Safety in F1 has grown leaps and bounds from where it was when the sport began. But every now and then, there comes a moment in time when drivers have to take matters into their own hands for the sake of themselves and the competition. One moment of such sportsmanship was on display during the 1999 French Grand Prix.
The race began in ideal conditions on a dry track at Magny Cours. But by lap 21, the heavens opened up. The treacherous conditions saw the likes of Damon Hill crash out, and with the Safety Car coming out, Michael Schumacher noticed something malfunctioning on Heinz Harald Frentzen’s car.
Schumacher was trailing the Jordan of his countryman when he noticed that the lights on the back of his car were not working. The German was probably hinting at the communication lights on Frentzen’s car — crucial for drivers following a car in the event of heavy rain and virtually no visibility. It goes without saying that if the light isn’t working, fatal accidents can happen.
Thanks Michael https://t.co/eaWr4qkdMt
— Heinz Harald Frentzen (@frentzen_hh) December 17, 2024
25 years on, Frentzen quoted a video of that instance on X (formerly Twitter) and thanked the Ferrari driver for his proactiveness. Schumacher can be seen signaling towards the rear of Frentzen’s Jordan which was picked up by his own team on the pit wall.
At the end of the day, Schumacher’s proactiveness turned out to be a boon for Frentzen. After an electrical problem with his own Ferrari, Schumacher started to lose his edge in the race. On the other hand, Frentzen’s Jordan crew worked out the strategy effortlessly.
With only one pit stop throughout the 72-lap Grand Prix, Frentzen went on to clinch the second of his three F1 wins. Schumacher, on the other hand, dropped down the pecking order finishing some 47 seconds behind the Jordan driver to take the chequered flag in P5.
