In this article NASCAR section writer Ron Ripple (gotta love that name) expresses frustration that driver Jimmie Johnson is poised to win the Sprint Cup for the third successive time.
I think many F1 fans might sympathise with Ron's view; he is sick of hearing Jimmie Johnson's name, and that feeling rings a Teutonic bell with me.
The same driver winning year after year is somewhere F1 fans have been. We've got that T-shirt, and it has an oh-so-familiar face on it.
Michael Schumacher was a habitual, compulsive, serial winner. If he had not retired there is good reason to believe he would have won the F1 drivers' championship in 2007 and 2008, and would now be preparing for a jaw-dropping 10th title in 2009.
If Schumie had stayed on, and if he had won the 2009 title, he would be only 40 years old. Jack Brabham was racing in F1 at 44, and the oldest driver to enter an F1 event was 58.
- B/R Ticket Guide
It is conceivable that Germany's finest could have been waving to the crowd after winning his 25th championship, still thinking his finest days were ahead of him.
What a delicious thought for hard-core Schumacher fans, but what a distressing one for everyone else, especially F1's commercial interests.
Competitive sport has to pose one question: Who will win? If the question is not asked, then there is little point in the uncommitted millions switching on their TVs to watch, and even less point in advertisers spending the money to reach them.
Having won two world championships with Benneton in the 1990s, Schumacher won with Ferrari in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004.
When Michael Schumacher was winning, winning, winning, TV audiences fell markedly. He was making the sport boring. Now to be reasonable, it wasn't his fault the other teams and/or drivers weren't good enough. However, outside of the Tifosi few wanted reason; they wanted competitive racing.
Put bluntly, they wanted the brakes put on Schumacher.
The FIA changed the scoring system to at least stop him clinching the championship early in the season. It didn't work, of course, although it did stop Ferrari driver Felipe Massa winning the 2008 title. If the Ferrari was half-decent, Schumie could pull a trailer and still win.
At last, in 2005 and 2006, the pendulum swung against Ferrari and Schumacher. The brilliant Fernando Alonso drove a hot Renault to win two world championships.
Schumacher retired from driving at the end of 2006, and the TV moguls must have breathed a collective sigh of relief. In 2007 and 2008 the sport did provide real contests, with championship winners Kimi Raikonnen and Lewis Hamilton both achieving victory by the skin of their teeth.
F1 seasons that are closely fought, and ideally decided at the final race, are exactly what the sport needs precisely because that is the action fans want to see.
Do we need another dominant Schumacher-like hero, bestriding the sport like a colossus? I say we do not, but of course I'd like to hear your views.
comments (11) write a comment »
write a new comment
about 1 month ago
First off - that is one creepy photofit of Schumi LOL
As a Schumacher fan I thought it was great but if you don't support the all dominant person/team then its not so good.
from about 1 month ago
I don't know, Maire. Even if it was Lewis Hamilton being dominant - no chance, I think - I wouldn't like it. We've had different champs for the last three years and that's fine by me.
from about 1 month ago
Yeah, fair point Duncan. Variety is the spice of life :-)
about 1 month ago
Do you know what? I was in Italy in 2004 and I sat down with a bunch of guys who seemed like Ferrari fans. Okay, it was actually an informal meeting of the Official Ferrari Fan Club, and I had the guts to say "do you think F1 is a bit boring now with Schumacher winning all the titles every year?"
Amazingly, every one of them said yes, the main comment being "it's great seeing your team win and you have that natural love for them, but when it is unpopular around the world and boring too, it does grate a bit."
I then said "if you could choose anybody to win the title this season (2004), who would it be?"
The response was not so surprising - "Raikkonen. Yes, he may be at McLaren, but I would not mind too much if it was him. Even Coulthard would do for me, although nearly all of us wanted him to join us in 1996. Irvine was crap, he had one good chance in 99 and blew it."
So, tempting fate perhaps, I asked if Kimi may ever get to Ferrari - "We all put a collective bet on Kimi joining Ferrari in 2010, but only if he stays second driver to Michael, which I can't see happening. He'll (Schumacher) grow old in a F1 car, or maybe he will do the sport a favour, in terms of action, and go this season. We cannot see it happening though."
It was the most fascinating conversation that I have had in a while, amazing. It surprised me that the Tifosi wanted a different champ.
I wish Schumy was around now, not the one-tone voice, alcohol loving cyberman from Finland.
from about 1 month ago
Kimmi is the coolest man on the planet, maybe he likes a bevvie, I so wanted him to get a title with McLaren. Only one though, you can have too much of a good thing, except that we need more F1 races.
Can anyone doubt that Schumy would have won in '07 and '08? He would have made none of the serious errors, and he would have no nonsense about a team-mate competing for points. I respect him, as I respect the Wehrmacht, but I don't want their tanks on my lawn and I don't want Schumy back in an F1 car.
Here is my preferred order of champions.
09 Hamilton, just to annoy the people who say he'll never do it again.
10 Kubica, because ugly people need a role model.
11 Massa, to make up for shit luck this year.
12 Vettel, to keep the Germans in the game.
13 Hamilton, so he has as many as Senna
14 Individual racing abolished, competitors have to share a cab, scored on artistic interpretation.
I ought to go bed.
about 1 month ago
09 Hamilton, just to annoy the people who say he'll never do it again.
10 Kubica, because ugly people need a role model.
11 Massa, to make up for shit luck this year.
12 Vettel, to keep the Germans in the game.
13 Hamilton, so he has as many as Senna
14 Individual racing abolished, competitors have to share a cab, scored on artistic interpretation.
DUNCAN , Lovin this bit , on Alex Cowleys Article about the F1 cars being ugly in 09 , I said not as ugly as Kubica and a few others , so its weird that the next article I come to you make the statement about Kubica winning to give ugly people a hero , Funny .
Although the 2014 one sounds a bit scary , two team mates in a car together , one would feel left out as he is passenger , unless they swap driver at the pit stop , apart from that if the car crashes heavily then we have 2 hurt F1 stars , that would be disaster .
I like 2009 and 2013 tho :0) Hamilton to take a plae with the mighty Mr Senna would be awesome , but it may break Massa's heart if Ham gets level with AS first .
Oh and Schumi looks freaky there , He looks like that ugly british MP the one who was boning one of the cheeky girls , Lembit something ? .......But anyway Schumi looks ugly-er , damn hes ugly as it is with his Swinging Jaw , he wants to lay off the crack cocaine a bit ha ha .
about 1 month ago
Well, well, Duncan my friend---"consistency they say is the hallmark of donkeys" or so is the belief at FIA if one goes by your contentions---but let me say this, you can't hate a man for winning---wouldn't it be boring if Lewis won all the races and all the WDC's from here to hell? I dunno mate! Does having a different driver and a different team win every year count for a competitive sport, well, hard to tell---this season I hated the mishaps, I hated the gaffes, I hated the penalties, I hated a lot of things--the driver errors, the failed engines--not only single race was free from some stupid stunt or the other---so for me, the sport is not good enough
about 1 month ago
May be it does need another hero--let's put Bernie back at the wheel!
about 1 month ago
Valentino! The Doctor does have another test for Ferrari ... Two days 20th and 21st this month .... Loeb ... He has another test too!
How about Jenson or Nick to try to kid everyone that beards are cool ..... ?
How about Piquet to prove that .... nah forget that one! It ain't gonna happen!
How about Anthony Davidson to prove that you can be 3 foot tall and still drive an F1 car.....?
about 1 month ago
Lewis isnt all that brilliant as for having a lot of schummie i say yes, he is brilliant and i dont know why they said he made it boring i disagree he made it exciting for me. i never ever got bored with his races and him winning. he is my hero and still is my hero. Lewis still has a lot to learn.
about 1 month ago
i lke to see ferrari win year after year by a single point
write a new comment