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Brutus
Grand Prix Winner
Joined: 20 Mar 2004
Posts: 1506
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 Posted: Sun May 30, 2004 02:15 Post subject: Zanardi wins |
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| Quote: | Page 111 ff:
"… That was a race (the European Formula 3 Championship in Le Mans, 1990), which had lost prestige over the years, but still was very important, because the winner would be granted the super licence to drive in Formula 1. Back then it was important and a serious matter and you had to meet some qualifications.
I either had to win a national championship in F3, or win this European Championship race or finish the international F3000 series among the top 6. I saw a good chance there in Le Mans. There were only 18 cars on the grid. Besides that, Michelin offered their drivers standard tyres, while Bridgestone had the better tyres.
Myself and Angelelli, the only drivers with Japanese tyres, drove a bit better than the other drivers. We had helped developing these tyres and had an exclusive right to use them.
But Michael Schumacher, who drove in Willi Weber’s team at that time, felt mistreated and made sure he got Bridgestone tyres too. I remember the Japanese felt very uncomfortable when they had to tell us, because they didn’t know how to justify their decision.
Schumacher used the tyres very well and got the pole. Angelelli 2nd, myself in 3rd.
At the start, Schumacher had trouble getting away. Max and I drove side by side with him, but as we reached the first chicane he moved to the left, then to the right and pushed both of us off the circuit. Because Angelelli touched him during his spin, all three of us ended up in the sand. I got out of the car, my chances for the championship ended here.
But Michael, as he realised the race wasn’t stopped yet, got back in the car, parked it on the middle of the track, got out of it again, removed the steering wheel and disappeared. So they had to stop and re-start the race.
I went back to the pits and took the spare car. In the meantime, it had started to rain. It was pouring. The mechanics hurried to make changes to the front wing, to make it ready for these conditions, but they didn’t manage to change the rear as well. We noticed that only seconds before the re-start and couldn’t help it anymore, it was too late.
I drove with a set-up that was completely the opposite of what I had needed. Circumstances got extremely tough. Despite that, I managed to finish second. Schumi had an easy race and won.
After the race however, Guido Forti, the manager of another Italian team, told us: “I don’t really care, my drivers are out, but I’ll put protest against this result. He drove with an Opel-engine while his first car had Volkswagen power.”
It was against the rules to have a different make engine in the spare car. The stewards apparently didn’t know, because the car passed their checks.
Only after they read the letters on the engine saying Opel-Spiess they were forced to disqualify him… … (about the trouble Zanardi and his friends had while trying to take a picture of that engine without letting Schumacher know the reason – kind of funny to read, but too long) …
The stewards grinned spitefully when we protested. But half an hour later their faces fell, when they came from their meeting.
They had disqualified Michael Schumacher and I was European Champion." |
I will post some stories about how low Schumi will always go to win. This time it is happy ending where the good guy won but, as we know, it has not always been the case.
BTW. this is comming from Zanardi's memoirs. |
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HoosierDaddy
F1 Driver
Joined: 03 Mar 2004
Posts: 968
Location: Winchestertonfieldville
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| Posted: Sun May 30, 2004 02:22 Post subject: |
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Excellent post, Brutus. I'm not sure I agree all the conclusions you drew, but I liked reading Zanardi's words.
I am moving the thread to F1 History though since its not about current events. I realize its not about F1 and could go to the "there is more to life..." forum but I think it is related to F1.
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Those who forget they're passed are doomed to repeat it. |
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Brutus
Grand Prix Winner
Joined: 20 Mar 2004
Posts: 1506
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| Posted: Sun May 30, 2004 02:25 Post subject: |
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| Leave it for a little bit longer. So the Schumi fans know what their idol all about. |
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Famour
Karter
Joined: 28 May 2004
Posts: 37
Location: Cote d'Azur
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| Posted: Sun May 30, 2004 08:38 Post subject: |
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| Brutus wrote: | | Leave it for a little bit longer. So the Schumi fans know what their idol all about. |
Yes, this is a F1 story... how MS is really!!! What a great description, it says it all!
When you know that Todt is of the same nature... 
How can F1 be great again? Is it still possible?
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No lies... just truth!!!! |
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Brutus
Grand Prix Winner
Joined: 20 Mar 2004
Posts: 1506
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| Posted: Mon May 31, 2004 02:36 Post subject: |
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| Puts in perspective how Schumi achieved things in his career, does it not? |
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HoosierDaddy
F1 Driver
Joined: 03 Mar 2004
Posts: 968
Location: Winchestertonfieldville
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| Posted: Mon May 31, 2004 14:20 Post subject: |
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| Brutus wrote: | | Puts in perspective how Schumi achieved things in his career, does it not? |
Yes. It was very sporting of Schumi to drive back onto the track forcing a red flag so that Zanardi could get into his spare car and win the race. [/fanboy]  
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Those who forget they're passed are doomed to repeat it. |
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Schumi is God
Kart Novice
Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Mon May 31, 2004 23:37 Post subject: |
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That never happened, Schumi is perfect in every way and would not do those things. Zanardi is a liar.  |
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White Lightning
Site Admin
Joined: 03 Mar 2004
Posts: 5990
Location: London, UK
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| Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 00:01 Post subject: |
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| Ah, as predicted in the great F1 bible, the first anti-Brutus is arrived. |
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HoosierDaddy
F1 Driver
Joined: 03 Mar 2004
Posts: 968
Location: Winchestertonfieldville
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| Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 00:37 Post subject: |
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| White Lightning wrote: | | Ah, as predicted in the great F1 bible, the first anti-Brutus is arrived. |
ROTFL!
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Those who forget they're passed are doomed to repeat it. |
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nojvnof1
F1 Test Driver
Joined: 04 Mar 2004
Posts: 706
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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| Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 08:09 Post subject: |
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the first of many i'm predicting.
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Gilles and Jacques - The Villeneuve Dynasty
"Humanity makes itself unnecessarily complicated simply by not telling it like it is" - Jacques Villeneuve |
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starfruit
F2 Racer
Joined: 25 Mar 2004
Posts: 390
Location: London, UK
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| Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 21:20 Post subject: |
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| nojvnof1 wrote: | | the first of many i'm predicting. |
Too right!
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Get well Ralf..even thought I am no fan of you... |
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The Figurehead
Superlicence Holder
Joined: 03 Mar 2004
Posts: 579
Location: Athens, Hellas
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| Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 18:21 Post subject: |
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Zanardi's a TRUE hero!!!
Hats off to him!!
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Who the fcuk messes up with my signature? |
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Brutus
Grand Prix Winner
Joined: 20 Mar 2004
Posts: 1506
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| Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2004 13:31 Post subject: |
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| The Figurehead wrote: | Zanardi's a TRUE hero!!!
Hats off to him!! |
I Agree. Too nice to be a champion in its current format.  |
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Sean Brian Kirby
World Champion
Joined: 04 Mar 2004
Posts: 5652
Location: Reisterstown, MD
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| Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2004 02:27 Post subject: |
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Michael's a nice guy.  |
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Paul
Kart Novice
Joined: 08 Mar 2004
Posts: 11
Location: Northern England
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| Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2004 06:12 Post subject: |
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I'm beginning to like Brutus, having agreed with every post of his that I have read. 
Schumi is a prat  |
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