Hero for Many, Michael Schumacher’s Hidden Side Unveiled by Former Toro Rosso Man Owing to His Super Serious Attitude

Never meet your idols. Jaime Alguersuari, a former Formula 1 driver for Toro Rosso, thinks there is some truth in the saying. The Spaniard idolized Michael Schumacher as he watched the German conquer the world of F1 during his childhood. The Spaniard got a rare opportunity to race alongside his childhood hero as well after the German announced his return to the sport in 2010. However, this rare opportunity changed the then-19-year-old Alguersuari’s perspective toward his hero.

Alguersuari started his Formula 1 journey with Toro Rosso. Because of Schumacher’s relationship with Franz Tost, he got multiple opportunities to interact with him. In the two years of Alguersuari and Schumacher, soon after which the German suffered the horrific accident, the Spaniard’s perspective toward Schumacher changed. He revealed that in an exclusive interview with Daily Star.

“For me, Michael was like an idol and a hero,” Alguersuari revealed. “I saw some things from Michael that I wasn’t always a fan of,” he says. “But I understand he was something else as he took things super seriously and professionally. He had a very different and unique character. You lose a little bit of the hero-ness that you first have when you meet him.”

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Despite the changed perspective, the Spaniard still appreciated the little time he spent with his idol and even got an important piece of advice from him.

Jaime Alguersuari also the important piece of advice he got from Michael Schumacher

Racing alongside a driver on the same track changes a driver’s perspective towards another. However, off the track, Alguersuari still had massive respect for the German. He even remembers the time he kept the great Michael Schumacher behind him for 55 laps. Apart from that, the Spaniard still remembers an important piece of advice he got from his idol.

“Talking with him in 2010 from pre-season testing and the way he trained, it was very interesting,” Alguersuari adds. “He had a very good relationship with Franz Tost, so we got to spend some time together. He gave me one piece of advice off the track. He told me to as listen to as many people as I could, and to absorb what I found interesting.” 

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Despite the change in outlook toward his hero, there was still plenty of respect for Schumacher, which has still not changed. So meet your idols but at your own risk.