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Journalism of Courage
Everywhere F1 followers gather, whether fans or hacks on the beat or the men who make the wheels move, the question pops up: So, how is Schumi going to get out of this one? What price a Ferrari revival?
For the answer, look at 2003. Ferrari had a similar wobbly start that season, as McLaren with Kimi Raikkonen at the helm racked up three straight wins (one of which was subsequently awarded to Jordan). The points after three races read: McLaren-Mercedes (36 points) in the lead, followed by Renault (23) and Ferrari and BMW Honda on 16.
Ferrari’s fightback began at Imola, where Schumacher won and Barrichello came third. Ferrari followed it up with wins in Spain and Austria and the contest was effectively over.
So when Schumacher looks at calendar, sees 16 races left this season, and says ‘‘we mustn’t be fooled by the first few races; the season is very long this time, so a lot can still happen’’, you know he’s not building castles in the air. He hasn’t broken every driving record to talk big.
The signs were ominous at Bahrain, when a good start was undone by engine trouble. Once the new car takes off, and Ferrari’s crew have not lost their bearings in toto, you can bet on the Red Revival. Most of the remaining races will be on cooler circuits where there is less pressure on the engines and so the drivers can push harder. That will be grist to Schumacher’s mill.
