Source link : https://motorsports-news.org/2025/05/01/formula-1/wheatley-folks-do-not-realise-camaraderie-between-senna-and-schumacher/
Jonathan Wheatley was in his fourth season of Components 1 as a mechanic in 1994, having began on Roberto Moreno’s automotive at Benetton earlier than the Brazilian was ousted in favour of Michael Schumacher.
That gave him a ringside seat for the early levels of what was shaping as much as be one in every of motor racing’s nice rivalries – till tragedy struck at Imola through the San Marino Grand Prix weekend 31 years in the past.
These not round in F1 on the time are likely to view this period as one in every of cut-throat competitors, epitomised by political and technical skulduggery. The Benetton group spent a lot of that yr beneath suspicion of breaking the principles.
On observe, the battles between Schumacher and Ayrton Senna – younger charger versus established nice – usually cleaved to this narrative of bitter rancour. Every would eagerly complain concerning the different’s on-track conduct whereas combating for positions.
However Wheatley, now group principal at Sauber, remembers a wholly completely different ambiance prevailing behind the scenes.
“We had this type of ongoing relationship in 1994,” he advised F1’s Past the Grid podcast, “the place Michael would set a pole place, after which when Ayrton would come out of the storage, I would present him the pitboard with Michael’s time on it.
“And he’d like open his visor, shake his head, shut it. He’d are available, go quicker than Michael, and he’d be me from the pitwall as if to…
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Author : Motorsports
Publish date : 2025-05-01 11:07:00
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