta steer itself to victory..!
So any stone still unturned by Schumi?? Yup..Alonso is de youngest Champion n if he wins dis season he breaks de record of Schumi of bein de youngest double champion...So what have I gotta say here?? Loads..! Schumi is still fightin...De sheer passion of a true sportsman at its display...I bet no one masters de art of overtakin at chicanes better than Schumi..! N his marvellous straight line speedz at Indianapolis,USA makes him an undettered champion...n talkin abt weaker teamz itz now time 2 consider de fact that Ferrari is de limpin counterpart of Renault n gettin onto de podium(though not de top step except for in de US Grand Prix) is good enough for Schumi to prove his abilty...! n does his victory mean a come-back,de Magny Courz gotta answer that..!
Well still de question stands untouched...Is it man or machine??
Itz MAN...Man is de creator of machine n de care taker as well...A faster car or a slower car..Whoz behind that?? n thus man here doesnt narrow upon dat one man..de extolled driver..!
But de credit of de hard work of thousandz is taken by 2 ppl...de driver n de team boss...Itz Schumi-Jean Todt, Alonso-Flavio,Kimi-Ron Dennis etc etc....n de otherz in de shadow are happy just to be a part of de winnin team, to see the fruition of their effortz,just to get a sip of de champagne...Hatz off 2 them..! n Cheerz to de team work n this certainly includez de driver n de team boss who surely are thankful to all those thousandz who make their dream come true...!
Well if itz this long a comment who else can it be...?
Itz alwayz me
Spoorthi
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