Auf Wiedersehen, Schumacher

"I have decided that I am going to retire from racing. It has been an exceptional time."

Indeed it has. Michael Schumacher leaves the Formula One with (to date) 90 victories, 68 pole positions, 153 podiums and 75 fastest race laps in 247 starts.* The records are unlikely to be bested. Ever. The man is to motorsports what the Yankees are to baseball: a juggernaut, loved by fans and despised by detractors. The latter, I believe, speaks to how great a driver he really is. Michael Andretti once said, when told that many fellow drivers dislike him, "Good. Everybody loves you when you lose." So it is only natural that the winningest driver in F1 history is also the most vehemently disliked.

I for one have mixed feelings about Schumacher. Having watched every race he's started - from his stunning debut in a Jordan at Spa in 1990 as a last minute replacement for jailbird Bertrand Gachot, through his 7 world titles, to his victory yesterday at Monza - I've got to say there is no question that his record and sheer domination of the sport speaks for itself - for good and for bad. He is unquestionably a flawed man, unrepentant for his sins, and therefore easy to dislike. Still, his brilliance as a pilot arguably overshadows his failings as a human being. Even if one discounts his 1994 title (which can be argued rightfully belongs to Damon Hill), that still leaves six others which were won fair and square. And did I mention the records?

When I first heard he was leaving Benneton for Ferrari, I thought he was insane. The Scuderia, prior to 1996, was if not a second-tier team, certainly at the bottom of the first tier. Instead, I witnessed three seasons (1996-1998) in which he was a title contender, one season (1999) in which he likely would have taken the fight to the end had he not suffered a broken leg in the Silverstone crash, then five straight seasons (2000 to 2004) of total domination. Good drivers do not accomplish this in a career; great drivers do.

The inevitable question is: Can Schumacher's records alone make him one of the greats? Yeah, I think it does; you can't argue with statistics. Those who deny his greatness can only cite his behavior, because his results are unquestionable. I liken Shu's most vocal detractors to Red Sox fans who chant "Jeter Sucks!" at every New York/Boston game. Nevertheless, I can't help but lament that no single race stands out in my mind as a great racing moment for Schumacher. There are many memorable races which have immortalized other drivers in my fading memory: Mansell & Piquet at Silverstone 1987, Senna at Suzuka 1988 and at Donnington 1993, Villeneuve and Arnoux at Dijon 1979, Mansell & Senna at Monaco 1991, to name a few. But the Schumacher races which make my mental highlight reel are the ones which were controversial, if not downright scandalous: Adelaide 1994 (deliberately taking out Hill to clinch the driver's title); Jerez 1997 (an unsuccessful attempt to repeat Adelaide 1994, this time driving into Villeneuve); Silverstone 1998 (ignoring a penalty stop until the final lap); Austria 2002 (Barichello's un-subtle execution of team orders on the final turn to allow Schu the victory); Indy 2002 (giving Barichello the victory on final lap); Monaco 2006 (parking his car in the middle of the track after gaining pole position). As I said, the man is flawed. All great athletes have a few isolated incidents which diminish their overall legacy; Senna had his share, to be sure. But Schumacher... the guy has a friggin' rap sheet!

Despite all this, I believe history will look back at the Schumacher years, if not kindly then at least favorably. His is not a career comprised of individual moments, but one that must be judged in total. No other driver in F1 history has been so good for so long, and that, perhaps, is his legacy. He endured. No faded laurels, no embarrassing "has-been" phase to his career. A man of greater ego might have hung around long after his talent had withered just to net a few more victories to pad his total. Shu's decision to retire while still at the top of his game, and so close to the magic 100 win mark, tips the scale in favor of greatness.

I wish him well.

* Update: At season's end the totals are 91 wins, 68 pole positions, 154 podium finishes, and 76 fastest race laps in 250 starts.

Labels: Motor Sports

posted by Paul @ 1:58 PM