Keep fighting, Michael
Michael Schumacher / @Pinterest. No copyright infringement intended.
On 29 December 2013, the world of Formula 1 came to a standstill with the terrible accident of Michael Schumacher, but today, ten years later, the Kaiser is still more present than ever.
I remember watching Michael on television when I was about seven years old. Although my eyes were always on Fernando Alonso with his blue and yellow colours, I couldn't help but notice him. Dressed in red, with a serene expression, yet his eyes radiated passion and concentration. His gaze was that of a serious man, aware of his worth and place in history, without a hint of arrogance. My father used to say, 'He's a machine'—his fusion with the single-seater was so perfect, you could say he literally was.
With over 25 years of racing, 7 World Championships, and 91 victories, Michael Schumacher has left an indelible mark on the life and history of Formula One, putting Ferrari at the top and earning the nickname 'The Kaiser' He devoted his passion to the sport, his home, which never asked for anything in return, where speed and danger seemed to be his most faithful allies. On December 29, 2013, already away from the Formula 1 circuits, while enjoying a day's skiing in Meribel with his son Mick, then just 14 years old, the risk that had always been his faithful companion on the circuits triggered a fateful accident that changed the driver's destiny forever.
Michael's life changed, but it never really stopped. Schumi understood perfectly what it meant to fight to the last second, on and off the track, never giving up. He did stop our lives, the lives of the fans, and the whole world of motor racing, as if someone had pressed the pause button. Since then, a fundamental piece has been missing, leaving uncertainties and, above all, silence—a silence that Michael's family has chosen to maintain and that no one has broken, even though the world of F1 continues to search for a glimpse of Michael in every moment, in every corner, in every record.
And like déjà vu, seeing Mick at the wheel of a Formula One car inevitably brings back memories of his father, along with the awesome responsibility of carrying the Schumacher name on his shoulders, which may have prevented him from reaching his full potential by being in the right place at the wrong time.
The universe clings to Michael's presence, and today, with the support and backing of his family, he continues his fight. 'Michael is no longer the Schumacher we knew, he is different,' a phrase from Jean Todt, who was at the driver's side during his glorious time at Ferrari, resonates deeply and evokes the complexity of his new reality. At Monza this year, that statement made sense to me, but in a different way. On Sunday, before the race, in the grandstands on the straight before the Parabolica, a banner written in Italian stood out among all the messages of support for the drivers and teams:
“Michael noi ti vogliamo sempre bene”
(Michael, we always love you)
A simple, understated sign, with a certain nostalgia, yet written in the present tense. Formula 1 has never forgotten Michael, and today, 10 years later, he is as present as ever.
Monza 2023 / @outoftheboxf1
