Michael Schumacher shuts down Fernando Alonso’s criticism against Ferrari for not giving him the tools to win the 2013 championship.
In the early part of the last decade, Red Bull was ruling F1. On the other hand, Ferrari contested against them as their chief rivals but never successfully got a title in that phase.
Fernando Alonso, at that time, was spearheading the charge for the Prancing horses. In 2013, the fight for the championship was too intense between Alonso and Sebastian Vettel.
However, the Spaniard wasn’t impressed with the resources being provided to him. When Michael Schumacher, who was well retired from F1 after his second stint, was asked about his reaction to Alonso’s comments, the seven-time world champion said Alonso was partly responsible.
“If you’re part of the team, then you’re partly responsible for what you have,” said Schumacher to BBC. “I don’t think in my last three years I ever complained against the team.”
“Because, those guys, they work off their nuts to make the best possible. It does take time and sometimes, you take a bit longer, and sometimes it doesn’t happen.”
“But still, you belong to that family, and you got do it together, so you win and lose together,” Schumacher added.
Also read: Watch Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel prank Nico Rosberg at the 2012 German GP
Michael Schumacher had a rivalry with Fernando Alonso
Schumacher was at the twilight of his peak when Alonso had a breakthrough season in F1. The Spaniard dethroned the Ferrari legend from the championship throne, which Schumacher ruled for straight five years.
The two also had a few battles, and Alonso never went down without a fight. Nevertheless, in 2021, Alonso admitted that Schumacher was like a mentor to him and always looked up to him.
In 2010, Schumacher returned to F1 with Mercedes after three years of retirement life. Under Schumacher, Mercedes progressed rapidly, and only a couple of years after leaving them, the Silver Arrows sealed their first championship with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
The rest of what was followed is history, and Mercedes right now is a giant in F1. So when Schumacher said you’re partly responsible when you are in a team, it sounds right.
