Fans from all over the world have flocked to the Ferrari Museum in Maranello to see the “Michael 50” exhibition for the renowned Formula 1 driver. Courageous but aloof – that’s how Rubens Barrichello sums up his long-time Ferrari team mate Michael Schumacher.
As Schumacher continues to recover from the ski accident in December 2013 which left him with life-changing head injuries, Brazilian Barrichello has opened up on their strange but successful partnership in an episode of F1’s Beyond The Grid podcast.
They spent six years together in the famous team with Barrichello having to operate in Schumacher’s shadow and not being able to seek him out for much help.”I’ve always made friends and had a great relationship between my teammates. I do (include Michael), but he was never supportive,” Barrichello told the Beyond The Grid podcast.
“It’s not the right word … he would never be there to offer help so I never asked because there are teammates to go and ask.”For example Eddie Irvine, you ask him and he says ‘I don’t know which gear I take that corner’.
“I got p***ed one day because I couldn’t understand how the hell he doesn’t know what gear and he doesn’t really know, he just doesn’t think, he did it naturally.
“So you have to learn people with Michael it was different, he was a bit naive in a way that he worked his way.”
Schumacher clearly had his way too and Barrichello had to be stubborn to stick up for himself.
“So many times I grabbed my chair because the meeting was already finished and then they started another meeting with just Michael there and I said, hmm this is funny.
“I took my chair and I just would sit there, say nothing and just stay there.”
Barrichello had plenty of admiration for Schumacher’s driving skills though and felt he helped push the steely German to be even better.
“He was super, super on high speed, like very courageous,” Barrichello said.
“The way I drove on the low speed was actually I was taking more speed out of it than him.
“I remember so many times Ross (Brawn) telling him that he had to do something different. I became so much better on the high speed because of him.
“I think we both went too another level of pushing each other so it was good. It’s not that easy to make Michael Schumacher go to another level.
“Mine had to be mental. How do you go to a racetrack knowing that you have a B option of a pit stop and this and that and still be ready to win.”
Source: Stuff