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Schumi?s homecoming
Hockenheim, has never been a particularly good track for him.
Now that Kimi Raikkonen has announced that he intends to spoil Schumi’s homecoming at German Grand Prix, there’s a rare admission from Michael Schumacher as well. Hold your breath, the Red Baron announces he is apprehensive that he may not emerge triumphant on home ground at Hockenheim. Now, the hard-as-nail champion is not exactly known for modesty.
And with the form he is in (10 victories in 11 races) this season, the announcement is significant. “It has never been a good track for me,” said the 35-year-old champion.
As McLaren fans would tell you, Kimi has age on his side. But then as the Tifosi would argue, Schumi is the greatest driver of this generation. His victory – the second at Silverstone in three years – came thanks to a two-stop strategy that bettered the three-stop tactics of most of his rivals.
The way he made a mockery of pole star Kimi Raikkonen and the rest of the pack after the first round of pit-stops only underlines his brilliance at Silverstone.
A truly freak rollover at Silverstone was the dramatic high-speed crash involving Jarno Trulli. The Renault driver called it the biggest shunt of his career. Still, Trulli claims, there was no time to get scared, even when he was taken to the medical centre for
examination.
In other interesting news, Michael’s younger brother Ralf has signed up for Toyota, in a three-year contract beginning 2005. This may spell trouble for Williams but F-1 aficionados are all revved up at the possibility of another shift in drivers. The possibility of Juan Pablo Montoya going to McLaren can have some exciting repercussions. In tandem with Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren could begin a partnership that has the potential to touch the heights of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
With almost half the season gone, the strategising is at its most frenetic. But Kimi’s brilliant showing at Silverstone has spiced up an otherwise dull year. Will Schumi hit another home run at Hockenheim? Watch this space.
