Monday, February 08, 2010
Monday, February 01, 2010
In Defense of Schumi, For Once
Being a Michael Schumacher-hater, Yours Truly likes bashing him at every opportunity available.
And being an underdog-lover, Yours Truly has always been a fan of Nick Heidfeld, the Formula One driver with the most points and podium finishes without a victory.
That being said, Yours Truly has no complaint whatsoever about Schumi's comeback with the Mercedes-Benz team, which might have cost Heidfeld his best chance of scoring a victory.
The Mercedes-Benz team, which was the all-conquering Brawn GP team last year, was in need of two drivers due to the departure of World Champion Jenson Button and veteran Rubens Barrichello. And when Heidfeld's BMW Sauber team announced its withdrawal at the end of last season, he seemed to be the logical choice. For many, the only question left was how long would he take to finally score his maiden victory.
Having "retired" from Formula One after the 2006 season, Schumi is still very much involved with Ferrari, and his itch for speed was still evident in a number of tests he had taken part in. But when he turned down the chance to replace the injured Felipe Massa late last season, Yours Truly thought that his Formula One career was well and truly over.
But as we may all know, life is full of coincidence. Firstly, he first made his name for Mercedes-Benz in the World Sportscar Championship in the early '90s. Secondly, his longtime mentor, Ross Brawn, is now the team principal of Mercedes-Benz. For Schumi, his reunion with Mercedes-Benz is simply a no-brainer in more ways than one.
Frankly, "Selfishness" was the first word came up on my mind when Yours Truly learned of Schumi's plan of coming back. While Schumi might have cost Heidfeld his best chance for victory, the most important thing in Formula One, like everything else in life, is timing. You cannot blame Schumi for coming back since he, though likely a little rusty, is still one of the best drivers in the world. All Heidfeld can do now, who has signed with Mercedes-Benz as its test driver, is to make sure he will do an excellent job so when there is an opening in a top team, he will be in a very good position to fight for it.
And Yours Truly knows that his day will come, eventually.
And being an underdog-lover, Yours Truly has always been a fan of Nick Heidfeld, the Formula One driver with the most points and podium finishes without a victory.
That being said, Yours Truly has no complaint whatsoever about Schumi's comeback with the Mercedes-Benz team, which might have cost Heidfeld his best chance of scoring a victory.
The Mercedes-Benz team, which was the all-conquering Brawn GP team last year, was in need of two drivers due to the departure of World Champion Jenson Button and veteran Rubens Barrichello. And when Heidfeld's BMW Sauber team announced its withdrawal at the end of last season, he seemed to be the logical choice. For many, the only question left was how long would he take to finally score his maiden victory.
Having "retired" from Formula One after the 2006 season, Schumi is still very much involved with Ferrari, and his itch for speed was still evident in a number of tests he had taken part in. But when he turned down the chance to replace the injured Felipe Massa late last season, Yours Truly thought that his Formula One career was well and truly over.
But as we may all know, life is full of coincidence. Firstly, he first made his name for Mercedes-Benz in the World Sportscar Championship in the early '90s. Secondly, his longtime mentor, Ross Brawn, is now the team principal of Mercedes-Benz. For Schumi, his reunion with Mercedes-Benz is simply a no-brainer in more ways than one.
Frankly, "Selfishness" was the first word came up on my mind when Yours Truly learned of Schumi's plan of coming back. While Schumi might have cost Heidfeld his best chance for victory, the most important thing in Formula One, like everything else in life, is timing. You cannot blame Schumi for coming back since he, though likely a little rusty, is still one of the best drivers in the world. All Heidfeld can do now, who has signed with Mercedes-Benz as its test driver, is to make sure he will do an excellent job so when there is an opening in a top team, he will be in a very good position to fight for it.
And Yours Truly knows that his day will come, eventually.
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