[David Morton]

Its more a function of good management and ruthless ambition. Ken Tyrell told me about 4 years ago that one end of the pitlane is awash with cash and the other end don't have a clue if they can survive to the next race.
Schumakers move from Benetton to Ferrari had multiple strings attached (Willi Webers management) and one of the strings was obviously that Ross Braun was brought along
for the ride as as well. Fiat have bankrolled their team for a long time hurling hideous amounts of cash (probably near £10m {$16m)per race this year ) and any driver in the number one slot in that sort of team will inevitably get the points.
A few years ago I working for the McLaren International (the F1 Team) and I was amazed at the amount of money then (1998). They had 12 engines per race (some said even more) and Ilmor engines cannot be less than (IMHO) 1/4 million each. That was on top of a race budget then of about £6m per race. And Hakkinen won that year.
Schumaker would not shine if he was in a Minardi. He'd be another also ran.
Every driver that has ever been champion is totally single minded, often quite selfish with his peers without morals or scruples when dealing with them. Senna was incredible but he was often regarded as a bully in and out of the car. But for Imola, Senna would still be there (and Schumaker would still be scratching his head)
Edited after Dave Champ's subsequent mail.
Undoubtedly, writ very large is Juan Manoel Fangio and I would reccomend anybody going to Buenos Aires to go further south to Balcarce and see the Fangio museum. Next week in Monte-Carlo is a statue unveiling of him. I doubt Schumaker will ever be accorded the same. Another great racing driver, though never gaining too many points, is Jos Verstappen. A measure of this is he is the most polite and courteous guy in F1-period.
Somebody else who was given the bums rush by Schumaker in Benetton.
Dave M


[ May 24, 2003: Message edited by: David Morton ]

[ May 24, 2003: Message edited by: David Morton ]