The most amusing thing I see is that peopel have this hatred for Ferrari and always assume that everything they imagine about them is true no matter what.
I don't particularly like them more than any other team. But Schumi was by far the best driver of recent times at least and to take that away would be churlish. Yet other drivers get accolades for being OK.
Actually I'm a big fan of Italian cars. Which is why it saddens me so much to see what Ferrari has become.
I think that there has been a fundamental shift in ideology at Ferrari since the Brawn, Byrne, Schumacher era. Which has resulted in all of the incidents of cheating that people always quote in these cases.
I think that you have entirely misunderstood the genius of Schumacher too.
When I think of all of the outstanding examples of driving skill we have witnessed from Schumi over the years....it doesn't take long. He won most of his races in the pits, thanks to the phenominal tactical skills of the Ferrari team.
His immense skill has been in psychology and attaining an almost evangelical buy in from Ferrari.
He started his F1 career by showing other drivers that he would have no qualms about ramming them off the track if they tried to pass him. Pretty soon nobody would challenge him because they didn't want to have to explain to Frank/Ron/Flav etc. why their car was on the other side of the circuit with 3 wheels, better to just get some points for second.
He convinced Ferrari to make him unconditional No.1. The importance of this is never to be underestimated (I haven't done the maths, if Alonso had been forced to let Lewis pass him at every race would he have sewn up the championship already?). Building a competition car is always a compromise. If you concentrate on building a car with characteristics to suit the style of No.1 driver and just throw the scraps to No.2 you minimise that compromise. The No.2 driver will always adapt and learn to drive the car, which is probably why they always had to hold Rubens back at the end of the season.
Ferrari also bought into creating the psychological myth that Schumi was unbeatable. Remember all those times he retired a perfectly healthy car with some cock and bull story just because he was being beaten? It's important psychologically to maintain the myth amongst other drivers that they have never beaten you, better to just get some points for second.
The Ferrari, Brawn, Byrne, Schumi combination really was a "dream team". It's just a shame that they never let things like rules or sportsmanship get in their way.
... they deserve each other ... :razz:
