Schu isn't fit to overtake Fangio

13 April 2012

With Michael Schumacher likely to extend his championship lead to 50 points at the British Grand Prix this weekend, almost nothing can stop him equalling Juan Manuel Fangio's record of five world titles by the end of the season.

Some will say that makes Schumacher the greatest driver of all time. But at least one famous name will never agree.

"Schumacher is nowhere near as good as Fangio," said Sir Stirling Moss, who won two British Grands Prix among his 16 Formula One triumphs between 1951 and 1961. "I don't think he is a great. I don't think he's as good as Jim Clark or Ayrton Senna.

"Michael is exceptionally good but he is still making mistakes, as he did at the Nurburgring. Fangio didn't do that. He had one accident which was not his mistake. It happened because he drove all night to get to a race. Fangio was a very humble person and very quiet. He had no enemies. He was a bloody good driver and a very nice man. He never did anything dirty. Michael has done a few things which are a bit naughty.

"Fangio was amazingly fit - he won his last title at the age of 47. It is true there were far fewer races which counted towards the world title but they were much longer. Formula One races were a minimum of 300 miles and took over three hours. Now they are about 190 miles and cannot exceed 90 minutes. Fangio also drove in other races, like we all did. I was doing 57 races a year. The world championship now is 17 races." Fangio, who died in 1995, was Sir Stirling's racing contemporary. Moss, possibly the greatest driver never to win the world title, was runnerup four times, three of those to Fangio. The Argentinian was 39 when the Formula One world championship was inaugurated but still won 24 of the 51 grands prix he contested.

Schumacher, 33, has contested 171 grands prix. He holds outright the record for career points (877) and career race wins (59).

He also shares the record for wins per season with Nigel Mansell, who won nine races in 1992. Schumacher has won nine races three times but, having already won six races with eight to go in 2002, he is soon likely to hold that record outright. The only record he will not be able to call his own by the season's conclusion is the number of pole positions, as he is 19 behind Ayrton Senna's 65.

But Moss is not convinced of the German's supremacy. He was "appalled" when Schumacher denied his Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello the win which was rightfully his at the Austrian Grand Prix in May and he added: "Fangio brought nothing but credit to his sport and you can't say that about Michael.

"I blamed him entirely for the Austrian episode. Forget all this crap about team orders. He had it within his power not to overtake Rubens, who deserved that win.

"I have no problem with team orders. That's quite acceptable. But Michael didn't need to do it. He would still have gained points over his rivals. On the podium he obviously realised it was not a popular win and pushed Rubens on to the top step to make it less embarrassing. It didn't work out. I lost a lot of respect for Michael that day.

"The problem is Michael is so far ahead of the others. Nigel Mansell fought Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost and Senna. Fangio had Alberto Ascari, Giuseppe Farina and myself. We weren't as good because he was the best ever but we were far closer to him than anyone is to Michael.

"I don't think David Coulthard will ever be world champion. He is fast but there is more to it than that. I don't think Jenson Button will be world champion, either. Eddie Irvine? If he was half as good as he thinks he is, he would be quite good, but he and Allan McNish must be concerned whether they will be on the grid at all next season."

Sir Stirling will be at Silverstone this weekend. But he is not as enamoured with the sport as he once was. He explained: "I don't enjoy it. I'm interested in it technically but I can't say the racing is exciting. It isn't a sport any more. It's a business. I wouldn't drive today for anything.

"My enjoyment has been worn away as the cars have become better. In my era the driver's contribution to success was maybe 30 per cent. Today, it is around six per cent.

"Nonetheless Schumacher is far better than any other driver around. If he continues in a car as good as this Ferrari is now and retains his competitive hunger, there is no one with a cat in hell's chance of beating him. But he will never be Fangio's equal."

Schu isn't fit to overtake Fangio

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