One lap to go for a controversial great
The word ‘great’ is an often overused term in sport. These days it seems that anyone with half an ounce of skill or promise is given this label.
However within a few years their names are often forgotten, when compared to those who have gone before. Only a few names such as Pele or Donald Bradman have the label stuck to them long enough to tell your grandchildren about. These are the sort of sportsmen who leave your jaw open, whose achievements are a source of inspiration for youngsters hoping to follow in their wake.
On 22 October in Sao Paulo, the career of one person who will surely join this pantheon of sporting legends will come to an end. Michael Schumacher, who has won far more titles and races than anyone else, has finally decided to call it a day. Schumacher will not be remembered with the almost religious devotion of the late Ayrton Senna or the madcap hero that was Gilles Villeneuve. His ruthless domination of the last decade of Formula 1 has made him respected but not necessarily admired. His perceived arrogance and numerous scraps with other drivers has meant that he will not be remembered with affection. His old rival Damon Hill recently argued that Schumacher’s domination has been detrimental to the sport, his inevitable wins not always making for spectacular viewing. Rather, Schumacher is a figure who will be remembered as legendary but dogged throughout by controversy and alleged foul play.
Controversy tainted his first title-winning year in 1994 where he was banned for two races owing to his car having an illegal advantage over the rest of the field. It dogged him again when he collided at the title showdown race with rival Damon Hill, a move which many still feel was a deliberate attempt to take Hill out of race. It led him to become the only driver in the history of Formula 1 to be stripped of his World Championship place after deliberately crashing into Jacques Villeneuve in the 1997 title decider.
Yet, in the passage of time, these incidents, although not making Schumacher a well-loved driver, will not necessarily taint his image of being a great one. This is because Schumacher has shown time and time again, including this year, the mark of a truly great sportsman.
Despite the fact that he holds every single record in the book, and has the best car, often seen as the only pre-requisite to driver success in Formula 1, it must not be forgotten that Ferrari, the most legendary name in the sport, was in decline in the early ’90’s, and would probably still have been in the doldrums had Schumacher not accepted the challenge back in 1996. The likes of Williams, McLaren and Renault would probably still have been world champions whatever driver they had in their car. Without Schumacher, Ferrari would not.
So for that last Grand Prix in Brazil, watch this legend for one last time. Who knows, he may even show the young pretender to his throne, Fernando Alonso, who really is boss in this title decider. And one thing is certain, greats like him only come along once in a generation. And Schumacher, for all his controversy, ruthlessness and arrogance, is one of them.
