Sooner or later, and certainly before the end of the current F1 season, you hope that the men behind Mercedes Sport, techno-whizz Ross Brawn and cigar-chomping Norbert Haug, will take Michael Schumacher to one side and say: ‘You know Michael, it’s been great having you here, but Corinna’s not such a bad old stick to spend time with, is she? Why not go back to Lake Geneva and take things easy with the missus? We’ll see you at the track next season — but not in a car.’
Because, make no mistake, after the synapse-stunning tedium of the opening Bahrain Grand Prix, the second race last weekend showed that this could be an electrifying year of motor-racing. In Melbourne there was a host of tangy pleasures. Not least Schumacher’s solitary point, and second defeat by teammate Nico Rosberg.
It’s a great relief that the old lion hasn’t just wandered back behind a wheel and found the whole thing a cakewalk. The opposite in fact, and the young guns are thrillingly keen to tweak his tail. Countryman Sebastian Vettel is streets ahead of course — if only he could find a car that can finish — and Schumacher spent most of the race trying to pass Toro Rosso’s Jaime Alguersuari, before the younger driver locked wheels with the former champion as he overtook. The Spaniard is half his rival’s age: he had just had his first birthday when Schumacher started in F1, but there wasn’t much forelock-tugging going on in Melbourne.
The Bahrain boo-boys said the race changes would make for boring racing. Not so: Jenson Button’s decision to come in before anyone else to change from wet weather tyres to dry weather slicks was inspired. His whole race was an outstanding piece of driving, and the battle between the two McLaren champions, Jenson and Lewis Hamilton, is coming along nicely.
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in