The documentary does what it says on the tin, but it overlooks his flaws and leaves viewers with questions that go unanswered
Who is the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time? That’s a difficult question, but one motorsport fanatics mull over nonetheless. It’s not a straightforward debate, as lots of caveats inevitably apply. From the first F1 season in 1950 to the current 2021 campaign, the pinnacle of racing spans seventy-one years. In that timeframe, there has been 770 drivers. To narrow that lengthy list down, empirical measures can discern between drivers with stats.
Although not entirely the most representative metric, it is the most accurate and reliable indication of an F1 drivers’ talent that’s quantifiable. Judged on this merit, and there has only ever been 33 drivers’ champions in the history of F1. But even this is clouded with the context of time itself. It’s not plausible to compare five-time champion Juan Manuel Fangio in the 1950s with two-time champion Fernando Alonso in the present day, for example.
Both drivers are from completely different eras of the sport, so the circumstances in each scenario are unique and therefore incomparable. Taking this into account, and fans usually select the best drivers from each generation. People then pick the greatest driver from personal preference, often from the era they were born into themselves. One driver whose hat is firmly in the ring of that GOAT discussion without a shadow of a doubt is Michael Schumacher.
His statistics really do speak for themselves. He has won seven titles. He has claimed 91 grand prix victories. He has qualified on pole position 68 times. And he has finished on the podium 155 times. Just mentioning these figures is enough to make you understand the calibre of driver that Schumacher was. For a long time, it was said by much of the commentariat and fans that his achievements would never be eclipsed.
"it makes for an insightful watch into the person he was as much as the driver he became famous for"
But records are there to be broken, something seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton has defied the odds in doing. Until last year then, the accolades that Schumacher had accumulated were the benchmark. But the numbers illustrating his accomplishments don’t tell the story of Schumacher himself and the journey he took on his way to reaching such dazzling success. It’s what recent documentary called Schumacher on Netflix sheds light on.
For those less familiar with Schumacher, especially younger viewers like myself, it makes for an insightful watch into the person he was as much as the driver he became famous for. It’s a documentary that can be watched by those not interested in F1, however it does make for a more engaging experience and reinforces its meaning considerably if you are. It was of particular curiosity to me as I was too young to realize the significance of Schumacher and his relentless dominance, he was before my time.
One aspect you find out during the production is that Schumacher was an extremely private person, and he didn’t like the limelight and hysteria from the media that he was subjected too. This outlook from a sportsperson in such a high-profile position that attained incredible success was naïve to say the least. Stardom and fandom are part of the parcel with his profession, the two go hand in hand. As his career skyrocketed, so would his fanbase. Whether he liked it or not, he is kind of obligated to give back to those that went out of their way to support him.
It’s also part of a pattern in the production that doesn’t really take time to factor in or consider the weaknesses of the person that Schumacher was, which slightly taints the documentary a tad as you don’t necessarily get the objective perspective in a broader context. Nevertheless, the extensive use of footage and pictures from the family archive does reveal his close bond with his wife and children, and that does enhance your impression of him.
"The humble origins with his dad starting out as a bricklayer is quite inspiring. It makes him relatable on a very personal level to people"
From my perspective, so does the fact that he came from an ordinary background, which is virtually unheard of nowadays in F1. The humble origins of the Schumacher family with his dad starting out as a bricklayer is quite inspiring. It makes him relatable on a very personal level to people, in ways that most drivers in F1 now just can’t convey. His dad’s career though did open up an opportunity for Michael when he took over the management of the local karting track.
That helping hand inevitably introduced him to kart racing. The moment when the documentary revealed that Schumacher put reused tyres on his kart that had been discarded and went on to win races with was really rather remarkable, and demonstrated he was more talented despite coming from a disadvantaged background. Reflecting on his situation later, Schumacher said: "I was always glad when I won with the worst and not the best equipment. Having to really fight like that was an additional motivation for me."
That having to make do with what he had is something that resonates with me in a powerful way, and the archive material does tell that side of the story in such a manner that you can’t help but admire him. With the amount of potential that Schumacher had, and as long as the opportunities presented themselves, it was clear that Michael could continue to progress his way to F1.
Another issue I found with the production was a breakdown in communicating some aspects where things were sort of left unsaid. It wasn’t quite made comprehensible just who Willi Weber was for example, the man interested in Michael and offered him a five-year contract, car and salary despite the Schumacher family having no money. He was a manager, but of what exactly. It appeared to be quite an important stepping stone but it wasn’t really elaborated on to the extent that the lack of clarity obfuscated its contribution.
"There are several stages throughout the documentary where a lack of detail and consideration for the viewer blurs parts of the story"
Weber signed Michael to race for his Formula 3 team. It’s only after referring to other sources that I found out that information. And there are several other stages throughout the documentary where a lack of detail and consideration for the viewer blurs parts of the story. And I can imagine to a casual viewer, that might come across as a bit confusing. It’s like a book with a dozen or so pages missing, the story is broken up and doesn’t have a slick cohesion that seamlessly flows.
The production portrays how Schumacher got his debut in F1 better however, although the circumstances weren’t totally explained in the production. The Jordan-Ford team put Schumacher in the car for the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, and he qualified seventh on the grid for the race. It was a performance that caught the attention of teams in the paddock, and in particular Benetton.
Following his debut, the team signed him to drive for the rest of the 1991 season and beyond. The production was good at showing the journey of growth that Schumacher and Benetton went through to becoming title challengers. It was also very sensitive in showing the terribly tragic incident that resulted in the desperately sad death of Ayrton Senna at Imola in 1994. You could feel the emotional toll it inflicted and the very real danger of racing in F1 during the 1990s.
Schumacher would go on to win the title in 1994 with Benetton and repeat that feat in 1995 as well. For 1996 though, Schumacher made the switch which would send his career into the stratosphere and come to define him as a driver. The documentary concisely outlines his options with several contract offers from teams, but the project of transforming Ferrari appealed to him most of all.
"It wasn’t until the last twelve or so minutes that the elephant in the room was addressed"
Another interesting part of the production was the insight that was provided by former racing drivers and sports journalists who added alternative perspectives, and important context. So, when in 1996 it became evident that his dream transfer to Ferrari turned out to be anything but, reasoning could be sought. Biographer James Allen said: "The challenge of taking Ferrari back to championship level was a challenge he couldn’t resist. I spoke to him quite extensively about it and he just felt that the right thing to do was to take on that challenge and make Ferrari great again."
And his efforts were well worth it. From 2000 to 2004, Schumacher went on to win five consecutive titles with Ferrari. It was a period of total dominance, absolute control that had never been achieved in the sport before. But the journey to that point was what the documentary really conveyed well to me, as was the lingering doubt if Michael and Ferrari would win a title at all, which were all very relatable thoughts, feelings and emotions, even though the controversies were somewhat overlooked.
It wasn’t until the last twelve or so minutes that the elephant in the room was addressed, the tragic skiing accident that happened on 29th December 2013 in Meribel in France. No details were divulged about his condition, but it’s obvious from what his wife and two children said that life is not the same. Watching them speak about Michael, you can’t but feel the painful burden they bare, and that it’s a sad situation. The documentary handles this difficult subject graciously, and with dignity.
But it leaves viewers shrouded in mystery – especially for fans of Schumacher who were devoted and loyal to him, inspired and idolised by him – with questions that are left unanswered. It would have provided some closure to speculation if small details disclosing his condition and situation were made public. Ultimately, the documentary did what it was intended to do, which was tell the story of Michael Schumacher, just not as comprehensively as it could have been.
Photo: Getty Images
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