Mattia Binotto Narrates a Never Heard Before Story of Michael Schumacher’s First Practice with Ferrari

Ferrari is one team that has seen the ship of F1 sail from the late 50s to the new century of motorsport racing in 2000. The team, graced with talents that became legends, holds years of bonding with the sport. One of their drivers that changed F1 forever was Michael Schumacher.

Schumacher joined Ferrari for the ’96 season and redid the entire team with Jean Todt. The German was a spark of luck for the deranged Italians back then. Skipping ahead two decades, Ferrari might be in of need another spark like him to pulley them out of their present state.

Mattia Binotto, present-day principal at Ferrari, recalls a hilarious incident from Schumacher’s first days at testing. He narrated how Schumacher had convinced Jean Todt to modify the Fiorano track because he had a problem at a corner.

“I remember that very first test in Fiorano because he was not capable of turning the very first corner of the track. So, he was not capable of doing the corner properly. He was slower on Fiorano compared to the drivers who were used to go [ing] there.

“I remember after that very first test he asked immediately to Jean Todt, ‘The first corner has to be changed. I don’t want to see it anymore.’ And we changed the track.”

“The memories of that testing story is still clear in my mind still today; the thing that was a fantastic experience,” narrated Mattia Binotto

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Michael Schumacher VS Lewis Hamilton – A futile comparison

Michael Schumacher took the sport of F1 to another realm altogether. He was simply majestic in his time. Holding together the team of Ferrari, he clinched a record seven world championships, recently equaled by Hamilton.

Several times, since Hamilton’s achievement, pundits have compared the two generational talents. Divided by several schools of thought yet united by one, they concluded that cross era comparison is futile. Both of them deserve equal respect and similar honors.

Many have stated that Schumacher was much more hardworking, while Lewis is the embodiment of sheer flair and talent. Schumacher’s knowledge in technicalities is preferred by many, but Lewis proved this season that his is enough to win him the titles.

Eventually, the anecdote from Binotto explains Michael Schumacher’s class in the game. With his son coming into the grid the next season, he will have some big shoes to fill. Will Haas be able to give him that opportunity? Well, we will have to wait to find out.

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