Schumacher forced to apologise

Can I be a fly on the wall inside the Ferrari motorhome please?

 

Don't mean to second guess your sources, but where did you get this piece of news from? The idea of every F1 driver taking part in a 'sit down', where votes were taken for finger pointing purposes (including Rubens') sounds a little "tabloidesque" to me.

Fact or fiction, this just seens rather silly to me. Did any such procedure take place after one of Montoya's many destruction-derby moments? Not that I can recall.

 

It does sound strange and I haven't heard about it anywhere else. OTOH the fact, that it hasn't happened before doesn't mean they could'nt introduce it. I remember Balestre in his infinite wisdom calling Senna to Paris to apologize and other nonsense.

If it is true, I really don't like the smell of it: The more punishment and embarrassment is heaped upon these drivers, the less likely we'll see a passing or blocking attempt.

Also if true, this would be somewhat embarrassing for Michael. I believe he is the head of the GPDA, whose main goal is to achieve and maintain safety standards. Kind of a black eye for him.

 

I have looked on F1.con, grandprix.com,speedtv.com and a few others and found nothing to back this up. I doubt the other drivers would do such a thing.

 

If this did occur the only place it could have happened was in the Drivers Meeting. Happens every race. But, I'm not sure which day it occurs. For some reason I thought it took place just before qualifying.

Although it does make sense to have it at the beginning of the race weekend.

Drivers meetings are used to update the drivers on the tracks current conditions, what to expect during the weekend, allow them to air any grievances in regards to safety concerns or other drivers.

This all goes back the late 60's and I believe it was Jacky Stuart who started it... could be wrong on a few of these points. Except the current drivers meetings. Those I know they have.

But, 19:1. Who was the 1?

 

Whatever happened to the days, where when drivers got taken out, they would have fist fights on the side of the road.

Like this one:

1993 Japanese GP:
Jordan rookie Eddie Irvine is sitting alone at a table watching re-runs of his accident with Ayrton Senna and Damon Hill. Suddenly in bursts Senna. By the look on his face, it's obvious he's not there to discuss the weather with Irvine or see if Irvine's okay. But he doesn't even recognise the Ulsterman so he calls out to him and...

Irvine: "Here!"

Senna: "What the **** do you think you were doing?"

Irvine: "I was racing!"

Senna: "You were racing? Do you know the rule that you're supposed to let the leaders come by when you're a back marker?"

Irvine: "If you were going fast enough, it was no problem."

Senna: "I overtook you! And you went three times off the road in front of me, at the same place, like ****ing idiot, where there was oil. And you were throwing stones and all things in front of me for three laps. When I took you, you realised I was ahead of you. And when I came up behind Hill, because he was on slicks and in difficulties, you should have stayed behind me. You took a very big risk to put me out of the race."

Irvine: "Where did I put you in any danger?

Senna: "You didn't put me in any danger?"

Irvine: "Did I touch you? Did I touch you once?"

Senna: "No, but you were that much from touching me, and I happened to be the ****ing leader. I HAPPENED TO BE THE ****ING LEADER!"

Irvine: "A miss is as good as a mile."

Senna: "I tell you something. If you don't behave properly in the next event, you can just rethink what you do. I can guarantee you that."

Irvine: "The stewards said 'No problem. Nothing was wrong.'"

Senna: "Yeah? You wait till Australia. You wait till Australia, when the stewards will talk to you. Then you tell me if they tell you this."

Irvine: "Hey, I'm out there to do the best for me."

Senna: "This is not correct. You want to do well. I understand, because I've been there I understand. But it's very unprofessional. If you are a back marker, because you happen to be lapped..."

Irvine: "But I would have followed you if you'd overtaken Hill!"

Senna: "You should let the leader go by..."

Irvine: "I understand that fully!"

Senna: "And not come by and do the things you did. You nearly hit Hill in front of me three times, because I saw, and I could of collected you and him as a result, and that's not the way to do that."

Irvine: "But I'm racing! I'm racing! You just happened to..."

Senna: "You're not racing! You're driving like a ****ing idiot. You're not a racing driver, you're a ****ing idiot!"

Irvine: "You talk, you talk. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Senna: "I was in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

Irvine: "Yes. I was battling with Hill."

Senna: "Really? Really? Just tell me one thing. Who is supposed to have the call? You, or the leader of the race who comes through to lap you?"

Irvine: "The leader of the race."

Senna: "So what have you done?"

Irvine: "You, you were too slow, and I had to overtake you to try to get at Hill."

Senna: "Really? How did I lap you if I was too slow?"

Irvine: "Rain. Because on slicks you were quicker than me, on wets you weren't."

Senna: "Really? Really? How did I come and overtake you on wets?"

Irvine: "Huh?"

Senna: "How come I overtook you on wets?"

Irvine: "I can't remember that. I don't actually remember the race."

Senna: "Exactly. Because you are not competent enough to remember. That's how it goes you know."

Irvine: "Fair enough. Fair enough. That's what you think."

Senna: "You be careful guy."

Irvine: "I will. I'll watch out for you."

Senna: "You're gonna have problems not with me only, but with lots of other guys, also the FIA."

Irvine: "Yeah?"

Senna: "You bet."

Irvine: "Yeah? Good."

Senna: "Yeah? It's good to know that."

Irvine: "See you out there."

Senna: "It's good to know that."

Irvine: "See you out there..."

[Senna turned away only to then turn back and flat-hand Irvine, who lost his balance and fell on the floor. Senna had to be hustled out.]

Irvine: "Insurance claim there!"

Senna: "You got to learn to respect where you're going wrong!"

 

The news is here http://f1.racing-live.com/en/index.html?http://f1.racing-live.com/en/headlines/news/detail/050318182245.shtml and here
http://www.theprancinghorse.co.uk/news/03_mar/2005/42.html

 

What smells fishy to me is the 19-1 result. If history has told us anything, it's that never do you get a room full of these guys to vote unanomously on anything. Not even his own teammate voted for him?! Where's Eddie Irvine when you need him? A shoo-in to vote against the consensus if, for no other reason, than to cross the grain a bit.

 

I call BS on this one.....

 

The source is the AFP. Who is that?, The Australian Free Press or what?

 

I also read it on F1 Live. If Rubens didn't side with him, bring in Fisichella next year as a partner! HAHA! But seriously, if your teamate doesn't back you, he's on his own on the track from now on. Now's the time for Schumi to tell all the drivers who called for this apology where to go, the best way he can, by winning everything in site. I haven't heard of others having to apologise, this is B.S. A man does a great job and the only way to beat him is by BS like this or constantly changing the rule to try and handicap him.

 

I just got off the phone with Mike. He said the story is true, and that it was a 19-1 vote against. He did state that he voted against himself, and it was Heidfeld that voted for him.

I hope this clears things up.

 

Schumacher did not need to apologize for anything!

Next you know they will be asking Michael to apologize for being World Champion and not letting other drivers to win.

First everyone complains that the races are boring and that Michael does not figt for points. Then when he fights, and gets into a racing incedent with another racer then its this big drama.

 

It's good to be the king!

 

This was obviously an early apex blocking move. He F'd himself and Heidfeld. He should step up and apologize without outside intervention. Simple.

 

what a bunce of crap. Cars driving at those speeds and so close together are bound to touch sometimes.. Its part of racing. Also Rubins should have stuck by his team mate.

 

I care not about the tv replays. I was sitting on the outside of turn 3. My hero is still my hero. Pass me on the outside of a very tight turn and you better hope I take the turn perfectly. If not, we both go out.

Only drive 12 cylinders

 

This just in.......From the FIA...... From now on, all the drivers will sit and evaluate every single racing incident and vote on who is at fault......And this will take the place of the 1st of the two Qualifying sessions as we return to a single Qualifying session format, which will take place after the race instead of before the actual race. Also, the drivers at fault will have to buy everyone dinner at the local McDonald's. Not just regular combo meals, but the "Happy Meals with toys". For repeat offenders of more than three times, the driver will have to drive a Minardi for the following race.

Next, FIA have decided on the new rule for 2006 season. All drivers will have to wear their underwears for at least 2 races. This one pair of underwear for 2 races is expected to save the team $30.99 USD per season. And to prevent teams from finding the loophole in this new rule, FIA will announce at Silverstone as far as what type of underwears are allowed, it is to our understanding that G-strings are disallowed as they are way too gay and can be extremely uncomfortable at speed up to 180mph.

This concludes the weekeed update............

 

This was discussed in another thread along with a quote from MS that he didn't even know Nick was there.

I watched the replay several times. It was not a racing incident and it was not a legal blocking move and MS knew what he was trying to do.

MS changed his racing line (possibly under braking) AFTER Nick was in the process of making a pass.

Michael's manuever doesn't even come close to fitting into the "gray" area of racing incidents. It was a stupid, desperate move that was very unsafe.

Anyone who races, from the simply club level up to F1 would have the same response........he changed his line way too late, didn't give racing room and created a highly unsafe situation.

In regards to the drivers having all these sit downs and waiting for apologies....well that is utter &^%$sh*t too. It's up to the FIA to dish out penalties not the drivers.

The incident that occured is between Nick and MS and did not involve any other drivers.

Regards,

Jon P. Kofod
www.flatoutracing.net

 

I do not have the same response. Michael was simply putting Nick under some pressure. This is not track day where genttlemen take their 360 CS to the track and wave a faster car by. You have a valid point about changing his line too late, but there are no fixed guidelines as to when its too late or when it is alright.

Had this been a collison between Tiago Monteiro and Christijan Albers no one would have cared and it would have been deemed a race incedent. The drivers, media and pretend band wagon Ferrari fans all need a reason to complain about Michael.

So have your fun. Complain about Michales driving. Keep in mind the number of world championships he has won while complaining.

I agree

 

Imperial,

I can differentiate between "gentleman trackdays" and racing. I don't think anyone has ever accused me of driving any of my race cars (Ferrari or non-Ferrari) in a "gentlemanly manner".

There are fixed guidelines when one driver has already commited to a certain line (whether it be a passing move or a blocking move). Heidfeld had already pulled out to make a pass on the inside and had initiated the move. The big difference here is that he had NOT simply pulled out of his line to either ATTEMPT and pass, or to simply fake such a move. He had already started to dive inside of MS.

Once Nick had already begun to dive inside MS is required by the rules to leave enough racing room, eventhough it is Nick's repsonsibility to make the pass cleanly. Nick locked up his brakes, but then had to go into the grass because no racing room was given. As soon as he was forced into the grass with wheels locked up it was inevitable he would loose control.

A different scenario might have taken place had Nick been given racing room and then still hit MS with wheels locked up. That might have been deemed a racing incident or even Nick's fault but that is not what happened. No room was given.

The two rules MS broke were the rule that you cannot change your line once another drivers has already commited to that same line

AND

Not giving the required racing room once that other driver has commited.

The first rule can be argued that Nick wasn't fully commited, but almost everyone who watched it including all the other F1 drivers deemed Nick to be fully commited and already having one front wheel inside MS's car.

The second rule simply can't be argued. MS didn't give him room and forced him into the grass.

Lastly, I am a Ferrari fan and MS fan to the bone and am not criticizing him simply because I don't like him. I am also a huge Senna fan and can find plenty about him to criticize.

MS is the greatest driver of all time (there I said it and I am a Senna fan) but he is human and makes mistakes. Every world champion has strenghts and weeknesses some more than others. Senna's weaknesses were his loss of concentration when being asked to save the car, his weakness to admit someone else was faster and not take that car out .............

MS got his world titles by minimizing his weaknesses which are very few, but he does have a weakness in making good decisions when in traffic. It's happened specifically when he has started from somewhere from the middle of the field or when he is racing for POSITION with mid packers. We've seen it the past 4 years. He makes very questionable decisions.

Remember the fiasco last year with one of the Jags, his collision the year before with one of the Toyota's at the last title clinching race, his dry run in 03 when he crashed out of a few races when starting mid pack.

Remember, he may be the best driver of all time, but he's human and makes mistakes.

My criticism of his weakness does not make me a "bandwagon" Ferrari fan nor diminish my respect for the greatest driver of all time.

Regards,

Jon

 

I sincerely apologize, but I think you may have misunderstood me. I did not want to accuse you of not knowing the difference between a track day and racing.

My sole problem is with the fact that everyone wants to criticize Michael if he makes the smallest of errors. As I said before, had this been a collison between Tiago Monteiro and Christijan Albers no one would have made such a big deal of things.

We don't need a mafia style sit down fo 20 drivers to force a racer into apologizing and we certainly don;t need the media to be so overwhelmingly critical of a slight error in judgement.

Although, here is what the difference is... I think Michael had an error in judgement. He made a mistake. BUT he was certainly not at fault. It was a racing incedent. All drivers make mistakes. He did not purposely try to take out Nick out of the race. He should only be punished or fined if he purposely collided with Nick with the sole intent of taking him out.

It was just a mere racing incedent because it was an error on Michael's part. A fine and apology should only be mandated if Michael had rammed his car into Nick with the sole intent of taking Nick out. All Michael was doing was adding some pressure.