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Michael Schumacher’s five is the lucky number, as on Sunday, July 21, 2002, in Magny-Cours, in the French Grand Prix, the German champion could win his fifth world title. And to succeed, he will need, in addition to the victory, another five points of advantage over the two theoretical rivals, namely Rubens Barrichello and Juan Pablo Montoya. This in case the German driver arrives first in the race, because otherwise the scenario could change and also put in play his little brother, Ralf Schumacher, who will still have an important role. If he manages to finish behind Michael Schumacher, he will beat his Brazilian teammate and the Colombian Williams-Bmw. Michael Schumacher, after beating the Fiorano track record, says:
"I’m going to France to win, because Ferrari wants to finish the challenge as soon as possible. But even if I have to take home the fifth title, I will never feel like Juan Manuel Fangio. The two eras are not comparable and I must admit that with those cars that drove in the 50s, I probably would never have run because they were not safe".
Absurdly, if the Maranello team were to get a 1-2, Rubens Barrichello would remain the only competitor able to continue the fight for the title with the German champion. If, as many claim, Michael Schumacher has made a personal contribution to regenerating Ferrari, certainly the Maranello team has managed to fully recover Rubens Barrichello. The Brazilian driver is experiencing his magic moment: after the incredible victory in Hockenheim last year, Rubens seemed to have fallen into the guise of Calimero. Unlucky and victim of circumstances. Now he is the protagonist of extraordinary races. He passes Juan Pablo Montoya as if he were an amateur and above all he allows himself to beat his German teammate. The renunciation of success in Austria, the triumph at the Nurburgring, the fabulous chase of Silverstone, from last to second place. And also the leap in the general standings, behind Michael Schumacher, ahead of the Colombian Williams-Bmw and the disappointed and also disappointing Ralf Schumacher. Three times ahead of Michael Schumacher in qualifying (Australia, Austria and Great Britain), Rubens Barrichello seems to have regained full confidence in himself, if he had ever lost it.
The serenity in his private life - he adores his wife Silvana and his son Eduardo, who will be one year old on Monday, September 23, 2002 - and the support of Ferrari technicians have certainly helped him to overcome the difficult moment of the beginning of the season, when between failures and accidents after three races he was still at zero points. But Rubens' real breakthrough came at the same time as the F2002 debut. A balanced car that enhances the driving skills of the Brazilian, often aggressive and brilliant. A car that seems to be made more for him than for Michael Schumacher. In fact, the German is a driver who always makes a difference when there are difficulties and the car behaves in a not too predictable way. The sensitivity of the sample makes it possible to correct any defects. The F2002, on the other hand, is an agile car, which adapts well to all circuits, consumes regularly the tyres, has a powerful and elastic engine and very effective aerodynamics on any type of track, slow or fast. And this was not the case of the F2001, a bit grumpy, not always easy to develop. One of the biggest differences between Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello is the ability of the German to overcome problems and bring the car to the finish line even when there are serious issues, without giving up too much performance. Rubens Barrichello - who tries almost unnecessarily to lose weight (he is 1.72 metres high and 77 kg), because he loves pasta and Pepsi, who does a few half hours of jogging, but prefers the jet skis as a sport - remembers his most beautiful moments:
"My first podium at Aida, my first pole position at Spa and my success at Hockenheim".
He’s sure the future is on his side.
"I debuted in Formula 1 when I was only 23, now I am 30, I am serene, I feel full of energy and I’m willing to work. Ferrari is an exceptional team, the F2002 is a dream car, and I am sure that before the end of the championship I will win again".
Candidate to keep second place in the World Championship. And also, perhaps, if things were to go in the right direction for him, to remain the only opponent of Michael Schumacher in the title fight. If Sunday, July 21, 2002, in France, the German will come first before the Brazilian, all the others will be cut off from the fight. Brazil did not find another Ayrton Senna, but certainly a very valuable driver. Meanwhile, Michael Schumacher preaches calmly, and says:
"In France it will be hard. On that smooth track the Michelin tyres, now fitted to Williams and McLaren, are the best".
But he forgets to say that in Magny-Cours he has already won six times. And he has a very competitive F2002. So much so that Rubens Barrichello thinks about it:
"I rested and relaxed myself but I was in daily contact with the team to be constantly updated on the work that was being carried out. In Ferrari we never stop, despite the positive results achieved this year. The single-seater improves continuously. There are those who say that Sunday’s race could be mine, since Michael would like to win the title in Germany, but I think it’s all nonsense. In Formula 1 you win where you can win".
But in the end the Brazilian admits:
"For the last three years on the French track I’ve always finished third. So this time I’d like things to get better. I like the circuit of Magny-Cours because there is the possibility to overtake".
On the eve of the French Grand Prix, Thursday, July 18, 2002, Michael Schumacher is tired. Indeed, fed up. He no longer wants to hear about statistics, records and even World Championships.
"We all know what could happen on Sunday. But I, honestly, am not focused on this story. I don’t think of a historical race, but of a normal race that I would like to win, even if it will not be easy. The important thing is that sooner or later, in France or elsewhere, we can achieve the ultimate goal".
So the German beat around the bush and prefers to talk about the game he will play with other drivers in Mannheim Wednesday, July 24, 2002, against an All Stars formation that will see on the field also Matthäus, Kohler, Koepke and Buchwald, as well as other stars and two ski jumping champions: Schmitt and Hannawald.
"Do not even compare me to Valentino Rossi, I am myself, I have my own way of life, it's useless to look for analogies".
To score in the Grand Prix, that is to win the title beating all the records, Michael Schumacher will have to defend from the opponents, Rubens Barrichello and Juan Pablo Montoya, the only ones who can delay his conquest of the fifth World Championship. But they are obstacles that, for different reasons, hide behind indifference. The Colombian, indeed, rightly considers the end of the story taken for granted, even if it lowers the value of the driver and increases that of Ferrari.
"Schumacher will win because he drives the best car. The results of Barrichello also prove this, but I am not here to account, especially for others. I live race by race, I don’t think about it too much. I will try to take pole position, but this does not mean that I will be able to finish first in the race. The qualifying car is very different from the one we have on Sunday. It is heavier and generally after a few laps we have problems with the tyres. Often in the warm-up, with a full tank of fuel, I feel like I’m going by boat. I have no reverential fears about the German, who I will probably see at the first corner, but nothing will happen, if anything, I care about his brother Ralf, who is my teammate. Beating him, I feel good. I am optimistic, also because I believe that this time we will not have to mount wet tyres...".
But if Juan Pablo has some purpose, more buttoned is Rubens Barrichello, who has now taken on the role of the quiet man.
"I’m proud of what I’ve done so far, I’m integrating perfectly with the team. We didn’t talk about tactics at all for the weekend, I just read the news about the F2002s and I think they are good".
In fact, Ferrari has new aerodynamics and probably also some mechanical changes, maybe even on the engine. In Fiorano, during the tests, the F2002 literally flew. Rubens Barrichello continues his speech:
"When you’re at the top, everything gets easier. Obviously I don’t think about the second place in the standings. The title of vice champion, even if it has value, is not what a driver dreams of. Sunday? I will do my best, for me and for the team. Last year I started badly, then in the race I defended myself well and I got on the third step of the podium. This is a circuit that I like. However, it requires special adjustments of the car, it is not easy to make the right setup. So let’s first develop the F2002, choose the right tyres, then we’ll see. If fate wants, Michael will take home the title".
Someone asks Barrichello if he feels involved. He replies diplomatically:
"I am the quietest of all in Ferrari. And since I don’t know the feeling of envy, I say that Schumacher is capable of winning alone. I have heard strange theories, like the one that I would be asked to eventually let Ralf pass in second place to close the world fight immediately. It’s stupid. We’re serious here".
However, after the games are over, Formula 1 begins to think about the future. There are no good news for the Belgian Grand Prix of Spa-Francorchamps, which is likely to disappear: the Belgian Senate does not intend to grant a derogation to the law that provides for the ban on tobacco advertising and should enter into force from August 10, 2003 (a similar ban on advertising will be adopted by Formula 1 only from 2006). As for the drivers market, Flavio Briatore, Renault team manager, insists: next year one of the two guides of the French team will be the Spanish Fernando Alonso, today under contract as test driver. Jenson Button should take over from Eddie Irvine at Jaguar or end up at Sauber-Petronas, Arrows' financial situation still clouded. Patron Tom Walkinshaw is optimistic and predicts the entry of new investors, although the negotiations need time. According to Walkinshaw, who at Silverstone would have paid out of his own pocket Cosworth spare parts, to race in France Arrows must find at least 1.500.000 euros and 3.000.000 euros to secure the presence at the next German Grand Prix in Hockenheim, before the three-week summer break. For this reason, the team was blocked on Friday, July 19, 2002, by the bank Morgan Grenfell, who demanded the payment of his share before the team was sold. Michael Schumacher, on the other hand, is the driver: the German had never worked so hard on a practice day during the race weekend.
Fifty laps, over 210 kilometres, three quarters of the Grand Prix to try to fine-tune his Ferrari. The leader of the World Championship standings even runs into a spin and a couple of mistakes in breaking at the chicane, a sign that he is looking for all the limits, his and that of the F2002. The German goes on track, goes back to the pits, returns to the circuit, stops again. Two hours needed to collect data for qualifying and for the race. Springs, bars, dampers, ailerons, electronic mapping of the engine, choice of the types of compounds and of the thousand other tricks that make it possible to drive a Formula 1 car. All this to say that the German driver is focused, together with his team, to win at Magny-Cours and hope to win the World Championship immediately, ahead of all expectations. But, as they say, you cannot decide something without considering a key element. And in this case the key element is the McLaren-Mercedes, thanks to the best time set by David Coulthard, followed by Kimi Raikkonen, both ahead - albeit slightly - to the pair of drivers of the Maranello team. It is not the first time that the British Mercedes-powered team performs spectacular performances on Friday. So there would be no alarm. But there is the story of the tyres, which in Magny-Cours have an even greater importance than normal. And, then, the significant fact is this: apart from Ferrari, among the top eleven of the ranking, there are nine cars that mount Michelin tyres. As has happened recently, Williams - on the contrary - hides its potential. Fifth Ralf Schumacher, who says to be in a marriage crisis with his wife Cora, only tenth the aggressive Juan Pablo Montoya. Ralf Schumacher claims that his car is fine, he has to correct only a little understeer, while the Colombian despises it:
"It slips from all sides, is not balanced and also touches the asphalt with the rear".
In fact, it would not explain a spectacular spin of Juan Pablo Montoya, who broke some aerodynamic appendages of his car, if the situation were not difficult. However, if we were to do a bit of back-pedalling, it would be no wonder that Williams-Bmw will be Ferrari’s main opponent during qualifying. As Michael Schumacher predicts:
"It will be a very tight challenge, but I think we will have the chance to fight for pole position. The other tyre manufacturer seems to be very strong, but we have often seen a similar situation at the beginning of the tests and then managed to change things in the race".
Which is what matters. Ross Brawn, who is not only the Ferrari strategist at the pit wall, but also the head of technical operations on the track, admits that Saturday morning there will still be something to do to improve the grip of the F2002.
"This track gets more and more slippery as the temperature increases and these conditions make it difficult to understand the effects of the changes we make in the adjustments. We are very satisfied with the new aerodynamic package adopted. It works well and the results are positive".
Taking pole position at Magny-Cours could be the first winning move to win the World Championship with Michael Schumacher. Beyond words, with his hard work, the German Scuderia Ferrari driver has shown that he does not want to leave anything to chance. And Rubens Barrichello, sly, is his wingman, ready maybe to pull out the right performance at the right time. If the rivals are not resigned and try the last desperate defence, Scuderia Ferrari is still determined to attack. Saturday, July 20, 2002, when the game gets tough, Formula 1 relaunches its show. Not even the most savvy filmmaker or the author of breathtaking mystery novels could have imagined a story more intricate than the one proposed at the French Grand Prix. Michael Schumacher on the grid between the two drivers who contend for the chance to win the world title with six races ahead of the conclusion of the World Championship.
And to join immediately, on the Olympus of the champions, the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio, who in the 50s won five helmets. Ahead of the German Ferrari driver will start Juan Pablo Montoya, behind him the mild but determined Rubens Barrichello. To achieve this goal, the German should win and hope that one of the rivals does not place second. In this situation it will be difficult to finish first, even if the F2002 continues to be the best car in race configuration. To complicate the feat there are the heat that could favour the cars with Michelin tyres and the obvious chronometric recovery not only of Williams but also of McLaren. Kimi Raikkonen, in fact, also for his skill, qualified in fourth place, ahead of the startled Ralf Schumacher and his teammate, David Coulthard. Six drivers, the best, in half a second. And, at the top, again Juan Pablo Montoya who, passing Michael by 0.023 seconds at the last minute conquers his fifth consecutive pole, the sixth of the season, the ninth of his career after a single season and a half. The Colombian is still far from the absolute records, but is approaching by leaps and bounds. The great and inimitable Ayrton Senna (65 pole positions) had obtained eight in succession between 1988 and 1989 and Nigel Mansell had totaled fourteen in the 1992 season. Alain Prost holds the record for consecutive starts in pole position in the same championship, seven times first in qualifying in 1993. Juan Pablo is well on his way to becoming a speed phenomenon. Michael Schumacher says:
"An exciting challenge. He was strong. But I’m not worried about him starting in front. If we look at the last races, we don’t lose much from the second place. However, we have to note that the difference between us and the others has narrowed. We still have an advantage, but I don’t know if it’s going to be enough to beat them. My goal is to win anyway. I’ll do everything to do that. But I don’t think about the title. You can keep me here for a whole day and I won’t change my mind. Not to mention that the drivers who can make vain my eventual success, as far as scores, are both close".
The German reveals that his daughter Gina Maria, for the occasion, did not give him the usual pink brush, also because she did not know that the race could be decisive for Dad.
"We in the house never talk about these things. But she, every time I leave, crosses her fingers. The good thing is that I don’t feel special pressure, I just expect to have a good race. The circuit is slippery, I felt like I was skating more than driving a car. But it’s true for everyone and I think that the difference will still be made by the tyres. Whoever is more consistent will win".
A speech similar to that of Montoya:
"I got used to pole position. And what happens in the race... But this time, I’m optimistic. Our tyres seem to last for many laps. And the car, unlike what happened on Friday, is easy to drive. Just don’t get on the kerbs and push".
Michael Schumacher himself knows a lot about kerbs and circuits as he had to cancel two attempts due to him getting off the track. But apparently he was travelling over the edge, which he never does in the race. Giancarlo Fisichella and the two Arrows by Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Enrique Bernoldi will not be in the fight. The Italian driver is eliminated because of his fearful accident, the German helot (who will take the place of Giancarlo Fisichella) and the Brazilian voluntarily give up for reasons of state. Struggling with legal problems, Arrows preferred not to qualify. It was a farce, with drivers forced to travel at low speeds in order to pull out of the grid. All in order not to pay the 750.000 dollars of fine provided for those who do not take part in the event. They were there and went slowly.
But the Federation has opened an inquiry. Meanwhile, as expected, Renault hired the Spaniard Fernando Alonso for 2003, leaving Jenson Button free, who in practice was faster than Jarno Trulli. Flavio Briatore, confirmed until 2005, hopes to have found another Michael Schumacher. But there are also political reasons for this choice: Renault is first in sales in Spain and wants to strengthen the market. And Bernie Ecclestone hopes that the presence of the driver will convince the Iberian television to broadcast the races live, which is not currently the case.
“We have to make big accidents so that everyone can come".
So Giancarlo Fisichella welcomes in the afternoon the journalists, gathered in the Jordan motorhome, to have news of the Italian driver, protagonist of a scary accident in the morning. First of all the news: the driver will not be in the race. The doctors advised him to rest, not to compete in qualifying and not to participate in the race. If all goes well, he will be back in the first races of the German Grand Prix next Friday. In his place, surprisingly and reading in the folds of the rules, will run Heinz-Harald Frentzen, freed by Arrows. The regulations speak clearly and say that, for reasons of force majeure, a team can replace the driver. Curious that between Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Eddie Jordan is still standing since last year an economic dispute. The fact is, however, that the driver can only race if, by 9:15 a.m. on Sunday, all Formula 1 teams agree on the decision taken by the FIA. Fisichella left the track at 10:30 a.m., during free practice. From the car, launched at about 220 km/h, had detached the front wing, slipped first under the wheels then under the bottom of the Jordan-Honda. Lost control, Giancarlo could not avoid the violent impact, fortunately transverse, against the barriers covered by tyres. The team’s technicians saw from the telemetry that the collision occurred at 160 km/h and that the gravity suffered by the driver had a peak of 34 G. An enormity, if you think that head and helmet weigh 7 kg and therefore became a boulder of over 200 kg. The team manager, Gary Anderson, explains that the wing had probably been hit on a kerb the lap before and for this reason it broke. Giancarlo Fisichella, very pale, was helped to get out of the cockpit, lying on the stretcher and taken by ambulance to the emergency room and from here, by helicopter, to the hospital of Nevers where he was subjected to a series of checks.
"I don’t remember anything, not even what I did the morning before the accident. The only scene that stuck with me was that of the car that took me away, I held on and I was afraid. I didn’t see the video images, I didn’t understand what happened. I was lucky, 10 years ago maybe I couldn’t tell. However, this was not my worst accident: I had seen worse ones some time ago in Monza. I got a call from my partner Luna and family members, scared. I reassured them: apart from a few bumps, bad neck and head, I will do well".
On Sunday, July 21, 2002, past the fear for the accident of Giancarlo Fisichella, and after not getting permission to pick up Heinz-Harald Frentzen on the Jordan-Honda of the Italian driver, at the start of the French Grand Prix, Rubens Barrichello’s Ferrari stays on the grid. The Brazilian’s car is pushed to the pits, but the Scuderia Ferrari driver is forced to retire. Juan Pablo Montoya holds the lead at the start, followed by Michael Schumacher, Kimi Räikkönen, Ralf Schumacher and David Coulthard. Further back Takuma Sato, Pedro De la Rosa and Olivier Panis come into contact with each other, ending in the escape route and compromising their race. In the lead of the race Juan Pablo Montoya, penalised by a wrong choice on the type of tyres to use in the race, struggles to contain the group behind him, but keeps the first position until the first series of pit stops. The first driver in the leading group to refuel is Ralf Schumacher, who returns to the pits at the end of lap 21. Michael Schumacher makes his stop on lap 26, returning to the track ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya. However, as he re-enters the track, the German driver crosses the white line of the pitlane, incurring a penalty.
After the stops of Kimi Räikkönen and David Coulthard, Michael Schumacher takes the lead, but during lap 35 the Ferrari driver has to do a drive-through, returning to the track behind Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Räikkönen. On lap 46 Juan Pablo Montoya begins the second series of pit stops, followed two laps later by his teammate, who in leaving the pits commits the same infraction as his brother. Kimi Räikkönen, who climbs in first place, refuelles on lap 49, returning to the track behind David Coulthard but ahead of Michael Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya. The Finnish driver returns to first place during lap 54, when his teammate returns to the pits for the second time, also overcoming the white line coming out of the pit lane and being penalised for this. The situation stabilises, with Kimi Räikkönen first ahead of Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard, Juan Pablo Montoya, Ralf Schumacher, and Jenson Button, order of arrival following which the Drivers' World Championship would remain mathematically open. Four laps to go, however, Allan McNish’s Toyota breaks its engine. The Scottish driver unintentionally scatters a large amount of oil on the track making it slippery. Kimi Räikkönen, among the first to pass through this area of the track, does not notice it and arrives long on braking, being overtaken by Michael Schumacher. The German driver controls his rival in the last laps of the race, crossing the finish line in first position and winning the fifth world title of his career after only eleven races. Michael Schumacher wins the French Grand Prix and equals the record of five World Championships won belonging to Juan Manuel Fangio. Kimi Raikkonen finishes second, followed by David Coulthard, Juan Pablo Montoya, Ralf Schumacher and Jenson Button. Numbers and records are no longer enough for Michael Schumacher and Ferrari. Now in the golden book of Formula 1 it says that the German champion won five world titles, as Juan Manuel Fangio. The comparison is not possible: the Argentine raced and won in another era with completely different cars. He had been the hero of courage, heart, and talent. The German driver is instead the symbol of the modern era, of technological driving, of strategies, even if something of his has always put it, showing a unique ability to make the most of his car. To put together Michael Schumacher and the South American, who was nicknamed el chueco, the jockey, for his crooked legs, would be like trying to compare the Charles Lindbergh flyer and the pilot of a fighter jet.
In this umpteenth triumph, with six races to go, there is also the strong mark of Scuderia Ferrari, of the team, of a car factory capable of keeping its name firmly in the legend. Just a fact that says it all: since the beginning of the season, on the F2002 in race and qualifying an engine has never broken, an absolute record of Italian technology. If Rubens Barrichello was stuck on the grid and could not compete, it is only because these cars are made and rebuilt in a single day and the accident, or failure, can always come as a surprise. As well as a blow at the end of the race, when the festivities had already begun, came a call for Michael Schumacher by the race management. McLaren-Mercedes, second at the finish line with Kimi Raikkonen, asks the sports stewards for clarification, because the German overtook the Finn five laps from the end, while the yellow flags were exposed as Allan McNish’s Toyota stopped on track with a broken engine. The British team would have liked Michael Schumacher to be penalised, but the commissioners were right to consider Michael’s manoeuvre perfectly correct, who had limited himself to taking first place because the young McLaren driver had run into a mistake and ended up wide at the Adelaide corner. A thrilling race after, with a wait that lasts more than two hours, before having the official result, which certainly does not contribute to lightning tensions and that disturbs the great celebration of Scuderia Ferrari. Later, with the arrival of President Luca Montezemolo, the standing ovations continued until late into the night. A cigar in the mouth, a glass of cognac and Michael Schumacher enjoys the great day that led him to be the champion of the champions: fifth World Championship, but also the third consecutive, something that he had never achieved as Scuderia Ferrari driver. In his record there are 61 victories, ten more than Alain Prost and twenty more than Ayrton Senna who follow him in this ranking. To achieve the goal, the German driver raced one of his most beautiful races. A successful start, the attacks on Juan Pablo Montoya who was in the lead, an immediate counter-overtaking on Kimi Raikkonen who had overtaken him while trying to overtake the Williams-Bmw of the Colombian. If he had not stumbled into a venial sin, putting a wheel over the white line that marks the exit from the pits at the first refuelling, he would have won without problems because he was already largely in command.
Instead he had to go back from the pit lane and found himself struggling first in third, then in second position. He might have seemed resigned, but he had the strength to follow Kimi Raikkonen like a threatening shadow. And as the Finn made his fatal mistake, he passed it in a moment, flying to glory.
"Michael, you’re a legend" .
They shout at him.
"No, the legend is Ferrari".
He is the most successful man in the history of Formula 1. When another great driver will be born, the reference point will be Michael Schumacher. Ayrton Senna’s pole position record stands, 65 against 46. Let’s call them both legends and not talk about it anymore. And let’s add Juan Manuel Fangio, but no comparison: Michael Schumacher does not want to.
"Fangio did not have the support of a team like mine".
Supports the new World Champion, with eyes still shiny. Crossing the finish line, he shouts, thanks his two families (wife, children and Ferrari), zigzags. Above all, he cries. Before getting off the invincible F2002, he drops his head on the steering wheel without taking off his helmet and takes a cameraman away. He doesn’t want to give his tears to posterity. Michael Schumacher is cold, ruthless, lucid from the first to the kilometre number 305 of each race, but as Pino D'Agostino says - who is in charge of the engines on the track, the one with the moustache that shouts the Hymn of Mameli during the awards - he is still a man, not a stone. He lacks words, yes. It is difficult to find new and original ones for the third consecutive year: the great driver makes the most complex manoeuvres easily, but it is difficult to tell, to describe his sensations.
"I felt a succession of emotions, I didn’t understand anything anymore. After the first pit stop I found myself in ahead, then virtually world champion. Then I stepped on the white line coming out of the pits and after the penalty I was third. I took a breath of relief, because I was still in the top position. Up to five laps from the end Raikkonen was ahead of me and I thought the decisive race would be next week in Hockenheim ahead of the German fans. Kimi ended up on a patch of oil. He is good, he already drives like an experienced driver, but in such circumstances the experience is useless. So, with a little luck, I found myself again in a position to win the title".
The sequel is chronicle, the epilogue of a triumphal season.
"I looked in the mirrors, I listened to the radio and suddenly I saw the chequered flag".
The first hug is with Jean Todt. The grandstand is red with flags, t-shirts and hats. A banner proclaims:
"Ferrari is a religion - Schumi its god".
Just not to overdo it. Willy Weber, the manager of the champion (and his brother, Ralf Schumacher) guarantees the distribution within an hour of the updated hat. Corinna swears eternal love to his husband:
"I am proud of him, in a few years our children will understand how much their father is worth".
Michael does not forget to thank anyone:
"From Montezemolo to Todt, to Brawn that has always been there, in every way, to all the engineers and mechanics. The most precious person? All equal, each in its role. If I mentioned one, I would forget six hundred".
While the mechanics sing:
"Michael pays for pizza".
President Luca Montezemolo arrives in Magny-Cours. Following the race on television, overwhelmed by happiness, the president takes the plane to Bologna and reaches the circuit. Pats on the shoulders, a word of praise to every mechanic, long hugs with Michael Schumacher and Jean Todt. The president of Ferrari manages as a conductor the team for the photos of the ritual, says several times that it is wonderful and beautiful but certainly less than the next one. Disturbed only by the attempt to ruin the party carried out by McLaren that wanted to disqualify or penalise Michael Schumacher. Concerning the Commissioners' statement, Luca Montezemolo does not retain a Sibylline phrase:
"Thank you, Ron".
Referring to Ron Dennis, manager-master of the Woking’s team. The two meet on the ladder leading to the paddock and the Englishman asks if it is true that he would accept a position as minister.
"I’m sorry for you, but I’m staying at Ferrari".
President, how do you feel?
"An immense joy. We dedicate this success to Italy. To those in our country who work with the same determination that there is in Ferrari. There are so many Italians, we are proud of what we have done, behind this victory there is the commitment of many".
You said you had closed a cycle in Ferrari, someone had thought of an abandonment.
"It was during the presentation of our plans for the future Sports Management. In those days I had some regrets. But at this point I just want to do four more cycles. I think the shareholders, old and new, are happy with us. They called me, and I was very pleased, Dr. Umberto Agnelli and Gabriele Galateri are close".
Did you talk to Agnelli?
"Yes. He had called me when Michael was second. A little discouraged, I had told him: we can only hope for a mistake by Raikkonen. He replied: we’ll see. Then we met again and he said: did you see?"
But were you still hoping for the title?
"I didn’t expect it anymore. The result is beyond all expectations. When I introduced the car in February, I thought we couldn’t do better than 2001. We did. Schumacher became the first driver who took home the title at race number 11 out of 17 and in July. We have no precedent in history. In 1975 when we triumphed in Monza with Lauda I thought I had reached the maximum. Instead, we have been dominating for three years. Today and tomorrow we celebrate, after that we'll think about the Constructors' title: Ferrari cares a lot. We are a small company that fights against the biggest giants of motorsport".
Michael Schumacher as Juan Manuel Fangio, but better than Alberto Ascari and Niki Lauda.
"I don’t want to make comparisons. I can say that Michael was able to win with less competitive cars, rather competitive, very competitive. The results count. The Schumacher-Ferrari pairing is the winner. Now I’m waiting for Barrichello, I want him to finish these unlucky races".
Special thanks?
"Sure. Applause to Todt and his men. Then Bridgestone, who was instrumental in our success. We worked together as one team. And I don’t want to forget the sponsors: Philip Morris, Shell, Vodafone and everyone else. Without them, Ferrari would not have the means to race in Formula 1".
What do you think of the end of the race?
"That Raikkonen is training well to have a good future. He still makes some mistakes, but he is young and has a life ahead of him. He will have time to win. Todt observes him carefully, as he does with the best emerging drivers".
A message? Maybe Luca Montezemolo is preparing another cycle, that of the post-Schumacher. In a few years. The strength of Ferrari, the secret of its most recent and repeated successes lies in the group. There are no first ladies, as at the time of John Barnard. The president Luca Montezemolo has gathered in the Sports Management a multinational of specialists who respect their role and who push in the same direction. This had not always happened in the past, especially in the worst periods, when envy and controversy swept through Maranello. The idea of entrusting Jean Todt with Scuderia Ferrari, much criticised at the time, turned out to be a winning move. Under the guidance of the new manager, who today celebrates 9 years and 21 days of stay at Ferrari, six world titles have arrived (three drivers and as many for constructors), the seventh is almost already won. All in the last four seasons, but after having reached the goal already in 1997. Jean Todt has 50 wins to his credit, which means just under a third of the entire history of the Maranello team. His skills, apart from intuition, lie in intransigence, in the ability to cultivate human relationships within the team. Exactly the opposite of what might appear from the outside.
The French manager bets everything on Michael Schumacher, but also on the development of the team, placing the right men in the right places. So it formed a strong and homogeneous complex in every sector. The first purchase is called Ross Brawn. Mechanical engineer, 48, from Manchester, married, with two daughters, he’s the man who gave the team method. His calmness (he was seen enjoying a banana in the pits while deciding the Nurburgring race), precision and experience are reflected in the results. And not only for the extreme ability to prepare strategies, never improvised, but also and especially for the input it gives at the factory. Brawn, despite being relatively young, has an enviable experience: in 1978 he was already responsible for the research and development of Williams, then head of the aerodynamics department of Lola-Haas, then technical director of Arrows, Jaguar (which then disputed the sports-prototype races), and Benetton. After many roles, he can hold the reins of each department. And while always working hard, he does not give up his favourite hobby, fishing, and good food and wine. Alongside Ross, since 1998 has been added the most eclectic character in Formula 1, the South African of Irish origin Rory Byrne. World champion in model aircraft, designer of original ideas, he had isolated himself after a brilliant period with Benetton on an island in Thailand, to devote himself to underwater fishing. He is famous for his sudden intuitions: he often wakes up at night and puts himself at the drawing board, at the computer or even opens the wind tunnel to test a new aileron. Ferrari has always dedicated most of its efforts to engines. At Maranello, hundreds were designed, of all sizes and fractions, from 4 to 12 cylinders. The head of the sector is Paolo Martinelli, graduated in mechanical engineering in Bologna; 49 years old, from Modena, he has three daughters. He was in the industrial production department, but he immediately adapted to racing, thanks to the valuable contribution of the French designer Gilles Simon in Ferrari since immemorial time. The engines produced under the direction of Paolo Martinelli from 049 to 051 have shone for power, elasticity, but also and above all for reliability. Many times the races were won because the opponents stopped with broken engines.
On the track the management of the V10 Ferrari is entrusted to Pino D'Agostino, a volcanic engineer from Puglia, who knows how to speak in Sicilian and Calabrian. It can be said that D'Agostino, who previously worked at Maserati and Alfa Romeo, who is seen on television singing Mameli’s Anthem as a tenor, is one of the people who love the team and the work they do. These are the summits. But we must not underestimate the contribution of men in more direct contact with the drivers and the cars. Luca Baldisserri has been in charge of Michael Schumacher’s car for four years. It is to him that Michael asks for changes, suggests, confides in the problems to be solved. Born in Bologna in 1962, he found a perfect agreement with the German driver. In the team they call him Baldo and he has the habit of often wearing short pants. He lives in San Michele dei Mucchietti, a hamlet of Sassuolo, where there is a fan club. Often there are banners showing: Thank you Luca. The other car manager is Gabriele Delli Colli, 35, who works with Rubens Barrichello. In short Delli Colli has established an excellent relationship with the Brazilian. And the results are showing. Francesco Uguzzoni, coordinator of the mechanics, reports directly to the two technicians. Ivano Barletta, Claudio Papaleo and Francesco Barletta oversee the development of the F2002 by Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello and the reserve car. No less important and decisive tasks are entrusted to Luigi Mazzola, the gigantic engineer who takes care of the two testing teams, together with the drivers Luca Badoer and Luciano Burti. They drive more miles than the racing team does. Finally the Research and Development department, managed by an old acquaintance: Ignazio Lunetta, 46 years old, Sicilian of Caltanissetta, who had taken care of the cars of Jean Alesi and Michael Schumacher, titled as automotive engineer. That’s the Ferrari group, but it’s the top. Below is a vast and very solid base, without which it would be impossible to be at the top.
"I’m feeling a great emotion, there are no words to describe it".
In the delirium of the party, Jean Todt is as stingy with hyperbole as Michael Schumacher is. Between the two the harmony is perfect, professional and human, in enthusiasm as in the increasingly rare disappointments.
"Michael is a quiet boy who never got his head up. Altogether we reap the fruit of what we have sown".
Yet, the French manager also finds some problems on the feast day:
"I don’t like to see a Ferrari standing on the grid. We need to understand what happened to Barrichello and avoid it happening again. We never think that we are phenomena, because in Formula 1 the balances change quickly. Since the beginning of the season our main rival has been one [Williams, ndr], here in Magny-Cours was another [McLaren, ndr]".
It’s true, but the only constant is the supremacy of the Maranello team. It’s been three years now.
"The secret is always thinking about the future. We are on a good path, now it is important to stay there, with humility and realism. The next goal is the constructors' championship, which we have not yet won. But tomorrow morning we can still get up a little later".
The victory of the World Championship is a good opportunity to talk about some recent annoyances. Jean Todt explains:
"Recently I have been treated badly [for the order in Barrichello in Austria to let Schumacher pass, ndr]. Ferrari is strong if everyone blows in the same direction: the most beautiful sails in the world stand still if there is no wind. I arrived in Maranello nine years and twenty days ago. Prost told me that I would not make it. A sentence like that, spoken by a four-time World Champion, made me think. But I learned to resist".
The worst moment ever?
"In 1996, right here in Magny-Cours, when Schumacher’s car stopped during the reconnaissance lap".
The most beautiful?
"The victory at Suzuka in 2000, a triumph we waited for twenty-one years".
What’s his worst flaw?
"I am bitter".
The opponents?
"They allow themselves to comment on us, I don’t".
The sale of a share of the company?
"It means that Ferrari also likes investors".
How would you define your assignment in Maranello?
"I feel like a keeper. Ferrari changed my life, offered me things that no other job could ever give me".
The declaration of love is joined by the other key men. Ross Brawn, technical director and great strategist:
"I’m proud of Ferrari and Michael. He’s not just a driver: he’s part of the team, he’s a great motivator. He cannot be compared with Fangio, because once different qualities were required".
Pino D'Agostino, engine manager on track:
"Ferrari is a factory of emotions. And Schumacher a great one: keeping him behind is difficult, as Raikkonen will have understood".
Paolo Martinelli, head of the engine department:
"The F2002 raced eight races: seven won, while in Monte Carlo it came second. We thought we would win the title at Hockenheim. Better yet: in Germany fans can celebrate Schumacher on Friday. We are proud of him. He seems like a cold guy, actually his tears show how sensitive he is. Even in Monza in 2000 he bursted into tears".
Luciano Burti, test driver:
"This is my first year with Ferrari, I’m very happy to have done my small part, especially in the testing of the tyres. Back on track in a Grand Prix? Now I just want to celebrate. I’ll think about it tomorrow".
Rubens Barrichello had already climbed the ladder of the plane that would have brought him back to his house in Monte Carlo, when a phone call reached him:
"Schumi has won".
The Brazilian rushed down and returned to the circuit.
"We are a family, for better or worse, I said to myself, and I felt the duty to reach Michael and the team. I was very disappointed. I’m a little over it. I don’t know what happened before the formation lap. My car’s engine never started. We tried everything, changed the steering wheel, we have to understand. At the factory they will dismantle every detail. However one thing is certain, it was not the same problem that made me start last at Silverstone".
The São Paulo driver is no stranger to misadventures. Even in Spain, due to a similar incident, he was forced to leave early. Rubens Barrichello was very tough in France, because he was confident he had the chance to have a top race.
The engine did not start and the mechanics after futile attempts were forced to leave the Brazilian’s F2002 on the grid. If they had intervened on the track, before the start of the race, they would have run into a strong fine and Rubens into a penalty. He hoped to start at least behind all, but there was nothing to do. Misfortune authentic and repeated. And to say that shortly before Michael Schumacher, in the reconnaissance lap, after having tried the race car and felt something he did not like in his behaviour, had chosen to race with the reserve one. Rubens Barrichello took it very hard at first. He didn’t want to talk and had to extol the nervousness by locking himself in the motorhome. Then, on his return with the team for the celebrations, he was taken by the hand of Jean Todt, consulate, listened to the words of encouragement of Luca Montezemolo and found a smile.
"It is definitely and in any case my best season in Formula 1. Since I arrived Michael has always won the title and the team has won the Constructors' World Championship. I feel mature and calm. Surely I’ve integrated better with the team. It’s not easy when you change and find everything different and new. Ferrari is extraordinary, an experience that a driver will never forget. I have to say, it really helped me that I made a family. I came home and found my son Eduardo. He’s almost a year old. I’m not ashamed to be his nanny, I wash and clean. I’m not ashamed of it, the only thing I can’t do is breastfeed him... another child? It’s early for now. Anyway my wife Silvana and I keep in practice".
What will happen in the next races?
"We have to win the constructors' title. And I want to get some satisfaction. I think it’s going to be fun. Although our opponents seem to have lengthened the pace. Much depends on the characteristics of the circuits. McLaren here was strong because the track is very smooth and allows you to lower the height of the cars. This explains the performance of Raikkonen and Coulthard, third and fourth. Montoya was a bit disappointing, but I don’t think it was his fault. We will meet them all in Hockenheim next Sunday in the German Grand Prix. German fans will be celebrating Ferrari and Schumacher. I only wish I could compete. And I’m determined to fight. Second place in the general standings is not a great consolation, even if it is worth something. Before the end of the season, however, I aim to win some races. I will succeed".
The opponents are defeated. Humiliated. McLaren has continued on the path of decline set in the early millennium. And Williams has maintained the role of last year: that of the outsider, good for pole position and some victory that gives oxygen to the audience of Formula 1. The difference is in expectations. David Coulthard and Kimi Raikkonen knew in their hearts they had little chance. The comparison between the red ships and the silver arrows was at times embarrassing. The Williams did not, they had left to relive the glories of the 90s (seven titles, the last in 1997 with Jacques Villeneuve). In the past season finale they had even frightened Michael Schumacher, in March they were back with a super aspirated Bmw engine that promised to break two limits, the 900 horsepower and 19,000 laps. Goal soon shelved in an attempt to recover reliability and paid with a drop in performance. But the reasons for the defeat are many. The two Ferraris proved superior in everything, tyres, chassis, engine, drivers, strategies, mechanics.
"Next year I will be the Schumacher champion".
So Ralf comments on his brother’s victory in Budapest in 2001, ten points that were worth the end of hostilities a couple of months in advance. His teammate, Juan Pablo Montoya, had similar ambitions after an apprenticeship season with a couple of textbook overtakings.
Since then, however, little or nothing has changed, and that little has been always to the disadvantage of the Anglo-German team. The only flash, in Malaysia. It is the second Grand Prix of the season: Ferrari still runs with the old single-seater, which betrays Rubens Barrichello (engine failure) and grants Michael Schumacher an honourable third place. Williams scored a brace and the Circus expected a championship fight. We know how it went: two weeks later the Maranello team put the F2002 on track and the opponents must join. Why did Williams lose so much ground to Ferrari? In some circuits, the tyre difference was decisive. The Michelins, also adopted by McLaren, offered excellent performance in practice, but in the race deteriorated quickly. Montoya put in four consecutive pole positions, obtaining the misery of four points. At Michael Schumacher, the first three pole positions of the season yielded 24 points. If the Japanese tyres won the challenge on a dry track and with moderate temperatures, in the rain they dominated. In the only wet Grand Prix, at Silverstone, the Ferraris were 3 or 4 seconds faster than their rivals and Rubens Barrichello needed a third of the race to move from last to second. Another indicator: many teams provided by Michelin mounted used tyres, especially those in front, while the Bridgestones fit perfectly to Ferrari. Starting in conditions of inferiority leads to risk, to making risky decisions and inevitably to making mistakes: some mistakes are made at random, others in the competitive heat. The first type belongs to the one committed to the Nurburgring, when the technicians of Williams chose the soft tyres and imposed to the drivers a single stop in the race, despite the contrary opinion of the same Michelin. The second type of mistakes, too frequent, occurs in the pits: tyres that are not found or petrol pumps that jam cause precious seconds and concentration to drivers, overheat engines, transmit a semblance of improvisation.
As for the engine, the most powerful of the Circus, no team reveals the power data, however there is equipment that can estimate the number of horsepower from the noise of the engines: the German 10-cylinder is close to the threshold of 900 horsepower, but gave reliability problems, forcing engineers to limit performance. The drivers? Ralf Schumacher has not yet lifted the complex of his younger brother, Juan Pablo Montoya lives every race as a personal challenge against Michael Schumacher. Even with these limits, the two are among the best in circulation and could do little against the red overpower. As for McLaren, after the 1998 and 1999 world titles, the Woking team began a slow, progressive decline. In 2000 they fought for the last victory with Ferrari, then they raised the white flag. It seems that the main cause of the crisis is the ban on the use of beryllium, a material of which many parts of the Mercedes engine were composed until two years ago. Adrian Newey, held by stamped paper, gave birth to an unbalanced MP4/17, which becomes driveable only at the price of heavy aerodynamic loads (the top speed of the Silver Arrows is among the lowest). For the tyres, the speech about Williams is true: at the end of 2001, Ron Dennis' team passed to Michelin, effectively delivering to the Maranello team the exclusive Bridgestone. In Monte Carlo, the choice was successful: David Coulthard took advantage of the superiority of the French tyres in practice and at the start and then kept everyone behind in the midst of the bottlenecks of the Principality. Elsewhere the results were modest. The drivers proved to be at the height of their car: David Coulthard is not Mika Hakkinen, the young Kimi Raikkonen is not there yet. If the car goes well; if it does not go well, the results are lost. Renault continues its program of approaching the top positions. The goal of 2002 was to place behind the three top teams, and for now it has been hit, but the gap is still wide: entering the challenge for the 2003 World Championship requires a considerable effort from now to the end of the season. The drivers did relatively well: like an ant, Jenson Button collected 10 points, while the Italian Jarno Trulli struggled with a record-breaking misfortune. It would be nice to see the next rig driving a really competitive car.
"Make another one".
On Sunday evening the Ferrari mechanics shouted at Rory Byrne, the designer of the F2002, the extraordinary car that this year allowed Michael Schumacher to win his fifth world title. And, in the festive atmosphere of the restaurant La Renaissance, president Montezemolo meditates on the future. His, because, according to what will add Monday, July 22, 2002, during the presentation of the Enzo Ferrari, the new jewel of the factory in Maranello, the grand tourer destined to enter history for beauty, performance and technology, wants to enjoy this successful year:
"It ended a cycle in which I achieved all the goals I had set for myself. I would make ten cycles, but it is clear that to understand the future you need to know what you want, when Ferrari goes on the market, to understand what new objectives to set. The desire is there, I have already said that I am ready to give new satisfactions to the shareholders. Now there are three important points to define. The first concerns the Constructors' title, which for Ferrari is a decisive highlight. Then there’s Barrichello, who we want to bring to second place in the championship. Rubens has been very unlucky so far, even though he still had his best season in Formula 1. The engineers found that his single-seater engine didn’t start on Sunday before the race because of a simple sensor. It has not worked. It hasn’t happened since Gerhard Berger. Unfortunately, these things happen in the racing world".
The most intriguing chapter, however, concerns Ferrari’s plans for 2003. The World Championship reserved for the Constructors has been put on the bulletin board of Schumacher, the world championship for Maranello (the question could be resolved within a couple of races, that is in Hungary, Sunday, August 18, 2002) in Maranello, we have been thinking about next year.
"Being so forward with our results gives us a nice edge. The engine for the car that will take the place of the current one already turns to the bench. I certainly can’t reveal its features or secrets, but I assure you it is an innovative V10. Ferrari always tries to do something new and different".
It will be difficult to make further progress, however Montezemolo is certain that the technicians led by Ross Brawn will succeed:
"It’s true, it won’t be easy to keep the advantage we’ve had so far this year. But I am convinced at the same time that we will have an even better car. At the risk of sounding repetitive, I would like to remember what I thought when we introduced the current car. I wondered if it would be possible to be more competitive than we were in 2001. It happened and I hope that history will repeat itself".
The motto at Maranello is always the same: continue to work with passion and determination.
"After the wonderful victory on Sunday I felt the desire to dedicate myself to the many Ferraris that there are in Italy, that deserve our same success. It seems to me that we are experiencing a special moment of strong emotions and happiness. Last weekend was one of the best of my life. We won the World Championship and the next day we are here in front of a unique car. We have Schumacher who, I don’t want to make comparisons, is the best driver who has ever driven for Ferrari, we are a team that everyone envies".
Then a sentence, a joke more than anything, about Kimi Raikkonen, the Finnish McLaren driver who in Magny-Cours had been leading the race up to five laps from the end, before making the fatal mistake that gave the first place to the German champion. To those who ask him if they can think of the young Finn as a possible purchase for the future, the president of Ferrari answers:
"Let’s say so, we hope that they will think too highly of themselves and continue to make some mistakes".
But it is clear that Kimi Raikkonen also likes Jean Todt, head of Sports Management. Who, on the track of Fiorano, to the question of how he feels the day after the triumph in France, answers:
"It’s good, it’s work".
And that’s the spirit of Ferrari.