The engines are making the noise already
and the Japanese have woken up to it and so are the fans who follow Formula One
religiously. Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka has given me some fond memories in
my lifetime – a circuit where I have had my Formula One’s best moment (Michael
Schumacher winning his first driver’s championship for Ferrari in 2000) and the
worst moment (Schumacher retiring with engine failure in 2006). My first
Japanese GP was in the season of 2000 and prior to that I had just known the
results of the race following Sportstar
or the snippets that came on Star Sports.
It has to be said the season of 2000 was
the first time I religiously started watching, following, and analysing this
sport. I also spent quite a lot of money (I didn’t have internet at home that
time) to browse on more information regarding the F1 drivers and more so about
Michael Schumacher.
2000 season started off well for Schumey as
he won the first three races of the calendar. Things settled in the leader
board when the McLaren duo of Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard reduced the
deficit and with four races to go, Hakkinen had a lead of six points over
Schumacher. Who could have forgotten the daring pass (one of the best in F1)
Hakkinen made on Schumacher in the Belgium Grand Prix; that pass made a lot of
statements –a) Hakkinen overtook Schumacher to lead the World Championships b)
Was that the end of Ferrari and Schumacher as McLaren looked unbeatable?
Two weeks later after the disappointment of
Belgium GP, I was hoping Ferrari and Schumey would turn it around. Pole
position and a victory at Monza (Italian GP) gave me a certain sense of joy; I
vividly remember that Sunday when a safety marshal died on the track,
Schumacher was in tears for he had just overtaken Aryton Senna for total GP
victories and the two incidents could not have been very different. To put it
short, it was an emotional victory which made everyone remember the late great
Aryton Senna as he was the last to die on an F1 track (prior to Italian GP)
during the race.
Next up was the US GP at Indianapolis and
Michael was sharp enough to win that race and with it the championship titled
his way as Hakkinen retired in that race. With two races to go, teams moved to
Suzuka. Ferrari had never won the driver’s championship since 1979 (Jody
Scheckter) and 21 years hence they had a chance in Michael to make history. After
coming agonisingly close in 1997 and 1998, Schumacher had a chance to win in
2000 unless fate has to write it otherwise.
Hakkinen was looking for his third straight
World Championships and if qualifying was any indicator, it showed both the
title contenders weren’t that keen to start second in the grid for the race. In
the end, Schumacher nudged past Hakkinen by a margin of 0.009s. Yes, it was
that small a margin that separated these champions. I remember that Saturday
because of another match – India vs. Australia (2000 Champions Trophy, Nairobi)
in which Yuvraj Singh smashed Australia and took a wonderful catch while
fielding. It was also on that day when we had just bought a new TV; till date I
have never forgotten that day. Next day was to be even better.
As a sixteen year old I was very nervous
before the race – funnily this pattern was there till the end of 2006 F1 season.
Those heartbeats just before the five red lights went, the crossed fingers,
occupying my favourite superstitious spot (after a lot of trails) and what not,
just to ensure Michael won.
The race started and it a poor start by
Michael gave Mika Hakkinen the lead right away and for the next 22 laps Michael
spent behind Mika’s McLaren. Hakkinen pitted on the lap 22 and Schumacher on
lap 23. Both started their fight all over again at the end of first round of
pit stops. A combination of traffic and changing weather gave Michael a chance
to claw back within seconds of Mika Hakkinen, but couldn’t get close enough and
get past him. And when Mika pitted for the second and last time on lap 37, it
was the moment Schumacher was waiting for. Unlike the first time, he didn’t pit
immediately on the next lap; he went on for three more laps. Three laps for the
glory by risking the traffic ahead of him, but then destinies are not made by
itself, somewhere it has to be created. Ferrari took the risk and Michael
responded with three scorching laps before coming to pit. I was never that
nervous in my life as I was anxiously waiting to know the fate of the race at
the end of his pit-stop.
Schumacher’s Ferrari came to a halt, the
lollipop man seriously holding the lollipop was waiting for the signal to
release him; in the meantime four tyres were changed and fuel was added to the
tank and then the most crucial moment of the race came - Lollipop man signalled
Michael to go and the timing at the right hand side of the graphics stopped at
6.0s. I was delighted and couldn’t contain my emotions. The car was still
ambling at the pit-lane speed and the next moment a split video screen shows
Mika Hakkinen stuck behind the traffic and yet to cross the finish line. What
was happening? It meant Schumacher and the pit crew have just turned it around.
Yes they did it. It was Schumacher in P1.
Later on after the race I remember reading
a race report in which a conversation was highlighted; it was between Michael
and Ross Brawn (Yes, he has been there with Michael since god knows when). In
his response to a curious Schumacher as he was coming to the pit lane exit,
Ross Brawn said - "It's looking good, it's looking good". Then he
said: "It's looking bloody good." – Those words were definitely the
most amazing moment of Michael’s racing career. Looking back to that day, I
still get goose bumps and it was and is one of my amazing moments in Formula
One. The job was yet to be finished, but Schumey wouldn’t let go of this
opportunity and at the end of 53 laps, one could see him banging the steering wheel,
shouting with joy on the radio and for Ferrari history was made. For Michael,
the move from a strong Benetton team to a meagre Ferrari in 1996 paid off.
Racing in Formula One is all about winning and the 2000 win was much more than
that to me, Schumacher and all the Ferrari fans worldwide. With third
championship under his belt, Michael and Ferrari went from strength to
strength. After winning in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 they looked good for more.
Then it was the hurricane of 2005 season
which whipped the entire dream of Ferrari. With rule changes, McLaren and
Renault looked more powerful. It was just not the rules; even the Bridgestone tyres
had given up on Ferrari as the Michelin rubber cars powered to victory at the
all the races they took part. The sole Michael’s victory was courtesy the
ill-fated three Bridgestone team race at the Indianapolis circuit. Season of
2005 was a fall for Ferrari straight from the top of Mount Everest to the
ground and to further depths. It wasn’t easy watching them struggle this way.
For the 2006 season, all I wanted was
vengeance. Rubens Barrichello was not in Ferrari, he was replaced by a fellow
Brazilian in Felipe Massa. Fernando Alonso and Renault looked strong early on,
but Ferrari wasn’t that behind. Though not dominating, it was way better than
2005 car. The first punch was from Michael was the skillful blocking of Alonso
at the San Marino Grand Prix for a good 20 laps or so. It was a case of role
reversal as the previous season in the same circuit; Michael was blocked by
Alonso when the former looked much stronger.
By the time the season moved to Europe, I
was done with my Engineering and had a good two month break before it was time
to put on those formals and start working. To my friends who know me, I have been
very vocal about Michael’s races being one of my inspirations in my life. Just
when the season looked heavily in the favour of Alonso, Schumey bounced back in
such a fashion that he reduced 30 something point deficit to nil with two races
to go. At this time, I felt irrespective of what happened I would be proud of
the way Schumey has raced in 2006. In hindsight, I feel I should have retained
my hunger and zeal of 2000. It had reduced a touch low.
Two races prior to the 2006 finale while
Michael was still chasing Alonso, he had made an announcement to retire at the
end of 2006 season. He made this announcement at Ferrari’s home circuit, Monza
– a sort of mixed emotions. In the next race on the wet Chinese circuit, he
drove a race that involved few of the best overtaking manoeuvres; he was in
prime form, well at ease while others struggled to stay on track. That victory
at the Shanghai International circuit was his 91st victory in
Formula One, forty more than the second placed Alain Prost. Life was different,
new place at work, unlike college, new people and I was contemplating it would
be a different thing watching Formula One without Schumey from 2007 season. But
with points being equal and two races to go, I hoped for a good farewell for
Schumacher.
One of the most regretful decisions of my
life was the choice I made to be in a workshop on that Sunday when at the same
time cars were racing in full throttle at Suzuka. I didn’t want to check
updates in between, but by accident, Michael’s retirement in the race was
brought up by someone in the crowd. He was quick to announce this and I just
couldn’t believe what had just happened. I cursed myself for having done this
and for abandoning the race for a workshop. What was I thinking?
Alonso won that race in Suzuka and had
taken a 10 point lead in the driver’s championships. It was an engine failure
that led to Michael’s retirement, Engine failure? The last time Schumacher had
retired owing to an engine failure was way back in 2000 and I remember that race
held at Magney Cours (French Grand Prix). After six years, the car gave up on
him. Maybe that is how it had to end and as Schumacher said it aptly – “You win
as a team and lose as a team”. Next day, I watched the re-telecast of the race;
I came to terms as to what had happened a day prior. I was sad, but maybe I had
grown up in age to take it better. I couldn’t have imagined how it would have
been if something similar had happened in 2000? But it might have to all those
McLaren and Mika Hakkinen fans that day in 2000. That’s how I had grown in life
that I sort to philosophical and certain pragmatic explanations to come to
terms to what had just happened.
Last race was in Brazil; unless Michael was
destined to win, there was no way Alonso could have lost the title, his second
in a row. Nothing of that happened Michael suffered a puncture; at one time he
was well behind in the race only to come back strongly. His overtaking at the
first corner to take up a spot towards the end of the race was something of a
delight. Kimi Raikkonen who was to take his seat just couldn’t block him out.
That was sheer racing. Alonso won the championships, became the youngest driver
to win double world championships (Vettel currently holds that record now) beating
Michael’s record.
And for Michael, he bid
goodbye with his head held high. He had seven World Championships, 91
victories, 68 pole positions and a lot more when he last drove for Ferrari. A
legend had just moved on. The quest for the new champion was on. Only Sebastian
Vettel has come close to the level of Michael Schumacher till date since 2006.
Three years later, Michael made a surprise
return and this time it was not for Ferrari. It was for Mercedes, a team he raced
for as a child offered him and he was once again seen partnering with Ross
Brawn to re-create some of the magic they had in the past seven victories of
his. While I am an ardent fan of
Ferrari, I secretly hoped Michael to pull off a victory now and then in the
last three years, but it never happened. In the three seasons of him being at
Mercedes, it was a learning curve for the team. Now, prior to the Japanese
Grand Prix he announced his retirement and this time I feel it should be for
good. Lewis Hamilton will take his seat, but I doubt whether he will take his
place in the annals of F1 history.
I never saw Michael live in a race and when
I did catch up an F1 event live, he wasn’t there (2008). Now when he will be
racing his last few races, all I did as soon as I heard about his retirement was
to book a ticket for the Indian Grand Prix. I always had a dream to watch him
race; due to unavoidable circumstances, I was not able to attend any of the
previous GPs. Not this time. I was contemplating to attend this year’s Indian
Grand Prix, but his retirement was the trigger and I just didn’t want to wait
any further.
Japanese Grand Prix is on this Sunday, and
it was suffice that I recalled one of the most memorable moments I experienced as
a F1 fan. Among the 91 victories, the victory of Schumacher at Suzuka on 8th
Oct 2000 remains the sweetest one. To Michael Schumacher, second greatest
driver of all-time (impact wise behind Ayrton Senna) and by far the most complete driver F1
has ever seen – it has been a pleasure watching you drive, following your race
career and for being an inspiration at a crucial phase of my life.
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