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Striking Similarities Between Michael Schumacher and Niki Lauda Pointed Out by Former Ferrari Supremo

Somin Bhattacharjee
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Striking Similarities Between Michael Schumacher and Niki Lauda Pointed Out by Former Ferrari Supremo

Michael Schumacher and Niki Lauda are two of Ferrari’s biggest legends over. Even though they raced in very different eras in F1, ex-Ferrari boss Luca Di Montezemolo insists that they are extremely similar in several aspects, which made them so good.

Lauda won two of his three world titles with Ferrari, and Schumacher added five to his name during his time in Maranello. Both of them led Ferrari to multiple title wins in different successful eras, but Montezemolo feels that they have common traits that made them a perfect fit. In fact, he first got in touch with Michael Schumacher through Lauda’s agent.

Lauda who is a great friend of Montezemolo, helped the latter settle into Ferrari during his appointment as the team’s boss at a relatively young age. In the book Ferrari: From Inside and Outside, Montezemolo revealed that Lauda’s ability to understand and interpret situations in a race was what made him stand out. Schumacher on the other hand, had a very emotional approach to racing, which resonated well with Ferrari’s culture.

Similarities between Michael Schumacher and Niki Lauda

According to Montezemolo, Lauda and Schumacher had two things in common. Firstly, both drivers knew how to work well with the team. They joined the Scuderia when they were struggling, but worked hard to make them better, and etched their names in the history books in the process. 

Montezemolo pointed out an example from the British GP in 1999, which was the only accident Schumacher had in a Ferrari. The entire blame lay with Ferrari, but Schumacher, being the team player he was, didn’t criticize them whatsoever. 

The second thing which Lauda and Schumacher had in common was their ‘attention to detail’. “To win, you need a driver who is continually testing and preparing for the race with a lot of concentration and attention to the small details,” he said.

These are the two things which Montezemolo felt made Lauda and Schumacher better than anyone else in their respective eras of dominance. 

Schumacher was a better fighter than Lauda

Even though Lauda and Schumacher both tasted championship glory with Ferrari, there was one thing which made the latter better. According to Montezemolo, Schumacher was the better fighter among the two. 

“Michael was a driver who was able to drive from the first to the last lap like a qualifying lap,” he said. “Michael was maybe the first driver to introduce high level physical preparation; he was very fit, very strong.” 

Schumacher’s incredible level of consistency and dominance did see him become a legend, not just in Ferrari, but in F1 as a whole. He joined the Maranello-based outfit after winning two titles already with Benetton, but became a seven-time champion after adding to his glittering collection in Italy.

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Formula 1 Editor Somin Bhattacharjee fell for the sport as well as Fernando Alonso on the same day — during the Spaniard’s thrilling victory at the German GP in 2010. Over the years, the passion magnified manyfold, and metamorphosed into a writing career in 2021. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. He has penned over 2,700 articles for TheSportsRush, presenting a diverse range — news reports, opinions, and exclusives. A true Tiffosi, Somin never gives up on a chance to defend the Ferrari boys as a fan. As a sports writer though, he remains objective to the core and relishes opportunities to follow and engage in dissecting the action during races. That’s where the real thrill lies for him. Beyond the racetrack, Somin plays different sports including soccer. He enjoys exploring other sporting events and proudly supports Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

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