Barrichello v Schumacher - Hungarian GP close shave

Formula One's Bravest Man - Rubens Barrichello

Michael Schumacher has drawn widespread criticism and a steward's penalty for his tactics against Rubens Barrichello during the Hungarian Grand Prix. Schumacher claims his racing manoeuvre against the Williams driver on lap 66 was tough but fair, whilst Barrichello says it was "the most dangerous thing that I’ve ever been through."

At the end of lap 65, Barrichello lined up Michael Schumacher coming onto the main straight. The Brazilian was on fresh tyres and had been piling the pressure on Schumacher for a number of laps. Michael had been a little untidy through the final corner and it gave Barrichello a great opportunity to get in front.

As they reached the start-finish line Rubens moved right to assume the inside for turn one. Michael also moved right and started defending his position. Barrichello was able to move quicker and pushed his front wheel alongside Michael's rear. However, Schumacher did not stop moving right and continued to squeeze Rubens towards the concrete barrier. Even when the Williams was completely alongside, Michael continued to close the door.

Only the timely end of the pitwall saved both drivers from a monumental accident.

The onboard footage from Barrichello's car is breathtaking. At 250kph he went for a gap that was only a few inches wider than his car and had to use the pitlane exit and the grass to avoid a monster collision. Don't ever doubt Barrichello's bravery because that move took some serious commitment.

Schumacher’s chop across the Williams was not only dangerous, but ultimately unnecessary.

After seeing the incident on television for the first time, Barrichello said "It was the very first time I saw the image from the front and with it you can see his helmet is tucked to the side. So he is looking into my wheel, so he is at that point not choosing his line. He is choosing his line against my wheel and that is what I complained about on the radio two laps before ... He can say whatever that I should have gone on the outside, but from that camera you can see that whenever I decided to go right he is in the middle of the track, so I have the choice to go either way. Obviously going to the inside was more of a chance for me to overtake, and I went for it. He kept on coming and that is where the disgrace is."

Schumacher received a penalty after the stewards judged that he "illegitimately impeded Car 9 during an overtaking manoeuvre” and will drop ten places on the grid at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Michael and his Mercedes bosses have argued that his driving was tough but completely within the rules, and their argument is not without merit.

Schumacher said "Obviously there was space enough to go through. We didn't touch, so I guess I just left enough space for him to come through. I'm known not to give presents on the track. If you want to pass me you have to fight for it, and so it was."

He added in another interview "I think I left him too much room because he passed."

Not surprisingly, Ross Brawn shared a similar view said the incident was "pretty tough. A tough move by Michael and a tough decision by the stewards. I don't think for a moment that Michael was trying to put Rubens in the wall, but he was trying to discourage him from coming down the inside because he thought that was where he would be vulnerable. But at the end of the day he gave him enough space. You can argue that it was marginal but, tough racing."

Schumacher and Brawn are not of line by suggesting the manoeuvre was fair. Michael moved across the track just once, and did so gradually. He did not swerve violently and did not change the speed at which he moved right. He still left Barrichello enough room to pass, and although it wasn't a lot of room, it was still enough. It was a very aggressive move but there is a case for stating that it was entirely within the rules.

The stewards weighed up both arguments and came to the right conclusion.

What Michael did wrong is that he continued to move right once Barrichello had pulled alongside. When Rubens had his wheel on the inside of Michael it was clear that he was not going to pass him on the left, and at that point, Schumacher should have given Rubens more room. Even if Barrichello had lifted, the two car’s wheels might have interlocked and sparked a horror collision. There was no advantage in squeezing the Williams further and all Michael did was increase the risk of an accident.

The stewards were right to impose a penalty because the manoeuvre was unnecessary, although it is worth keeping some perspective on the incident. Schumacher's crime wasn't to push Rubens towards the wall initially, but to make the move much tighter than it had to be.

Michael Schumacher will always be a magnet for controversy.

Posted by Martin Porter. - Follow him on twitter @mpondaweb.

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Last Comment Posted »

• Yikes, that is a nasty spill!

  I wonder what penalty they would have given Schuey if he kept moving across and DID casue an accident? How long...
  by MartyP
  [ click here to read in full ]