EXCLUSIVE: How Max Verstappen’s strategy to racing on observe compares to that of Michael Schumacher.
Michael Schumacher was well-known for his uncompromising strategy on observe (Picture: Getty)
Michael Schumacher and Max Verstappen have rather a lot in frequent. They’re each among the many most profitable drivers in Method 1 historical past, have amassed a military of passionate followers and are additionally recognized for his or her uncompromising fashion of racing on observe, each having been accused of going over the road at occasions when duelling with rivals.
We noticed it with Verstappen all through his season-long battle for the title with Lewis Hamilton in 2021, which acquired steadily extra vicious as 12 months 12 months went on. The Dutchman was additionally accused of driving too aggressively at occasions in 2024 when battling on observe with Lando Norris and was closely punished on the Mexican Grand Prix for his driving requirements, one week on from additionally battling aggressively at america GP in Austin, Texas.
Schumacher, although celebrated for his success in F1, was additionally very aggressive in wheel-to-wheel fight. He was famously accused of intentionally crashing into Damon Hill on the 1994 Australian Grand Prix to win the title, and was stripped of second place within the 1997 championship for trying, however failing, to take out rival Jacques Villeneuve within the 1997 European Grand Prix at Jerez.
Based on former F1 driver Christian Danner, who coated Schumacher’s entire profession as a TV analyst, the German’s fashion led to his rivals on the time disliking him. “Once I discuss Michael it is all the time an issue, as a result of everyone in Germany want to see him as a shining superhero with none faults,” he advised Specific Sport.
“Mika [Hakkinen] has expressed himself fairly clearly on Michael’s character on the observe, on his equity or unfairness about his strategy. I feel Mika has extra credibility than me to truly say how he was like, and he did in so many interviews, and the end result of those interviews was very clear. He was not a very honest driver, as Mika expressed himself very clearly there.
“That led to a restricted love affair between the remainder of the sector and Michael. On prime of that, somebody who’s so extremely profitable often creates quite a lot of disbelief and quite a lot of skepticism about how he acquired there, as a result of on the finish of the day, all the drivers in Method 1 believed that they might truly do the identical. They weren’t comfortable to just accept that he acquired all of it they usually did not get it. So that is in all probability on prime of the best way of driving which led to this case.”
However despite the fact that some would possibly recommend Crimson Bull star Verstappen is in the same class, as a driver who has been extremely profitable in F1 but additionally criticised for his actions on observe at occasions, Danner believes there’s a key distinction between the 2 which units them aside.
Requested if he sees similarities with Verstappen, he added: “In that respect, clearly no. The overall strategy, so far as his angle is worried is, ‘Me, myself, I first, after which we see’. However any champion is like that. That is not an issue. However Max is much more eloquent and much more open about these items. He explains them, and he performs it by the rulebook.
“If you happen to bear in mind the overtaking maneuvers in Texas with Lando, Max performed it by the rulebook, and that was extraordinarily intelligent. It wasn’t significantly good, however do it’s important to count on your opponent to be good to you? No. He would not have any cause to be good. However Max is aware of what he is doing, and he is aware of it to an extent the place you simply watch it and you may’t consider it. He is actually good, distinctive, and distinctive.”
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Christian Danner spoke with Specific Sport through the comparability platform On line casino Guru, greatest recognized for its Guru Awards, record of trusted UK on-line casinos, and widespread criticism decision centre.
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