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Greig's magic moment |
17/03/08 |
For me my favourite Ferrari moment was Michael Schumacher clinching his
first title for Ferrari at Suzuka in 2000. The tension for the race was
unbearable and the relief when he crossed the line to take the win was
magnificent.
As a Ferrari fan since the early 90’s I never had to wait as long for a
title as some of other Tifosi but it was still a pretty long time to
wait. But in 2000 in the early hours of the morning in the UK I got up
out of my bed to witness Michael Schumacher delivering what he had
promised us when he arrived in 1996. The 2000 season was very close and
it seemed to swing towards Michael then to Mika on a race by race basis,
after Mika has won at Spa and Hungary it was looking like we were going
to miss out again.
But Ferrari know how to fight back and Michael never gives in, wins at
Monza and Indianapolis put him back in the driving seat for the title.
With two races to go Michael could actually have finished 2nd in both
and still won the title, but that’s not his style. So Suzuka it was and
although it was not the title decider it was still a tense occasion.
Michael could win it here or maybe it would go to the last race of the
season, and after the heartbreak of losing titles on the last day in
97,98 and 99 I personally did not want to wait for the final race,
neither did Michael is seems.
Michael and Mika delivered their very best that weekend, they secured
the front row with Michael on pole position and they drove on another
planet to the others in the race. Normally I am very nervous at the
start of a race, this occasion was no exception probably worse in fact.
Then as they sat on the grid the TV camera’s picked up blue smoke from
the engine of Mika’s McLaren. Now Mika retiring is not the best way to
win so thankfully it was not a terminal problem and the race was go.
Schumacher got away well, thankfully no stall as in 1998 but Mika was
away even better and it was the McLaren that dove into turn 1 in the
lead.
From that turn to the end the race was a bit of a blur, both drove
supremely trading fastest laps with each other as Mika could not pull
away from the Ferrari. Michael had his prey in sight and he was hunting
it down. Mika led the race with Michael chasing for a long time, too
long I seem to remember but come a little bit of drizzle and a slippery
track Michael made his ability in those conditions pay off. As Michael
pulled away from his pitstop for the second time that day the race was
going to be decided. Michael had put in blistering laps to make up a
lead on Mika and when he dropped the pit lane limiter and burst back
onto the track he was the pit straight ahead and had one hand on the
title he so much desired.
The final laps of the race seemed to go on forever as I willed that
Ferrari to the chequered flag, nothing to do now but hope and pray it
keeps going and no mistake. Schumacher nearly comes together with
someone (I really cant remember who) as he laps him at the chicane,
heart in mouth time, then Michael gets is out of shape in the 130R
corner, he so nearly lost it in that moment, but no he gathered the rear
end and went on as normal! Last lap and now I believe it is certain,
Mika is not letting me be so sure though, he actually does the fastest
first split of the race as he pushes Michael all the way. But no need to
panic Michael is going to do it, and do it he does and as he crosses
that line and beats his steering with his fists I am on cloud nine,
screaming at the TV and generally waking up the whole house!
It takes a while to sink in, its like 7am or something and the day is
just beginning, and what a day it was, the day a Ferrari driver was once
again champion of the world, I certainly won’t ever forger that day and
the feelings it gave me. |
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