CAR deputy editor John Bentley asks if Michael Schumacher really is as good as Fangio.
Is Michael Schumacher really as good as Fangio? Stirling Moss, along with many of racing’s oldtimers, doesn’t think so.
The truth of the matter is, heroes are linked to eras. Would Michael have been as accomplished behind the wheel of a ’50s Formula One car as he is in the Ferrari F-2002? And how would Fangio have fared in a modern racer?
The only basis we have for comparing past and present heroes is the statistics. And, like it or not, Schumacher has matched Fangio’s record, a feat that did not seem remotely possible when he joined Ferrari in 1996. His detractors say he is a lucky driver, but his determination and ability have been responsible for turning what was once a no-hoper team into the dominant force in Formula One.
Fangio and Schumacher have their places in history, but who will be the next Formula One great? Flavio Briatore, in justifying his unceremonious dumping of Jenson Button for next season, says he owes it to team owners Renault to find "the next Michael Schumacher". He appears to believe Fernando Alonso is the man.
Many fans believe Juan-Pablo Montoya is bound for the No 1 slot. But I would like to advance 22-year-old Kimi Raikkonen as the strongest pretender to Schumi’s crown. At Magny-Cours, his once-precocious talent turned into true genius. He comprehensively outpaced team-mate David Coulthard, and took the fight to the leaders in his "no-hoper" McLaren.
The race was his as he held off Schumacher in masterly fashion. Then, with only laps to go, he slithered on the oil dropped by Allan McNish’s blown Toyota. But, mark my words, that first victory – the first of many – is not far off.
– John Bentley
