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Telegraph
03-06-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Max Verstappen vs Michael Schumacher: Why German great still the benchmark for dirty driving
In Telegraph Sport' s most recent Formula One driver ratings, I wrote that Max Verstappen was channelling Michael Schumacher in the 1990s. This was in reference to his ability to compete in a car that was not the fastest. In Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix, he took this imitation to extremes by petulantly crashing into George Russell's Mercedes. Clearly, both champions possess immense talent, but also the tendency to cross the line in high-stakes moments. After Verstappen's latest misdemeanour we list, compare and analyse the most famous and controversial incidents from each man to assess whether it is Verstappen or Schumacher who has a worse reputation for their on-track antics. Schumacher vs Hill, Australian Grand Prix 1994 The first significant black mark of Michael Schumacher's F1 career came in the season-deciding Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide. Heading into the race, Benetton's Schumacher led the Williams of Damon Hill by a single point in the standings. Running first and second in championship order on track on lap 36, Schumacher made a mistake at the East Terrace corner and hit the wall, heavily damaging his Benetton. Hill did not see this but did see Schumacher rejoining the track. He tried to take his opportunity by putting his Williams up the inside at turn six. Schumacher was having none of it. He took the corner almost as normal, crashing into Hill before tipping up onto two wheels, sliding into the barriers and retiring. The damage to Hill's car was enough to put him out of the race, meaning Schumacher became champion. Written off by many at the time as a racing incident, Schumacher can clearly be seen looking in his mirrors to see where Hill was. Inexcusable driving. Schumacher vs Villeneuve, European Grand Prix 1997 In Ferrari colours this time, Schumacher faced another rival at Williams in 1997: Jacques Villeneuve. Once more, he led by a single point heading into the final round, this time at Jérez. On lap 48 Villeneuve saw an opportunity when Schumacher left the door wide open on the run down to turn six. The Canadian dived up the inside of the Ferrari. Yet again Schumacher drove the corner as if his competitor was not there, slamming his front-right tyre into Villeneuve's left sidepod. Unlike in 1994, this time, Ferrari slid impotently into the gravel trap, becoming beached and retiring. Justice was not yet served, though, as Villeneuve still needed to score two points. He finished third, claiming a maiden title. Schumacher was eventually disqualified from the championship – a fair punishment for an incident that tainted his reputation further. Michael Schumacher led Jacques Villeneuve by a single point going into 1997's final race... We saw one of #F1 's great season finales! #HistoryAwaits 🍿 — Formula 1 (@F1) December 7, 2021 Monaco Grand Prix qualifying, 2006 By 2006 Schumacher had racked up a record seven world championships. But 2005 was a fallow year, with Renault's Fernando Alonso taking the honours in a season during which the Ferrari driver won just a single grand prix. The following year was different, as the apprentice took on the master in closely matched machinery. As it is today, qualifying was of supreme importance in Monaco. With two seconds left on the clock and on provisional pole ahead of Alonso, Schumacher appeared to overcook it at the Rascasse hairpin, stopping on track. The yellow flags came out. That meant Alonso had to slow, compromising his final flying lap and robbing him of a chance to snatch pole. Schumacher claimed he stalled accidentally. The stewards disagreed and sent him to the back of the grid. Alonso won the race the next day with Schumacher fifth. Masterclass para asegurarse la pole en Mónaco Michael Schumacher aparcó accidentalmente el coche en la rascasse de Mónaco, impidiendo así a los demás pilotos cerrar su vuelta y evitando que le quiten la pole 👏 — MarioRZ (@mariorz_) December 30, 2024 Schumacher vs Barrichello, 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix While a motorbike accident and three seasons out may have dimmed Schumacher's abilities somewhat, his ruthlessness was as strong as ever on his Mercedes return. Fighting for 10th with his old Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello in Hungary, Schumacher squeezed the Williams on the pit straight, leaving him barely a foot from a concrete wall at 180mph. 'He should be black-flagged for that… it was horrible,' was the Brazilian's initial reaction from the cockpit. Yet again Schumacher maintained his innocence. Yet again the stewards disagreed, handing him a 10-place grid penalty for the next race. Sir Jackie Stewart said it was 'one of the most blatant abuses of another driver' that he had ever seen. Verstappen Verstappen vs Hamilton, Saudi Arabia 2021 In a scene that was repeated numerous times (see also Monza) throughout a season that was high in intensity and even higher on controversy, Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were battling for the lead towards the end of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the penultimate race of the season. First, Verstappen appeared to run Hamilton off the outside of the track at turn one as the Briton attempted an overtake. Hamilton called him 'f------ crazy, man!', with Verstappen being told by his team to surrender the lead and give the place back 'strategically'. Taking that advice, Verstappen decided to let Hamilton pass on the back straight before reaching the DRS detection line. This would give him a high-speed advantage over the Mercedes on the pit straight. Hamilton was clearly not expecting this and ended up slamming into the back of the Red Bull when it slowed dramatically. 'He just brake-tested me!' Hamilton cried on the radio. Verstappen was trying to be smart and failed, but this was not exactly dastardly. Still, Hamilton crossed the line first and Verstappen finished second, even after a 10-second penalty for the crash. VERSTAPPEN BRAKE TESTS HAMILTON!!!! #F1 #SaudiArabianGP — Mr Matthew F1 (@NotMrMatthewF1) December 5, 2021 Verstappen vs Norris, Austria 2024 The first flare-up of Lando Norris and Verstappen's rivalry took place in Austria, after a tense duel for the lead over numerous laps. Following a couple of botched attempts to take the lead, Norris tried to brake later on the outside of the turn-three hairpin, but was forced wide by Verstappen, who appeared to move across the track in the braking zone, squeezing Norris to the outside. The Red Bull's rear-left tyre touched the McLaren's rear right on the way into the corner. Both men picked up punctures. As Norris tried to make his way around the outside, Verstappen ran him wide again. On the run down to turn four, Verstappen again did his best to keep Norris – who was carrying a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits – behind, forcing the McLaren onto the grass. Norris eventually retired with enormous damage to his car caused by the failing tyre, while Verstappen finished fifth after a 10-second penalty for causing a collision. It's a 10 SECOND PENALTY for Max Verstappen for causing a collision with Lando Norris! ⏱⚠ — Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) June 30, 2024 Verstappen vs Norris, Mexico 2024 Austria was not the last clash between the pair that season. While Verstappen was firm but most likely fair in his battle with the Briton in Austin, the same cannot be said of what happened a week later in Mexico City. Defending third from the McLaren, Verstappen first forced Norris onto the grass at the second chicane, with Norris keeping the position. Verstappen then took it upon himself to right that perceived injustice. He did so by dive-bombing the McLaren at the high-speed turn seven, carrying far too much speed to take the corner. Norris, on the outside, took evasive action and lost the place. It was fortunate there was no crash. There was, however, a 10-second penalty for the Red Bull driver for each incident. New angles of THAT Verstappen-Norris clash in Mexico 🇲🇽👀 — Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 29, 2024 Verstappen vs Russell, Spain 2025 Slowing down to appear to let the Mercedes of Russell through – as his team had instructed him to do – Verstappen then accelerated towards turn five and crashed into the side of the Mercedes. It certainly looked more blatant and intentional than anything in his career, and definitely more inexcusable. Verstappen's antics on Sunday are in some ways the most egregious of these instances, largely because of how inexplicable it was. He did not do so when defending or trying to gain a position, but did so after slowing and then carrying such excessive speed into the corner that the only route was playing dodgems with Russell. Max Verstappen is told to let George Russell through and then the two collide! 😲 — Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) June 1, 2025 Verdict In some ways it is difficult to compare across eras. Schumacher drove (largely) in a different time to Verstappen. It was a period when every minor incident did not warrant a stewards' investigation and where 'racing incident' was often the outcome, even if one driver was clearly more to blame. Yet there are many similarities in their respective approaches to driving as well as their ability behind the wheel. Namely a win-at-all-costs ruthlessness. Fairness rarely comes into it and neither does contrition or apology. Quite often when they have wronged, they feel they have been wronged themselves. That said, there are a few differences between how Verstappen and Schumacher have operated, even in their most damning moments. Verstappen is clearly a driver who wants to use the literal interpretation of the racing guidelines to his advantage. His concern is primarily with keeping the position, but also doing that by getting as close to crossing the line as he can without actually incurring a penalty. Sometimes it looks smart, sometimes it looks ruthless and other times it looks unfair. Schumacher was different – he too often drove like the line did not even exist. It is difficult to look at any of the above examples of Verstappen at his worst and conclude that they are worse than even the weakest of Schumacher's transgressions.
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The untold story of Oscar Piastri's rise from Stirling Moss's boarding school to F1 title favourite
Oscar Piastri is practically the only sportsman in the world known to have turned up early for an interview. It is a punctual trait that seems to underline the observation made by Damon Hill that the world championship leader was the kind of schoolboy to have his pencils sharpened in front of him on his desk.
Top Gear
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Question of the Week: what was the best ever F1 race at Silverstone?
Question of the Week: what was the best ever F1 race at Silverstone? It's 75 years since the first ever Formula 1 World Championship race was held at Silverstone: which is the finest? Skip 4 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Turn on Javascript to see all the available pictures. 1 / 4 This week marks the 75th anniversary of the first-ever Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, which was held at Silverstone and attended by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth - still the only instance where a reigning monarch went to the British GP. Quite a milestone for the track, then, but which of its 59 F1 championship races so far has been the best? Here are a few starters for 10 to get you thinking... 1987: Nigel Mansell made up almost half a minute on the leader before selling him a quite audacious dummy, diving into the apex and shutting the door. Mansell went on to win that race. Four years later, the iconic image of Nige taxiing Ayrton Senna back to the pits happened at Silverstone too - another standout moment in British GP folklore. Advertisement - Page continues below Fast-forward to 1995: championship contenders Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill have at it. Hill's two-stop strategy to Schumacher's one meant he was on the chase in the race's final third, and when his fresher tyres did eventually allow him to catch up, the two collided in quite remarkable fashion. Through went Brentwood's own Johnny Herbert - a Le Mans 24hr winner in the Mazda 787B - withstanding fierce pressure from David Coulthard and Jean Alesi to snatch his first of three wins in the sport. Absolute scenes. Or how about Lewis Hamilton's sensational wet weather masterclass in 2008? Seven drivers retired, largely due to the conditions, but a still baby-faced Lewis demonstrated maturity and experience that belied his tender age. After taking the lead on the fifth lap, he went on to lap every single car on the grid barring those that met him on the podium. That was impressive, but was it as impressive as his three-wheeled finish in 2020? With a comfortable lead over championship rival Max Verstappen, a puncture took out his front left tyre on the last lap, and suddenly, a certain victory became a very uncomfortable situation. There was a 30-second gap between the two, and Verstappen gave it his absolute all to catch the Brit… to no avail. Somehow, Hamilton managed to nurse his three-wheeled Mercedes over the line to clinch what was his seventh win on home soil. What do we think, folks? Perhaps you remember some of the early days of Nino Farina, Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss or Jim Clark? We'd love to hear your stories in the comments section below, and we'll round up the very best for a results post on Friday. Advertisement - Page continues below Top Gear Newsletter Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. Success Your Email*
Daily Record
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Record
The high speed karting experience just 20 minutes from Glasgow that kids and adults will love
A trip to Larkhall could be just the answer to a thrilling summer activity with the kids. Parents in Glasgow with little adrenaline junkies or budding racing drivers to entertain might find the perfect day out just 20 minutes from the city. Larkhall Circuit, home to what organisers claim is the longest outdoor karting track in Scotland, promises an unforgettable go karting experience for thrill seekers of all ages. Stretching an impressive 1140 metres, the track is described by the company behind it as the "best place to experience the sport of karting". Thanks to its international circuit status, Larkhall Circuit regularly hosts major events like the British Championships, as well as frequent races from the West of Scotland Kart Club, Glasgow Live reported. According to its website: 'Larkhall Circuit was built on the site of Summerlee Colliery in 1961. In 2019 the track received significant redevelopment and investment, which has resulted in Larkhall Circuit being able to lay claim to being the most technical karting track in the UK and the longest track in Scotland. "As part of the redevelopment, the track was extended and many new safety features were installed, ensuring a world class facility for both drivers and spectators. 'The track is well-known for being home to the WSKC Karting club. However the Larkhall Track is open to the public, companies, private groups and available all year round for events, conferences and team days out. Within the circuit complex, you'll find the impressive Kart Republic Cafe.' Racers can take to the track either solo or as part of a group session with friends and family, while spectators can enjoy indoor and outdoor viewing areas to catch all the action and see who takes the chequered flag. There's also a cafe on-site for anyone needing to refuel, pun intended. Ideal for all skill levels, from total beginners to experienced karters, the circuit provides everything needed for a spin around the track, including helmets, gloves, balaclavas, suits and, of course, the kart itself. Junior drivers aged seven to 13 can hop into mini karts designed with fixed seats, roll bars and four-point seat belts for maximum safety without skimping on fun. Older drivers can enjoy 'arrive and drive' sessions in powerful 390cc karts that can hit speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Just off the M74, the circuit is easy to reach from Glasgow, and has welcomed a number of big names over the years. Past visitors include former F1 stars David Coulthard MBE and Damon Hill, IndyCar legend Dario Franchitti, and current F1 driver Lando Norris. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Larkhall Circuit has earned a solid 4.5-star rating on Tripadvisor, with visitors praising both the quality of the track and the overall experience. One reviewer shared: 'Was really impressed couldn't believe the size and quality of the track and facilities went here with friends had an excellent time will definitely go back again 10 out of 10.' Another wrote: 'Visited Larkhall circuit with a bunch of friends after seeing a post on Facebook. Wasn't sure what to expect but wow what a fun day. "The track is really impressive, and the karts are super fast. The staff were really lovely and gave us a full safety briefing beforehand etc. Would 100 percent recommend and go back in the future. A hidden gem for a great day of fun.'
The Independent
18-03-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Inside F1's scheduling problem and why Australian Grand Prix has the answer
Twenty years ago, the last iteration of the Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide concluded the 1995 Formula One season. Pole-sitter Damon Hill won the race at a canter, while title winner Michael Schumacher retired after a collision with Jean Alesi. However, the most remarkable fact from the event was that the whole weekend welcomed 520,000 fans. It is an all-time F1 attendance record which, despite the sport's peak popularity ratings currently, still stands to this day as the only race to attract half a million spectators. But Albert Park in Melbourne, hosts since 1996, is getting there. This year's event, spread over four days, attracted 465,498 people – an increase of over 140,000 since the street circuit last hosted the season-opener in 2019 – and more significantly, 350,000 more than last year's season-opener in Bahrain. From media sessions and the rough-and-tough Australian Supercars on Thursday to a thrillingly chaotic grand prix in the rain on Sunday, Albert Park exuded a fervent atmosphere throughout the entire weekend. You only needed to hear the rapturous noise from the grandstands when hometown hero Oscar Piastri delicately reversed his car out of the grass as the drama peaked in the 58-lap grand prix. It was a fever-pitch opening to a fever-pitch season. 'It's certainly been more significant this year, having the season-opener,' says Travis Auld, the CEO of the Australian GP Corporation and former Aussie Rules executive, tells The Independent. 'You've got Lewis in red, you've got Oscar, you've got the 75th anniversary of F1. You've got new drivers on track. There's so much interest and the sport is doing so well. 'We're definitely the envy of most sports around the world.' The electrifying vibe doesn't just end at Albert Park, a stone's throw from St Kilda Beach to the south of the city. Wandering aimlessly down the Yarra Promenade, to the side of the Yarra River which intertwines through Melbourne CBD and beyond, the streets are decked out in huge merchandise stalls, one for every team. There is a Ferrari simulator, with a child jubilant in the cockpit as he rashly negotiates the street circuit. And further east, at Melbourne Park (home of the Australian Open) is a festival where thousands of fans – those unfortunate enough not to land a grand prix ticket – gather for driver appearances and live music. For one week only, the entire sport has taken over Melbourne – one of the world's great sporting cities. It is a far cry from two decades ago when the 'Save Albert Park' rally group, which still calls for the 'total and permanent termination of motor racing in Albert Park Reserve', was at its peak. 'It's about bringing the best of Melbourne to Albert Park and vice-versa,' Auld says. 'Walking through the circuit, you'll see iconic Melbourne brands. We have themed the entire airport with F1. For those who were here last year, they will have seen a lot of things which are different. We have to keep innovating and pushing the boundaries. 'The sheer scale is extraordinary. Our demographic has changed a lot – last year, 43% of our attendees were female and the audience is getting younger, with more families. For F1, who have four lucrative races in the Middle East, which are forced to be either at the start of the season or the end due to the scorching summer temperatures, it presents something of a quandary over the next decade. Australia has a long-term contract with the sport until 2037 and despite serious interest from Sydney, Melbourne is set to remain the host for the future after a record-breaking capacity for this event. They have an agreement to host three more season-openers over the next decade. But after the soaring success of this year's event, how can F1 really look away from their jewel in the crown down under for race No. 1? 'We like to shape the narrative of the season,' Auld adds, playing down the rivalry with Bahrain for the first race. 'We want to be the best, but we've noticed quite a collaborative approach from promoters. We like to celebrate each other's success. 'But I do think we've raised the bar this year.' One obvious argument against Australia is the time zone. For a UK audience, a 4am start time was far from ideal to see Hamilton make his Ferrari bow. While Auld ruled out a night race in the near future, a slight modification of the start time to later in the day was not dismissed out of hand. Yet F1 is fast becoming a truly worldwide sport, steering away from its Euro-centric roots. A rotational policy for races at the end of this decade, with Spa-Francorchamps the first race confirmed to be held once every two years, also signifies F1's ever-expanding appeal. And while Australia can keep attracting a record number of patrons, it seems an obvious location to launch the season. It is currently vying with Silverstone and Austin to be the first modern-day race to reach half a million spectators, something Auld acknowledges as a 'magic number.' Could it happen in the next few years? 'We have a new train station next year which will help,' he says, admitting that the event could have released more tickets this year. 'We need to invest in more infrastructure and overpasses. So if we do reach half a million, we'll do it in the right way. 'We have to preserve the magic of this event.'
