As Michael Schumacher prepares to don his overalls for the final time in Brazil this weekend, two of Formula 1’s all-time greats have weighed into the debate about his place in the sport’s pantheon.
Niki Lauda and Sir Jackie Stewart, both three-time world champions, put the case for and against the German as the greatest F1 driver of all time in Wednesday’s Guardian newspaper.
Lauda argued that, while it is always difficult to compare drivers from different eras, Schumacher’s towering statistical dominance had earned him that accolade.
“The one thing that survives throughout history is the hard statistics,” he wrote.
“And with Schumacher coming to the end of his career with seven – possibly even eight – world championships and more than 90 grand prix wins, you have to say the statistics argue strongly in his favour.
“At least two more world titles than his nearest rival, Juan Manuel Fangio.
“Almost as many victories as Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna combined.
“More pole positions even than Senna’s incredible record.
“So if achievement is the yardstick, Schumacher must be the greatest ever.”
And although long-standing records held by the likes of Fangio and Stewart eventually fell to their successors, Lauda believes “Michael has pushed the records to such a level that many really can’t imagine them being equalled”.
Stewart acknowledged Schumacher’s “remarkable record” but declined to rate him the best driver ever due to his propensity for minor driving errors.
“There are lapses in his performances which make you wonder about him,” wrote the Scot.
“He goes off the road during the course of most grand prix weekends – small off-track excursions as he probes the limit in either practice or qualifying.
“While you could say that he knows the corners on which he can stretch the elastic, so to speak, I just worry that this reflects a slight flaw in his all-round capability as a racing driver.”
Warming to a theme he has expounded several times before, JYS said the kind of harmless spins Schumacher indulges in as a matter of routine would have been punished by impacts with solid trackside objects in an earlier era.
“From a personal standpoint, it reminds me just how much things have changed since I was racing,” he said.
“Michael is of a generation of drivers who have benefited from very strong cars and inherently safer circuits than I experienced during my career.
“I’m not saying it has made today’s drivers more reckless, but I do worry that their secure environment sometimes makes them less cautious – and that includes Michael.
“I can count on one hand the number of times I left the circuit during my career,” he added.
“It’s obvious that in those days you could not afford to hit telegraph poles or trees.
“So I am of the view that the higher safety thresholds have made drivers, including Michael, more complacent than they were in my time, even though you have to acknowledge that he has been active on safety issues as a member of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association.”
Both Lauda and Stewart were full of admiration for the way in which Schumacher galvanised Ferrari’s revival after the Italian team had spent much of the previous two decades in the wilderness.
“Michael has done a remarkable job, swinging the team so completely behind him and motivating them to a quite remarkable degree,” Lauda wrote.
Stewart echoed the Austrian’s comments.
“Of course, where Michael has been outstanding is the manner in which he has surrounded himself with excellent people,” he wrote.
“In that respect he did a remarkable job in creating the environment where Ferrari could win their first world championship for 21 years in 2000.
“And it was Michael who created that environment, believe me, not Jean Todt or Luca di Montezemolo.
“Michael’s presence was the catalyst which attracted the likes of Rory Byrne (chief designer), Ross Brawn (technical director) and Nigel Stepney (race team manager) to leave their previous jobs and follow him to Ferrari.
“All the really great drivers have demonstrated this motivational quality and Michael is no exception.
“His dynamic presence excited his colleagues and motivated all those who worked with him to raise their own game.”
Where is Safin now
??
Former champs debate Schu's place in history
