Former Formula One driver Johnny Herbert has revealed how ‘ruthless’ his former Benetton team-mate Michael Schumacher was.
The British former racing driver spent 11 years racing in F1, winning three Grands Prix, and was Michael Schumacher’s team-mate during the 1994 and 1995 seasons.
In an interview, Herbert revealed that Schumacher possessed a ‘ruthless streak’ that helped him achieve immense success in F1.
“We didn’t always see eye-to-eye. He was ruthless, but that is why he achieved what he achieved. He had a way that he wanted to go about his racing,” said Herbert speaking to ICE36.
“He was fortunate that he got the right people around him with Flavio Briatore, Ross Brawn to Rory Byrne, and he took those people to Ferrari.
He continued: “I remember Ross saying Michael was the best driver he had ever worked with. Because of that, they would do anything for him.
“And I mean anything. Because of that, Michael gets that motivation, they get the motivation back because he gives it back, and together they deliver. Then it becomes a cycle of success.
“Yes, there was a darker side to him too, but at the end of the day you can’t deny anything he did.”
Johnny Herbert had been serving as a Sky Sports pundit from 2012 until his controversial departure last year.
During his time as a pundit, Herbert witnessed F1’s meteoric rise in popularity, particularly in America, thanks to the highly acclaimed Netflix series, Drive to Survive.
This year, F1 races are set to be held in Las Vegas, Austin, and Miami in the United States. However, Herbert pointed out that in the past, Americans were more intrigued by ostrich racing than F1, which exemplifies how the sport has evolved and captured a broader audience over time.
“I remember going to Phoenix in my first season, and walking in the morning with my wife. We met a couple who were walking too. They asked, ‘what’s going on here? We said we are here for the Grand Prix,” he remarked.
They said ‘what’s Formula 1? They said ‘we are here for the ostrich racing’. From what I remember there were more people at the ostrich racing than there were at the Grand Prix. There is a different mindset now which is benefitting everyone involved.”
