Formula One:Michael Schumacher has apologised to former team-mate Rubens Barrichello after almost pushing him into the wall defending his position in the Hungarian Grand Prix yesterday.
Barrichello overtook Schumacher’s Mercedes on the main straight on the 66th lap, with Schumacher forcing the Brazilian off the road and inches away from the pit wall before finally conceding 10th place.
Race stewards ruled that Schumacher’s move was illegal, and he has been hit with a 10-place grid penalty for the Belgian Grand Prix on August 29th.
Schumacher responded today by issuing an apology on his website.
“Yesterday, straight after the race, I was still in the heat of the moment, but after seeing the scene against Rubens again, I have got to say that the stewards are right with their judgment: the manoeuvre against him was too severe,” he said.
“I obviously wanted to make it difficult for him to overtake me and I also showed him clearly that I did not want to let him past, but obviously I did not want to endanger him with my manoeuvre. If he feels this way, then sorry, that was not my intention.”
Schumacher finished 11th in the race, the latest disappointing result in his underwhelming comeback season.
The seven-time world champion has had two fourth-place finishes this season, in Barcelona and Istanbul, but has never been in contention for a race win, and is ninth in the drivers’ standings.
SCHUMACHER’S BRUSHES WITH AUTHORITY
Last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix was the latest in a string of controversial incidents involving seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher.
BRITISH GRAND PRIX, SILVERSTONE, 1994
Schumacher finished second behind Damon Hill but was disqualified for failing to observe a penalty after overtaking the British driver on the parade lap and ignoring the black flag directing him back to the pits.
AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX, ADELAIDE, 1994
Schumacher led Hill by a single point in the driver’s championship heading into the final race of the season. Schumacher was leading when he bumped off a wall before rejoining the race. As Hill tried to overtake at the next corner, Schumacher turned in on the Williams car, putting both of them out of the race. With neither driver scoring a point, Schumacher was confirmed as world champion.
EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX, JEREZ, SPAIN, 1997
Another title decider. This time, Schumacher led Jacques Villeneuve by a single point heading into the final race. When Villeneuve tried to overtake, the German again turned in on the Williams car. Although Schumacher put himself out of the race, Villeneuve was able to continue and finished third to win the title. Schumacher was blamed for the incident and excluded from the final classification.
CANADIAN GRAND PRIX, MONTREAL, 1998
Schumacher was handed a 10-second stop-go penalty and accused of dangerous driving for a manoeuvre which forced Heinz-Harald Frentzen off the track and out of the race. Schumacher still won the race.
AUSTRIAN GRAND PRIX, A1-RING, 2002
Rubens Barrichello was on pole and would have led the race from start to finish had Ferrari not ordered the Brazilian to move aside and allow team-mate Schumacher to pass him on the final lap. Schumacher handed Barrichello the winners’ trophy and insisted he took top spot on the podium. Ferrari were fined US$1million and team orders were banned soon after.
MONACO GRAND PRIX, 2006
Schumacher was relegated from pole position to the back of the grid after being accused of “parking” his Ferrari on the racing line to stop title rival Fernando Alonso beating him to pole.
HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX, 2010
Schumacher was battling with Barrichello down the main straight when he pushed his former team-mate to within inches of the wall. Barrichello said it was the “most dangerous incident” of his career. Schumacher will be penalised 10 places on the grid in the next race.