40 replies to this topic

[Hakki069]

https://www.racefans...-massa-reveals/

The long held suspicion of 2006 was correct. Massa admits Michael Schumacher did it on purpose through a suggestion by Ross Brawn.

"We had a meeting with the team, we were talking about the qualifying,” he explained in Sky’s new Formula 1 documentary ‘The Race to Perfection’.

Ross Brawn said: ‘Maybe we can create a yellow flag’. And I said: ‘For fun? Not seriously, for fun?”

“It happens exactly that [way].” Massa continued. “So Michael used that funny thing for him to do.”

At the time Schumacher denied he had deliberately stopped his car on the track. “I remember [after] that meeting I said ‘I can’t believe he did it’,” said Massa. “He did it. And then the only thing is he was not able to say that he did it.

“It took one year for him to tell me that he did it on purpose,” he added

[PlayboyRacer]

What a revelation.

[Marklar]

man, Brawn's stock has fallen so much in the past months for me

[OO7]

Funnily someone posted here a few days ago that they didn't trust Brawn or something to that effect.  I can't remember who though.

Edited by OO7, 13 September 2020 - 11:55.

[ANF]

Oh dear.

[milestone 11]

man, Brawn's stock has fallen so much in the past months for me

More like 25 years ago for me.

[milestone 11]

Funny someone posted here a few days ago that they didn't trust Brawn or something to that effect.  I can't remember who though.

Me.

[pitlanepalpatine]

Was this ever really a question? Schumachers self satisfied smirk in the interviews on the day was pretty much a wink wink, nudge nudge.

 

man, Brawn's stock has fallen so much in the past months for me

 

Ya because every other race strategist is virgin pure as driven snow.

[PlayboyRacer]

More like 25 years ago for me.

Indeed.

That original Benetton "dream team" were a class act weren't they.

[OO7]

Me.

Aha!  I remember now.

[Marklar]

Ya because every other race strategist is virgin pure as driven snow.

was more refering on top of the BS he is pulling at Liberty recently tbh

[SophieB]

It is ambiguous how Massa tells it, but I think he implies Ross meant it as a joke that Michael took seriously.

[Marklar]

It is ambiguous how Massa tells it, but I think he implies Ross meant it as a joke that Michael took seriously.

that's why Massa is not a world champion I guess

Edited by Marklar, 13 September 2020 - 12:03.

[pitlanepalpatine]

It is ambiguous how Massa tells it, but I think he implies Ross meant it as a joke that Michael took seriously.

 

I don't think Ross was ever that naive. He might have jokingly put the options on the table but he did offer them up. Of course at the end of the day it was Michael's choice. When you spend decades flirting with the lines eventually most people will try and cross a safe one just to see what happens. Ferrari took the piss, they got caught and punished. What's funny is that it's still being discussed 15 years later 

[IceSpeed]

At the end of the day you need to have your own set of principles and unfortunately for Michael his legacy will always be tarnished by his unsporting antics like Adelaide Jerez, Monaco (+ many more that I probably don’t remember) and being paired up with team mates that bow to his every command. (Figuratively speaking).

Brawn may have been joking, maybe not but hopefully it was a joke otherwise there is going to be more to add. :/

[Hakki069]

Weather it was a joke or serious suggestion. It's one thing to say it but completely another thing to actually go through and do it like Michael did.

I would love to hear the radio footage of that lap. I wonder if Michael was ever told by the team how Alonso lap was progressing or weather Michael literally did take it on himself to do it.

[dissident]

man, Brawn's stock has fallen so much in the past months for me

 

His opinion on reverse grids offends me more than this, if I'm honest. 

[Atreiu]

Indeed.

That original Benetton "dream team" were a class act weren't they.

In before the ‘Massa’s words are just words, nothing has ever been proven’ brigade.

[Requiem84]

was more refering on top of the BS he is pulling at Liberty recently tbh

What bs is that?

[kosmos]

Weather it was a joke or serious suggestion. It's one thing to say it but completely another thing to actually go through and do it like Michael did.

 

 

Yeah, this is on Schumacher.

[IrvTheSwerve]

Anyone who has watched F1 for a prolonged period could see that Schumi's steering inputs (straightening the wheel when it wasn't needed) looked really suspect.

[Fatgadget]

This has parallels with crashgate!

[dissident]

Anyone who has watched F1 for a prolonged period could see that Schumi's steering inputs (straightening the wheel when it wasn't needed) looked really suspect.

 

It was very clumsy, Rosberg at least was able to make it look less deliberate. 

[OO7]

While were at it, Jenson and Ant D (I think) basically said Rosberg parked it on purpose in Monaco (Mirabeau).

[Atreiu]

While were at it, Jenson and Ant D (I think) basically said Rosberg parked it on purpose in Monaco (Mirabeau).

That was quite clear back in 2014.

[OO7]

That was quite clear back in 2014.

I remember at the time none of those in front of the camera dared to say what they really thought.  There were reports (giving no names) that the vast majority knew Rosberg took a dive.

[Baddoer]

I remember at the time none of those in front of the camera dared to say what they really thought.  There were reports (giving no names) that the vast majority knew Rosberg took a dive.

Rosberg himself said he learned a lot of things from Schumacher. Including his psychological battle approach, which no doubt helped him in 2016.

[P123]

that's why Massa is not a world champion I guess

 

Massa went on to successfully create 5 yellow flags in Silverstone '08.

[as65p]

There's stuff like this going on forever, I dare say. Obviously the fassade has to be kept up, so if someone does it too obvious, there has to be faux outrage in the paddock and press, but deep down they all know eachother only too well.

 

That's why regularily those guys caught red handed are soon back in business, after varying degrees of "gardening leave".

 

What still makes me smile is Keke Rosbergs comment about Schumacher at the time "at least he should have put the car into the armco, like a real man"

[P123]

It was very clumsy, Rosberg at least was able to make it look less deliberate. 

 

The side by side analysis (done by DC I think) of him taking that turn vs normal is quite comical.  You'd otherwise give Nico the benefit of the doubt, until seeing that.  Main difference is at the time Nico had a lot of his dad's old mates leaping to defend his honour and honesty.  Wasn't quite that way for Schumacher.

[RogerStone]

While were at it, Jenson and Ant D (I think) basically said Rosberg parked it on purpose in Monaco (Mirabeau).

 

 An opinion and someone in the room during a team meeting is completely different.    This isn't "opinion"  -  Massa heard it from Brawn to Michael..........

[Huffer]

I remember at the time none of those in front of the camera dared to say what they really thought.  There were reports (giving no names) that the vast majority knew Rosberg took a dive.

 

I think there was also rumblings from Merc themselves (at least off the record) that they were aware of what Rosberg had done. But seriously, just one look at the in-car footage and it's pretty obvious that Rosberg was sawing back-and-forth at the  wheel, trying to induce  the car to understeer. 

[Sterzo]

Massa's admittedly ambiguous words: “So Michael used that funny thing for him to do,” imply to me that he thought Brawn was joking. Someone should ask him.

[CSF]

Felipe caused a yellow flag himself in Q1. Silly Felipe. 

[Risil]

Of course Schumacher did it deliberately.

[thefinalapex]

was more refering on top of the BS he is pulling at Liberty recently tbh

What have i missed?

[Spillage]

He obviously did it deliberately, but it's a revelation that it was premeditated. Doesn't reflect well on Brawn or Schumacher.

While we're at it I'm sure Rosberg did it deliberately as well. But he got away with it.

[jjcale]

Mistake to discuss this in front of Massa ...... Massa is a snitch for revealing this. .... you dont do this to your friends.

 

The whole world already knew it was deliberate from day 1 - what does this achieve but to drop Ross in it??  and what does that get anyone??

[William Hunt]

I'm stunned if it's true (and I don't see any reason why Massa would make that up)

In particular because Brawn is now an F1 boss, if it's true he shoudl resign, you can't have someone with such low standards in charge of the sport. This is similar to what Briatore did with Piquet. But Piquet didn't gain from it (except contract extension) and he was still young and naive and under pressure from a dictatorial team boss. 
Makes Schumacher an even worse cheater as he alsready was.
Drove in to Damon Hill on purpose, drove in to Jacques Villeneuve on purpose and prevented others from completing a qualifying lap on purpose. The guy was prepared to do anything if he could win.

[PlayboyRacer]

Brawn was originally part of the shenanigans at Benetton with Briatore, Schumacher and Walkinshaw.

How can anyone be surprised of his involvement in something of this nature.

Edited by PlayboyRacer, 13 September 2020 - 17:03.

[DeKnyff]

Very bad, but I don't really see the point in resurrecting it, fifteen years later.