SCHUMACHER

Current Formula One related news, information and discussion.
User avatar
PTRACER
Forum Administrator
Forum Administrator
Posts: 42138
Joined: 20 years ago
Real Name: Paul
Favourite Motorsport: Formula 1
Favourite Racing Car: Lotus 49
Favourite Driver: Gilles Villeneuve, James Hunt
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife
Car(s) Currently Owned: Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X JDM
Contact:

#31

Post by PTRACER »

Bottom post of the previous page:

White six wrote: 2 years ago
PTRACER wrote: 2 years ago The documentary has been released. Some spoilers about Michael's current condition:

He is alive but completely unable to communicate.

His son cannot tell him about his racing career. His family can only work on making him as comfortable as possible and protect his privacy in the way that he would have wanted.
So basically worse than I guess most had thought. I'd imagined he'd be able to communicate in some limited form
Me too. Obviously they don't say exactly what his medical condition is, but it seems like he is physically there and little more than that. So much about him seems to be in the past tense. "He was", "he liked". Not the sort of thing you say about a living person.
"Of course I miss Michael every day," says Corinna. "But it's not just me who misses him. The children, the family, his father, everyone around him. I mean, everybody misses Michael"

And of the possibility to be able to talk his motorsport experiences with his dad, Mick says simply: "I would give up everything for that."
Developer of the 1967v3 Historic Mod for Grand Prix Legends: viewtopic.php?t=17429

King of the Race Track, Destroyer of Tyres, Breaker of Lap Records
User avatar
Everso Biggyballies
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 48989
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Chris
Favourite Motorsport: Anything that goes left and right.
Favourite Racing Car: Too Many to mention
Favourite Driver: Kimi,Niki,Jim(none called Michael)
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife, Spa, Mt Panorama.
Car(s) Currently Owned: Audi SQ5 3.0L V6 TwinTurbo
Location: Just moved 3 klms further away so now 11 klms from Albert Park, Melbourne.

#32

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

I must admit my comments relating to it being sad for Mick to not be able to discuss his racing exploits with his Dad were made before I saw his specific comments about that aspect. Truly very sad and I feel for Mick and what it must mean to him on a personal note..
I remember vividly before my Father passed away in advance stages of dementia, not even knowing who my Mother, his wife and soulmate of 65 years, was, let alone remembering any of their memories.

* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
White six
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
Posts: 1955
Joined: 3 years ago

#33

Post by White six »

'Nelson Piquet commented on some drivers who made history in Formula 1. When analyzing Michael Schumacher's trajectory in the motorsport championship, the three-time world champion said that the German had some wrong attitudes in certain races, which put the lives of other professionals at risk . "Schumacher was doing a lot of things wrong. Senna too. I would never risk the life of a competitor. Throwing the car on top of the other, having an accident. At that speed anything can happen"

Still straight talking :) Slightly unfortunate timing given what happened to his de facto son in law on Sunday lol. (interview was just before the weekend)
The board equivalent of the Jody scheckter chicane. Fast but pointless
User avatar
Everso Biggyballies
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 48989
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Chris
Favourite Motorsport: Anything that goes left and right.
Favourite Racing Car: Too Many to mention
Favourite Driver: Kimi,Niki,Jim(none called Michael)
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife, Spa, Mt Panorama.
Car(s) Currently Owned: Audi SQ5 3.0L V6 TwinTurbo
Location: Just moved 3 klms further away so now 11 klms from Albert Park, Melbourne.

#34

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

White six wrote: 2 years ago ' Slightly unfortunate timing given what happened to his de facto son in law on Sunday lol.
Not sure what you mean... I even looked at the family motorsport website and got no clues

* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
White six
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
Posts: 1955
Joined: 3 years ago

#35

Post by White six »

Everso Biggyballies wrote: 2 years ago
White six wrote: 2 years ago ' Slightly unfortunate timing given what happened to his de facto son in law on Sunday lol.
Not sure what you mean... I even looked at the family motorsport website and got no clues
Max and Kelly Piquet are an item. Nelson is Max's biggest fan at the moment
The board equivalent of the Jody scheckter chicane. Fast but pointless
User avatar
Everso Biggyballies
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 48989
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Chris
Favourite Motorsport: Anything that goes left and right.
Favourite Racing Car: Too Many to mention
Favourite Driver: Kimi,Niki,Jim(none called Michael)
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife, Spa, Mt Panorama.
Car(s) Currently Owned: Audi SQ5 3.0L V6 TwinTurbo
Location: Just moved 3 klms further away so now 11 klms from Albert Park, Melbourne.

#36

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

OK I get it now.....

* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
User avatar
Everso Biggyballies
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 48989
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Chris
Favourite Motorsport: Anything that goes left and right.
Favourite Racing Car: Too Many to mention
Favourite Driver: Kimi,Niki,Jim(none called Michael)
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife, Spa, Mt Panorama.
Car(s) Currently Owned: Audi SQ5 3.0L V6 TwinTurbo
Location: Just moved 3 klms further away so now 11 klms from Albert Park, Melbourne.

#37

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Autosport review of the movie
Warning: This review contains spoilers
When Sebastian Vettel said recently he was looking forward to the new Michael Schumacher Netflix documentary telling him things he didn't know, it was easy to think he could be disappointed.

After all, in a world where almost everything the seven-time world champion did was under the spotlight of television cameras and media, you would imagine there is not much new to learn from his life and career.

But over the near two hours of the movie, which was pulled together with the blessing of the Schumacher family, it is almost impossible not to come away from it with a feeling of changed perceptions about one of Formula 1's greatest icons.

Love him or loathe him for what he appeared to be on track, the Schumacher movie peels back a lot more of the personality and man underneath the crash helmet, offering a rare insight into what he was like when he was away from the pitlane and paddock.

In fact, the film exposes the two true sides of Schumacher's life.

On the one side is the story of the global sporting superstar who changed the course of F1 history as he was central to the resurrection of Ferrari as a force in modern grand prix racing.

Then, on the other side, is the Schumacher family man who gave his all for wife Corinna, and children Mick and Gina-Maria. And in the end, as his final F1 career chapter played out with Mercedes, it was ultimately their draw which pulled him away from his first passion.

As manager Sabine Kehm recalls Schumacher saying of being away from home in his final Mercedes spell: "What am I doing here? I miss my family. Why am I so far away? I've realised it isn't as important as it used to be. My family is more important now."

F1 insights

For hardcore F1 fans, there is plenty within the documentary to grab attention. Primarily, there's a decent splash of racing action from the key moments of his career with Netflix having had access to FOM's archive library.

But the film doesn't rely on the race feed for the sake of it. Instead, there is often a preference for the behind-the-scenes footage that exposes in a much more raw fashion what Schumacher was like and what he was dealing with at the time.

It includes Ayrton Senna's confrontation with Schumacher on the grid at the 1992 French Grand Prix, after he had been taken out by the young German on the opening lap.

And there are also the moments before the podium at Imola in 1994, when Schumacher is addressed by his Benetton boss Flavio Briatore and informed that Senna's condition did not look good as he was in a coma.

It is in television interviews after the events of Imola that we get to see the raw impact the events that day had on Schumacher. And they are a world away from the steely, sometimes distant character, that was often portrayed on grand prix weekends.

Through the personal insights of drivers like Eddie Irvine, David Coulthard and Mark Webber, and journalists Richard Williams and James Allen, allied to Schumacher family members, the door is opened to what Schumacher was really like.

You see the ultra-competitiveness that drove him throughout his F1 career from the off. A young Schumacher explains that he chose to race for Luxembourg rather than Germany in the World Junior Karting Championships that year because qualifying was cheaper, and if he lost, it wouldn't risk his chance of going to the world championships.

There is also repeated pointers to the innate self-belief that he never did wrong, which was a trait that surrounded some of his more controversial moments.

Ross Brawn reveals how it was only watching a video replay of the collision with Jacques Villeneuve at the 1997 European Grand Prix that it dawned on Schumacher he was at fault.

And Coulthard recalls, during a clear the air session in Bernie Ecclestone's bus after their collision at the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix, about how Schumacher refused to accept he had done anything wrong when he ran into the back of the McLaren.

Asked by Coulthard if he ever made a mistake, Schumacher replied: "Not that I remember."

The family man

Much of the film explores how he was uncomfortable with the attention that came with being an F1 superstar. FIA president Jean Todt, who became a close friend after the years they worked together at Ferrari, explains how Schumacher struggled with the fame.

"Don't make a star out of me," Schumacher was said to have asked as he begun his F1 career.

He was someone much happier being with the family, and that counts for both Corinna and the kids, plus that magical spell at Ferrari.

It is the words of Corinna and Mick that are perhaps the most moving of all though, as they explain how life is so different in the wake of the ski accident that left Schumacher with serious head injuries that he is still recovering from.

"Of course I miss Michael every day," says Corinna. "But it's not just me who misses him. The children, the family, his father, everyone around him. I mean, everybody misses Michael, but Michael is here. Different, but he's here, and that gives us strength.

"We're together. We live together at home. We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he's comfortable. And to make him feel our family, our bond. And no matter, I will do everything I can. We all will."

For Mick, who has been very circumspect in public about his father, the rawness of the situation comes over in the closing moments of the film – as he reflects on the many happy times he had as a child with his dad.

"Since the accident, of course these experiences, these moments, that I believe many people have with their parents, are no longer present, or to a lesser extent," he explains. "And in my view, that is a little unfair."

And of the possibility to be able to talk about his motorsport experiences with his dad, Mick says simply: "I would give up everything for that."
SCHUMACHER is available on Netflix from 15 September

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/revie ... e/6667958/

* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
White six
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
Posts: 1955
Joined: 3 years ago

#38

Post by White six »

Everso Biggyballies wrote: 2 years ago OK I get it now.....
When they've split he'll add max to his dangerous drivers list :wink:
The board equivalent of the Jody scheckter chicane. Fast but pointless
User avatar
Cheeveer
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 12549
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Jacob
Favourite Racing Car: Panoz GTR1
Favourite Driver: Alex Zanardi
Favourite Circuit: Bathurst
Location: 24 hours from Le Mans

#39

Post by Cheeveer »

Not to factor in Michael's current condition, my verdict on the film is:
Boring. Of course, I can remember most of Schumacher's career and my impressions of him are still the same that I had when he was active. This film did nothing to change my view of him that I had in 2006. A lot of the film was about warranting his actions of those controversial moments, especially Ross Brawn is guilty of some spectacular mental gymnastics. Bernie keeps it real though.

In my opinion, the "Schumacher phenomena" was made from the fact that 1. he was the first succesful German F1 driver in 30 years, 2. he drove for Ferrari, 3. he became through perserverance the most succesful driver of all time. It was not his charisma or his personality that built his brand, a la Valentino Rossi or Dale Earnhardt, but the cold, hard facts of his achievements. The effects of that is that I thought, and still think, that this "Schumacher phenomena" was sort of inappropriate because of the faults in his personality. He was straight-up in denial about his conduct on track so many times over his career. Coulthard speaks of the meeting the two had in Bernie's trailer after Spa '98 where he claims that Schumacher could not think of any time in his life where he had been in the wrong. And then there are a lot of moments that aren't featured in the film: Macau '90, Spa 2000, Monaco 2006, Hungaroring 2010.

Of course, those kind of moments shouldn't be in a film like this. More than the Senna film, this is a nostalgia hard-on for his fans, and I was never among them.

What the film also lacked was any sense of dramaturgy. The Senna film is far superior in that respect, simply because of the rivalry with Prost. This film tried to pull the same trick with the Schumacher v. Senna rivalry, but they don't go far enough with that. They say they had a few incidents on track, but only Magny Cours '92 is actually shown. Giving the 1991-Imola 1994 period more screen time would have improved the film. After that it is all "Schumacher is top dog, the others try to beat him, and often do". They get close to some dramaturgy again with the 1998-2000 era, and Todt is almost hinting they were thinking of replacing him (which I don't buy), but again they don't go deep enough.

I would also have liked some more in-depth about the 2006 "retirement". That Ferrari forced him out is probably the strangest decision in all of motor racing. They could have surely squeezed in another couple of championships out of him. Sure, Kimi won in 2007, but Ferrari has never been close to a Schumacher form again
tl;dr: a meh from me
***Some say you should live each day like it was your last... but who wants to live each day in wild panic and extreme death anxiety?

The universe, look at the hugeness of it... it is a dizzying thought that little ol' me is the centre of it all!***
White six
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
Posts: 1955
Joined: 3 years ago

#40

Post by White six »

Cheeveer wrote: 2 years ago Not to factor in Michael's current condition, my verdict on the film is:
Boring. Of course, I can remember most of Schumacher's career and my impressions of him are still the same that I had when he was active. This film did nothing to change my view of him that I had in 2006. A lot of the film was about warranting his actions of those controversial moments, especially Ross Brawn is guilty of some spectacular mental gymnastics. Bernie keeps it real though.

In my opinion, the "Schumacher phenomena" was made from the fact that 1. he was the first succesful German F1 driver in 30 years, 2. he drove for Ferrari, 3. he became through perserverance the most succesful driver of all time. It was not his charisma or his personality that built his brand, a la Valentino Rossi or Dale Earnhardt, but the cold, hard facts of his achievements. The effects of that is that I thought, and still think, that this "Schumacher phenomena" was sort of inappropriate because of the faults in his personality. He was straight-up in denial about his conduct on track so many times over his career. Coulthard speaks of the meeting the two had in Bernie's trailer after Spa '98 where he claims that Schumacher could not think of any time in his life where he had been in the wrong. And then there are a lot of moments that aren't featured in the film: Macau '90, Spa 2000, Monaco 2006, Hungaroring 2010.

Of course, those kind of moments shouldn't be in a film like this. More than the Senna film, this is a nostalgia hard-on for his fans, and I was never among them.

What the film also lacked was any sense of dramaturgy. The Senna film is far superior in that respect, simply because of the rivalry with Prost. This film tried to pull the same trick with the Schumacher v. Senna rivalry, but they don't go far enough with that. They say they had a few incidents on track, but only Magny Cours '92 is actually shown. Giving the 1991-Imola 1994 period more screen time would have improved the film. After that it is all "Schumacher is top dog, the others try to beat him, and often do". They get close to some dramaturgy again with the 1998-2000 era, and Todt is almost hinting they were thinking of replacing him (which I don't buy), but again they don't go deep enough.

I would also have liked some more in-depth about the 2006 "retirement". That Ferrari forced him out is probably the strangest decision in all of motor racing. They could have surely squeezed in another couple of championships out of him. Sure, Kimi won in 2007, but Ferrari has never been close to a Schumacher form again
tl;dr: a meh from me
Senna was a fascinating character, Schumacher wasn't. Difference as simple as that really
The board equivalent of the Jody scheckter chicane. Fast but pointless
User avatar
Everso Biggyballies
Legendary Member
Legendary Member
Posts: 48989
Joined: 18 years ago
Real Name: Chris
Favourite Motorsport: Anything that goes left and right.
Favourite Racing Car: Too Many to mention
Favourite Driver: Kimi,Niki,Jim(none called Michael)
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife, Spa, Mt Panorama.
Car(s) Currently Owned: Audi SQ5 3.0L V6 TwinTurbo
Location: Just moved 3 klms further away so now 11 klms from Albert Park, Melbourne.

#41

Post by Everso Biggyballies »

Cheeveer wrote: 2 years ago Not to factor in Michael's current condition, my verdict on the film is:
Boring. Of course, I can remember most of Schumacher's career and my impressions of him are still the same that I had when he was active. This film did nothing to change my view of him that I had in 2006. A lot of the film was about warranting his actions of those controversial moments, especially Ross Brawn is guilty of some spectacular mental gymnastics. Bernie keeps it real though.

In my opinion, the "Schumacher phenomena" was made from the fact that 1. he was the first succesful German F1 driver in 30 years, 2. he drove for Ferrari, 3. he became through perserverance the most succesful driver of all time. It was not his charisma or his personality that built his brand, a la Valentino Rossi or Dale Earnhardt, but the cold, hard facts of his achievements. The effects of that is that I thought, and still think, that this "Schumacher phenomena" was sort of inappropriate because of the faults in his personality. He was straight-up in denial about his conduct on track so many times over his career. Coulthard speaks of the meeting the two had in Bernie's trailer after Spa '98 where he claims that Schumacher could not think of any time in his life where he had been in the wrong. And then there are a lot of moments that aren't featured in the film: Macau '90, Spa 2000, Monaco 2006, Hungaroring 2010.

Of course, those kind of moments shouldn't be in a film like this. More than the Senna film, this is a nostalgia hard-on for his fans, and I was never among them.

What the film also lacked was any sense of dramaturgy. The Senna film is far superior in that respect, simply because of the rivalry with Prost. This film tried to pull the same trick with the Schumacher v. Senna rivalry, but they don't go far enough with that. They say they had a few incidents on track, but only Magny Cours '92 is actually shown. Giving the 1991-Imola 1994 period more screen time would have improved the film. After that it is all "Schumacher is top dog, the others try to beat him, and often do". They get close to some dramaturgy again with the 1998-2000 era, and Todt is almost hinting they were thinking of replacing him (which I don't buy), but again they don't go deep enough.

I would also have liked some more in-depth about the 2006 "retirement". That Ferrari forced him out is probably the strangest decision in all of motor racing. They could have surely squeezed in another couple of championships out of him. Sure, Kimi won in 2007, but Ferrari has never been close to a Schumacher form again
tl;dr: a meh from me
Great review. I have not seen the film, but I suspect from what you have written, if/when I do, I will feel exactly the same.

* I started life with nothing, and still have most of it left


“Good drivers have dead flies on the side windows!” (Walter Röhrl)

* I married Miss Right. Just didn't know her first name was Always
User avatar
Picci
Advanced Member
Advanced Member
Posts: 1304
Joined: 8 years ago
Real Name: Stephen
Favourite Motorsport: Formula One
Favourite Racing Car: Ferrari
Favourite Driver: Kimi Raikkonen
Favourite Circuit: Spa Francorchamps
Car(s) Currently Owned: Honda Fit
Location: Swieqi, Malta

#42

Post by Picci »

Yeh good review @Cheeveer . I feel slightly differently in the sense that I was a fan and I felt he was special and better than any other driver I saw in my generation. But that’s obviously my own opinion. However I perfectly agree the film was boring and didn’t go deep enough. I didn’t need to relive all the racing but I wanted to know more about the man. I suppose it has also to factor in the Netflix audience who may be completely out of F1 so this is the best digest they can provide of him.
User avatar
sadsac
Platinum Member
Platinum Member
Posts: 863
Joined: 15 years ago
Real Name: Simon Kirby
Favourite Motorsport: all of them
Favourite Racing Car: 1990 Ferrari 640 F1
Favourite Driver: Ayrton Senna
Favourite Circuit: Spa
Car(s) Currently Owned: Seat Arona FR ,Skoda Fabia VRS

#43

Post by sadsac »

Watched it last night and considering i was never a Schumacher fan it definitely made me see the man in a different light
He was such a devoted and protective husband and father who just happened to be good at his job F1 driver and very misunderstood
by the way the media portrayed him as arrogant no wonder he done his best too avoid them
Corrina deserves all the praise for how she has helped Michael and the family since his accident
and as she says "Michael protected us so now we are protecting him".
If you like me were not a Schumi fan then this Film may change the way you think of him
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
maxie
New Member
New Member
Posts: 3
Joined: 2 years ago

#44

Post by maxie »

Changed my perception of Schumi.
Never a fan of him, and the documentary shows that he does have a human side, not just the ruthlessness often portrayed hy the media
RoBertino
New Member
New Member
Posts: 4
Joined: 2 years ago
Real Name: El Roberto
Favourite Motorsport: Formula One
Favourite Driver: Clay Regazzoni
Favourite Circuit: Monza

#45

Post by RoBertino »

It is so sad, that "highly informed" people (e. g. motorsport moderators) gave the fans "surely message" about discovered secret of momental situation of Michael. But in the movie is the basic of years 1996 till 2000 with many people from Michael's round. Please, do not believe, that this movie show you Michael at present day!
User avatar
PTRACER
Forum Administrator
Forum Administrator
Posts: 42138
Joined: 20 years ago
Real Name: Paul
Favourite Motorsport: Formula 1
Favourite Racing Car: Lotus 49
Favourite Driver: Gilles Villeneuve, James Hunt
Favourite Circuit: Nordschleife
Car(s) Currently Owned: Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X JDM
Contact:

#46

Post by PTRACER »

RoBertino wrote: 2 years ago It is so sad, that "highly informed" people (e. g. motorsport moderators) gave the fans "surely message" about discovered secret of momental situation of Michael. But in the movie is the basic of years 1996 till 2000 with many people from Michael's round. Please, do not believe, that this movie show you Michael at present day!
This was the main problem I had with it as well.

It focused heavily on those years, but not in a particularly relevant way, and then 2001 to 2006 were totally glossed over, despite the fact those were his most dominant years by far. Also, I saw footage of Barrichello at least twice, when they were meant to be showing Schumi. That's quite a major mistake.

I think the documentary needed to be twice the length, or in two parts, to have gone in any more depth.
Developer of the 1967v3 Historic Mod for Grand Prix Legends: viewtopic.php?t=17429

King of the Race Track, Destroyer of Tyres, Breaker of Lap Records
Post Reply