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The tickets and VIP pass arrived with a signed photo. It was a shock to receive the envelope with the familiar logo. He hadn't expected a reply. And if you don't expect too much, things can't go wrong. Everyone told him he should go. "A chance in a lifetime" they called it. So he did. That's how it started but how was he to know how it would end. It was so hot as he left the hotel on the morning of the race, wearing his new hat, displaying his affections. Hiding underneath it and following the clearly marked arrows to the VIP area. You could sense the tension, even though everyone was being polite. He picked up an iced drink and walked slowly to the window, to stare at the track from his vantage point high above the starting grid. People milling around, last minute preparations in the garage. He sensed movement to his left. "Not long to go now" they said, not really to him, towards the track. "I've just come from the garage, they cleared out all the visitors, Michael's in a mood again". They said it knowingly. "This heat..." and with that they were gone. Sean had no idea how to get to the garage and had missed out on seeing the cars close up. Maybe all was not lost. Maybe he could get onto the grid before the start of the race. He took out the map that came with the ticket and followed the directions. The cars were just being brought out. As usual both ferraris were at the front. He stayed some distance away and watched. But he wasn't alone for long. "You're here to back the leader" they said, almost sarcastically. They glanced at his hat. "It's my first time" he replied. "I don't think he's that good a driver. It's the car. If other drivers had that chance..." Sean was a bit taken aback. "He's already losing his touch" they continued. Loudly. As Michael walked past them and climbed into his car, flanked by a huge umberella. Sean couldn't believe the bitchiness. "Thinks he owns the track!" they said bitterly. Sean walked away, to find his seat, which wasn't far from the grid. There was also a huge screen to watch the race on. He could hardly breathe as the cars pulled away for the warm up lap. He couldn't believe he was really here. The cars arrived back on the grid and the race started. The noise was deafening as they disappeared into the distance. Looking at the screen, both ferraris took the top 2 positions, Michael's brother Ralf had to be satisfied with 3rd. The screen focused on cars fighting for position further back, they never seemed to want to give the race leader any limelight at all. After the first lap Sean could hear them coming closer in the distance but when they passed he hardly saw a thing, just flashes of colour. He couldn't even imagine driving at that speed. And then it happened. He looked up at the screen and saw Michael's car flying through the air in slow motion, Ralf had tried to overtake Michael's team mate but they'd collided. Spinning off the track in different directions, Ralf's car sliding across the grass and ramming Michael's Ferrari as he took the corner. His car spun through the air and landed in the dirt in a cloud of dust. The crowd were silent. They were staring at the screen wide eyed. Emergency vehicles went to the scene. The safety car went on track to stop the race. This isn't happening, thought Sean. And yet on the screen infront of him was Michael's ferrari, parts of it scattered in the dirt. People working frantically to free him. Standing there, he felt useless. He left and went to the VIP area, which was full of equally confused looking people staring at a screen. Others were filling plates from the buffet and downing the free drink. Sean stared at them in horror. "Think he's dead?" the question hung in the air, said matter of factly by one of the VIP's. This isn't sport, thought Sean, they're enjoying someone else's misery. He pulled off the VIP pass and left, arriving back at the hotel and staring at the tv, wondering if he should turn it on. Maybe they'd freed him by now. But the picture remained the same. Watching them race on tv, it had all seemed so much more exciting than just being the drummer in a rock band. But now he just wanted to get away from here. As if on cue the hotel phone rang. It was Nicky calling to see if he was there. "I thought you'd still be at the track, but I tried anyway. I saw the crash". Sean couldn't find the words. "Are you ok?" ... "I just want to come home". Nicky was surprised. "But the race will start again when they get him out" ... "IF they get him out" corrected Sean. "They might not get him out". Nicky looked at the screen. "If it wasn't him, it'd be someone else". Sean was silent. "You still there?" "It's like a bad dream" he said. "I won't enjoy the race if I go back". Nicky didn't know what to say. "I know it's only a race, I know he's only a racing driver..." Sean's words trailed off. "What is it Sean?" asked Nicky. "But it's more than that to me". The commentator came onscreen. "They are having problems getting Michael out of the car. He's losing consciousness". A chill went through Sean. "Stay on the line" ordered Nicky "I'm here". "I just want to come home!" Sean was upset. Nicky was panicking, trying not to show it. "Stay with us, as soon as we know anything, we'll let you know". They were cutting the ferrari from around him, while all the time the medics fought to keep him alive. "It's not looking good for Michael". It was like a race commentary, only it wasn't. This was a race he was losing fast, time was running out. Ralf appeared onscreen, distraught. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry". That was too much for Nicky, who by now was rather emotional. "It feels like something ended" said Sean. "Everything good always gets destroyed". Ralf was talking. "It was a simple over take, I lost control of the car. I don't know what happened". They kept showing replays. "I can't stand this, I'm going to the track" said Sean. He went back and stood outside the VIP area, when he heard a familiar voice. The same person who'd slagged Michael off earlier. "I didn't want this to happen" he said. "I never wished anything like this to happen". Sean couldn't believe what he was hearing. He already knew the world of rock n roll was false but this was something else. Suddenly there were shouts from the VIP area. "He's going to be ok!" "Thank god" said Sean, running towards the screen. They were carrying him to the ambulance. The race was over as far as Sean was concerned, with both ferraris demolished. But he took his seat and watched anyway. Watched a stranger take to the podium, holding the trophy solemnly. Refusing to shake the champagne. Talking about Michael at the press conference. "This is yours". Holding the trophy towards the camera... ![]() ![]() ![]()
2001 was the first time in the 51 year history of the F1 World Championship, that siblings [Michael and Ralf Schumacher] are both Grand Prix winners. Should Ralf eventually also win a Formula 1 World Championship, that will make it another first time. "It will all end in tears" worry those close to Michael and Ralf Schumacher, as their Formula 1 rivalry revs up. This is a 6 page article on their racing encounters with eachother and includes personal information such as the following: Immediately after each test session or race meeting, Ralf would disappear in his private plane to some undisclosed location where he had anchored his luxurious speedboat. "He was always on his boat" Zanardi concurred. "And why not? He was enjoying life. He was a single guy who didn't show much interest in girls at the time." Ralf's curiously cloistered personal life — secretive even by F1 standards — attracted the interest of British tabloids, which claimed he was gay. The rumor mill was stoked by confessions to the British tabloids of a supermodel named Jordan, who claimed she took Ralf to bed but he refused to make love to her. In between sniggering and averting his eyes from the questioner, Zanardi refused to confirm Ralf's sexual orientation. "Well, it's not my business, quite frankly. I never used my charm to kind of verify whether he was one way or another." More laughing. Pressed, Zanardi would only add "The British press always has something to say. They can be very nice to you. Or they can be real bastards." Finally, in 2001, Ralf seemed to gain the maturity to rise above his erratic brilliant performances and his dark, foreboding personality. Off the track, Ralf appeared with a girlfriend, Cora Brinkmann, introduced as an old friend. After announcing their engagement, however, Brinkmann's image as a demure, stabilizing influence in Ralf's life was jolted by the publication on the Internet and in German periodicals of a sizable portfolio of explicit nude photos of her. Privately, friends said, Ralf was mortified. An interview with Michael and Ralf [it's rare they're interviewed together] Here's another interview where they speak about their rivalry "There's no problem at all, we like to fight each other" Ralf said. Michael didn't argue with that. "That's the point" he said. "We enjoy this." Michael wins battle of the brothers at the Brazilian Grand Prix 2002 Michael and Ralf Anagram it gives an anagram of both their names together The Ralf and Michael Schumacher website Another Ralf and Michael page "Perhaps the thought of racing wheel to wheel at 300 kph with a blood relative is not one's ideal way of family bonding. But it's not something that worries the Schumacher brothers, who have certainly taken over the mantle of being the most competitive brothers to have raced in Formula One" ![]() F1 memorabilia from German drivers including Michael and Ralf Has photos from visits to Maranello [see gallery] chicksandslicks.co.uk website by women who think about F1, not updated at the moment but read what Michael did to Ralf in 2001 A Trip to the European Grand Prix June 21-24, 2002 I had no idea what it would really be like when I wrote the story but my imagination wasn't far off. All-Weekend Tickets: Gold 1 $505. Saturday/Sunday Tickets: Golden Card $3,250 Gold 1 situated across from the start/finish line, opposite the pits these seats are numbered and covered with a view of a large screen T.V. These seats offer a great view of the pit action. The Golden Card - Guests of the Golden Card embark on a first class adventure into the world of F1. Each VIP will experience first-class race viewing facilities, pit lane walkabouts, the finest of food, open bar including champagne, and closed circuit and digital television. Not forgetting the hotel which is only $1,495 [each] Much cheaper is a Michael and Ralf print from here The Schumacher Kart-Center Fan Shop This site is going to have a World Of The Schumachers page in the future. Michael 2001: "I said to Ralf that our father's heart rate must have been going mad" said Michael after qualifying. "And our mother too. They are more nervous than we are; seeing us two there must have been entertaining for them" Asked whether he preferred the pressure of his teammate or his brother, Michael replied "to have this pressure is good. I prefer to have it from Ralf. I know him better than the others" But asked who he preferred to have beside him on the grid, Michael said "he (Ralf) is too fast on the straight, so obviously I would prefer Rubens next to me so that we can keep him behind us" "We'll see after the start" says Ralf! I hope you enjoyed this page. I may add more links in future if I find anything. Next month we'll have Sean's birthday card where you can suggest what you'd like to give him. So come back to seanmoorenetwork.co.uk then. If you came across this page outside the main website, it's for Sean Moore, Manic Street Preachers drummer and F1 fan. Read an interview with him here [he mentions Maranello] Here's another fan fiction I found involving 2 girls who get to meet them: "They got into the elevator. Guess who was inside! Ralf was looking right into her eyes"... |