Sunday, October 22, 2006 Pages: What makes Schumi great? By John Pages Matchpoint
His first name is Michael. Just like Jordan and Johnson and Powell and Douglas and J. Fox and Jackson, billions recognize his name.
This Michael was born on January 3, 1969 to a family that wasn’t among the wealthiest in Kerpen, Germany: dad Rolf worked as a bricklayer while mom Elisabeth helped in a canteen.
Four years old. That’s when it all began. While other children that age twirl marbles on their fingers, build Lego blocks and climb monkey-bars, this four-year-old drove a car. No, not a Ferrari— not yet— but a go-kart.
At age four, Michael slipped on a helmet, started the engine, revved it, and punished the pedal. Zoom!
This Michael is no other Michael than Schumacher. Their family wasn’t well-off. The most his dad could afford was a pedal-kart fitted with an engine—a motorcycle engine.
But Michael didn’t mind. He was four, festive, feeling fortunate. Soon, karting became an obsession, led by the mechanical genius of the older Schumacher and the talent of the young Michael. His dad Rolf’s technical prowess allowed him to work a second job repairing go-karts at the local track.
By the age of five—when most children learn to bike—Michael learned to race. He joined his first race, beamed, and the year after, snatched his first kart championship.
“My overriding memory of childhood,” recalls Michael, “is having the freedom to decide which way to go in life and having my parents’ support.”
Dads and Moms, in today’s era of often too-much-pressure-on-our-kids, let’s learn from Michael’s parents: Give our children “the freedom to decide” and give them “our support.”
Fast forward to today, October 22, and over 33 years since he first sat aboard the go-kart, Schumacher is waving a white flag with the sign, “Bon Voyage.”
The past 33 years have been unlike any in history. “Schumi” has millions of critics but none of them can argue against his results. He has broken almost every single record in F1 history.
Most championship titles (7). Most consecutive titles (5). Most race wins (71). Most race wins at the same Grand Prix (8, at the French GP). Most podium finishes (154). Most championship points (1,364). The list goes on and on…
Accolades? Here’s one: the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award, which he won in 2002 and 2004, joining Lance Armstrong, Roger Federer and Tiger Woods as winners.
But Schumi’s done even better: In the Laureus’ seven-year history, no one has been nominated more times (five out of seven) than The Man in Red.
“Schumi is my favorite driver,” says Jay-Jay Neri, the Vice-President for Marketing at Sun.Star Publications Network and an avid F1 fan, “because he, in my opinion, is the best of all time. He is the Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods of F1.
I find Schumi to be the ultimate professional, one who does his best and never gives up. He always makes the most of his equipment and wins in cars that should not be capable of winning. There will never be another like him and I think some, if not most, of his records will never be broken.”
Well said, Jay.
Here’s another testimonial—from Matteo Guidicelli. You know Matteo. You’ve stared at the giant billboards and gazed at the window panes of Penshoppe and stood awed at his handsome face. Matteo, 16, is one of Cebu’s top sportsmen.
“I just finished practice,” Matteo told me when I rang him up at 7 p.m. the other night. “We have a touring car race tomorrow in Batangas.”
I asked the 2004 RP Karter of the Year about Schumi.
“He’s the best. He’s the one I idolize the most. From the time I started (he first rode when he was 11), I’ve always looked up to him. In fact, Schumi and I have one thing in common. We both started with exactly the same brand of kart. It’s called CRG Racing Karts. An Italian brand.
Here in Cebu, we’ve renamed CRG as the ‘Cebu Racing Group.’ It’s amazing and such a pure coincidence that we both used the same brand.”
What, I asked, makes Schumi great?
“He’s super concentrated. So focused. When he’s driving, the way he talks to his pit crew, it’s so normal. As if they’re just talking on an ordinary phone. He’s also very fit and so dedicated. He adapts well to different conditions, wet or dry.”
What’s your dream?
“I hope to meet Michael in person. That’s my dream. My parents (dad Gianluca and mom Glenna) met him in person I think two years ago at the Malaysian Grand Prix. They shook hands and had a chat. That was cool.”
Matteo, you know what else is cool?
Late next year, you get introduced to Schumi at a European racing track as “Matteo, the future of racing...” You shake his hand, shake your head in disbelief, pose for a picture, and tell him how you marveled at his 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix “escape” and victory that led to his eighth championship title.
