Michael Schumacher’s first boss Eddie Jordan anticipated the German’s decline from the top after the birth of son Mick Schumacher.
Michael Schumacher had previously won two world championships with Bennetton. He joined Ferrari at the start of the 1996 season with a view to winning their first title winner since 1979.
In his first season, he finished third in the driver’s championship behind Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve. Moreover, the chances of winning the title will slip year by year.
In 1997, Jacques Villeneuve would win the championship after the German was disqualified altogether. The story continued in 1998 as well when Mika Hakkinen won the title with the German finishing second.
Eddie Jordan’s bold claims regarding Michael Schumacher
Schumacher’s family welcomed Mick Schumacher to this world in the month of March 1999. During the 1999 season, the seven times world champion was not at his level best.
Going into the British Grand Prix of 1999, he was 8 points behind leader Mika Hakkinen. Besides, his teammate Eddie Irvine was catching up with him being 6 points behind.
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With the birth of Mick Schumacher, Eddie Jordan predicted that the Regenmeister will be more focused on changing nappies at home than running F1 simulation programs.
He expressed: “Now that he [Schumacher] has a family and two kids, with the amount of testing there is, Michael may not have quite the same edge as before.”
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1999 when 🇩🇪Mick Schumacher was born. pic.twitter.com/jDY7ULdI3u— F1 in the 2010’s🏆🏁🚦 (@F1inthe2010s1) June 27, 2022
Michael Schumacher won 5 World Championships after Jordan’s prediction
Well, the rest as they say is history. Eddie Jordan’s bold prediction that Schumacher would not have the same edge would pretty much backfire.
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For the 1999 season, Schumacher sustained a leg injury due to which he would miss out on six races ahead. However, he would go on to secure second place in the last two races of the season.
Eddie Jordan’s comment would have fueled up Michael Schumacher going ahead. He would go on to win five world championships with Ferrari from 2000-2004.
Mick and Michael Schumacher pic.twitter.com/HMN2uSGJGL
— F1 Pics That Make You Smile (@ChroniclesOfF1) June 10, 2022