03 May 2023 , 12:58
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Michael Schumacher's former rival Johnny Herbert has opened up on the German's "darker side" which was part of his make-up en route to seven world championships.
The former Ferrari driver is widely regarded among the sport's greats, but his regular displays of brilliance were intertwined with moments that underlined his desire to win, which, on occasion, crossed the line. Schumacher's career divided opinion with Herbert, who was hailed as a star as he rose through the ranks, admitting they "didn’t always see eye-to-eye".
The Brit was team-mates with Schumacher at Benetton, where he won his first two titles in 1994 and 1995. There he came across several impressive minds, who would later contribute to his success at Ferrari, but not without the odd controversial moment that highlighted another side to Schumacher.
Herbert told Ice 36: "We didn’t always see eye-to-eye. He was ruthless. But that is why he achieved what he achieved. He had a way that he wanted to go about his racing. He was fortunate that he got the right people around him with Flavio Briatore, Ross Brawn to Rory Byrne, and he took those people to Ferrari.
"I remember Ross saying Michael was the best driver he had ever worked with. Because of that they would do anything for him. And I mean anything. Because of that, Michael gets that motivation, they get the motivation back because he gives it back, and together they deliver. Then it becomes a cycle of success.
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"I still remember what for me was his standout performance in the Ferrari, in the wet in Barcelona in 1996. It was his first victory for Ferrari. It was a stunning drive in torrential rain and why he was thereafter called the ‘Regenmeister’, the Rainmaster. It was an unbelievable drive. Yes, there was a darker side to him too, but at the end of the day you can’t deny anything he did."
Michael Schumacher's on track antics divided opinion (AFP via Getty Images)Schumacher's first world championship was won at Adelaide despite the best efforts of Damon Hill. The Williams driver was attempting to chase down his rival, but was hit by the German, ultimately forcing him to retire and lose out on the title.
Three years later, now at Ferrari, Schumacher again clashed with a Williams driver, this time Jacques Villeneuve. The pair were involved in a championship showdown at Jerez with the Canadian overtaking his rival on the track despite the German shunting into him, which would later see him disqualified from the championship.
Schumacher's hard driving style angered several of his competitors with Mika Hakkinen famously trying to educate him about the dangers after an incident at Spa. In 2006, shortly before his first retirement, the German parked his car during Monaco qualifying, which saw him sent to the back of the grid as the narrative around his questionable tactics continued.