“Michael Schumacher – Driven to extremes” – James Allen
First published in 1999, Driven to Extremes only covers the first two of Michael Schumacher’s titles and the first four years with Ferrari in which he failed to deliver the title to the Scuderia.
If you had cause to doubt whether someone who named his son Enzo might not be entirely even-handed when writing a book about Ferrari’s latest world champion, you were thinking along the right lines. The book often flatters its subject, notably with the omission of significant details from certain passages.
Take the 1998 Monaco Grand Prix: “[Schumacher] drove flat out to the finish but, sadly for him, no-one in front of him dropped out. He rolled in tenth, two laps down.” There was rather more to it then that – he made a frenzied lunge at Pedro Diniz on the final lap, failed, lost his front his wing, and then dropped to tenth out of the points.
This isn’t the only instance of a selective memory at work: “[Schumacher] is unlikely to beat [Ayrton] Senna’s record of sixty-five pole positions because, as Eddie [Irvine] said, he has never had the fastest car.” Never mind that Senna didn’t in the early and later years of his career, nor the thorny question of the relative merits of their team mates.
Allen can turn a fine phrase at times though – I especially enjoyed his description of Ross Brawn as an “avuncular headmaster”. But I was not won over by his insistence that Schumacher attached particular importance to driving for a team of ‘history’ and ‘passion’ – this is a man who once revealed he thought Ferrari had never scored a one-two finish in a race before he came along.
It adds up to an uncritical and uncomplicated portrait of Schumacher – and ultimately a rather unsatisfying one.
Reviews
- "Conspiracy of Secrets" review
- "If you're not winning ...you're not trying" review
- "Formula 1: All the races" review
- "Formula 1 in Camera" review
- "Meet Sebastian Vettel" review
- "Grand Prix Heroes" DVDs review
- "Team Lotus: My view from the pit wall" by Peter Warr - review
- "The Limit: Life and death in Formula 1's most dangerous era" - review
- "He's done it again" - official 2011 F1 season DVD reviewed
- F1 2011: The F1 Fanatic review
John Fritz said on 23rd October 2006, 13:06
Mr. Schumacher has always been a much more likable guy both inside and outside his “circle”. Having had the chance, on a few occasions to stand back and watch him and others around him. He ALWAYS gave as much time and friendliness as the circumstances allowed. Once I had a chance to get in to the team area behind the pits at the Canadian GP. trying very hard to get as many signatures from the drivers as possible. Of all the drivers preparing for the race that day, Michael was the most beset by media and others trying to get his attention. I was close enough to almost get that signature several times only to see him give the children around him some extra attention. Undetured I watched and waited for my opportunity. Finally I caught up with him. After the cars took a warm up lap just prior to the start, the cars would stop at their respective positions on the track for any last minute checks. traditionaly Michael would hop the wall and go for one last potty break and to finnish his mental prep for the soon to start race. I waited patiently out side the restroom and sure enough, as he was leaving he recognized me from the earlier lines waiting for his autograph. Even at this extremely HIGH pressure point before the race, he motioned to me too approach and gave me his autograph. Trust me, several drivers had almost pushed me aside earlier when there was less pressure and NO reason to not give me their autograph. Damen Hill being one of them. This only one example of his high proffesional and personal approach. He will always be special because of that instance and the many other instances I personally saw that weekend……