Ferrari and its followers, eleven cursed years of oblivion since Michael Schumacher had a horrendous snowboarding accident in Switzerland the place he suffered a extreme mind damage. A blade that pierces the center of those that, like us, grew up witnessing the virtually irrational feats Michael Schumacher displayed all through his profession. The respectful silence imposed by the household of the seven-time Method 1 world champion, repeatedly threatened by cowardly makes an attempt to disclose the present situation of the F1 legend, hurts, no use denying it. One of many biggest champions within the historical past of Method 1 is just too usually forgotten by the media, who by no means tolerated his means of speaking.
Regardless of every thing, Michael Schumacher, embracing the reason for the Prancing Horse, succeeded the place everybody else failed. The ace from Kerpen left the group that was each drivers’ and constructors’ world champion, particularly Benetton, as a way to revive the fortunes of a squad left with little greater than its title, in contrast to different nice champions who’ve all the time and solely desired to sit down within the cockpit of the perfect automotive on the grid. Actually, he didn’t come to Maranello for a pittance, as lawyer Gianni Agnelli as soon as remarked. Michael was conscious that there was lots of work to be achieved at Ferrari to return to combating for fulfillment.
The “Ferrari Renaissance” of the early millennium has a transparent origin. The 5 consecutive world titles behind the wheel of Maranello’s vehicles have been the logical consequence of a group restructuring course of in each facet. Not least, a marked change in mindset, geared toward steady enchancment regardless of already being the technical benchmark of the class. A mindset that can’t be purchased on the market: it’s a present from Mom Nature, not one thing that may be constructed.
We’re speaking about an individual able to drawing charismatic figures to himself via a group spirit that goes past the rhetorical adage of profitable and shedding collectively. Thirty years in the past, on November 16, 1995, Michael instantly took to the monitor at Fiorano, defying poor visibility on that gloomy day with overcast skies, the place the glowing brake discs of the 412T2 may very well be clearly seen. That morning, we witnessed the final single-seater of the Scuderia powered by a twelve-cylinder engine from the historic Italian group.
Thirty years later, Maranello will welcome the driving force who has damaged many, if not all, of Michael’s information. This isn’t meant to check the arrival of the German driver with that of Lewis Hamilton. There are just too many various components that make any type of comparability unimaginable. Actually, the arrival of each has generated and is producing an nearly frenzied anticipation, although of a distinct nature, among the many sea of Ferrari supporters. Michael Schumacher needed to revive a group in intensive care, contemplating the aggressive stage of the historic Scuderia within the mid-nineties.
Lewis Hamilton, however, is tasked with a distinct problem. He should reaffirm his immense expertise and show that he can win wherever, even within the group most uncovered to each type of media strain, fueled by the sporting ardour of a nation and its followers throughout the globe. In a way, Lewis Hamilton may ignite a brand new “Pink Renaissance,” whose torch would possibly later be handed to Charles Leclerc, if solely on account of generational causes.
It’s a narrative that intently resembles the 1984 Method 1 season, when Niki Lauda clinched his third world title by beating Alain Prost by simply half some extent. The Austrian concluded his exceptional trajectory in crucial motorsport collection, whereas Alain Prost within the following years grew to become F1’s “Professor.” This, at the very least, is the hope of true followers of the Prancing Horse, who refuse to take sides in silly factions that prioritize the driving force presently in crimson over the nice of the historic Italian group.
Sure, as a result of, as a fast look at social media reveals, in current weeks there are these wishing for Lewis Hamilton’s failure for one clear cause: to safeguard Michael Schumacher’s file of world titles, guaranteeing it stays unbeaten for a number of extra years. We are saying this as Schumi devotees: Lewis Hamilton’s eighth crown would primarily be a terrific victory for Ferrari, and that alone could be greater than sufficient to convey pleasure. We prefer to think about that at some point the German would possibly see the Maranello group he restored to glory and pleasure return to the highest of the world.
As he himself acknowledged in one in all his closing interviews, in Method 1, information are made to be damaged. In a number of years, in actual fact, it could be Max Verstappen or different extraordinary abilities rewriting the identical statistics. Inside this reasoning, it should be remembered that Ferrari comes earlier than any partisan loyalty, recognizing that Schumi’s contributions in crimson symbolize a formidable legacy to be embraced as quickly as potential.
— see video above —