10/10 Series: Work Ethic - Michael Schumacher
There are certainly similarities in the making of an athlete with attention to detail and a strong work ethic. Both are required, hand in hand, to be the best in your field. So why have I included both traits in this list of ten?
Work ethic can be the difference between those that are champions and those that continue to build on this success, collecting championships as though they were the minimum requirement. That is not to say that one-time champions, like Rosberg, don't work hard. You read only a week ago the pain he went through to beat Lewis Hamilton. However, champions, like Hamilton, Federer or Ronaldo, who continue to return with more performance, having succeeded the week before, are on another level to their competitors. They find themselves on another level because their work ethic raises their game, high above the very good. These champions are metronomic to the point that they are seemingly inhuman.
We know that to be a champion, you need commitment. That drive comes from your passion and competitive spirit. If you are good enough and the circumstances are right, these things may be enough to get to the top. The challenge is that once in a generation, someone will come along and change the game. We spoke last week of the way that Tiger Woods changed the standard for golfers when he adopted a fitness-focused and scientific approach. These are the types of people that highlight the uncovered ground which offers room for excellence that the current crop has never considered.
Another star rising at the time of Woods' ascent was Michael Schumacher. Like Woods' he was more physically prepared to compete than anyone before him. This was an era in which technology allowed sport to use science to pursue excellence. When Schumacher arrived, the established drivers included Senna, Prost and Mansell. Just three of the most highly regarded drivers of all time. And yet, Schumacher soon took them on and soon gave them issues. Why? He was so much fitter than his rivals.
Nigel Mansell had upper body strength - vital before the days of power steering. Despite this, Nigel would often tire during the final stages of a race. It was said by some of his team, that Senna was unfit. That is not to say he was overweight or weak; he simply didn't have the endurance. Senna was arguably the most excellent drivers to grace the Earth. I also believe that the Brazilian legend could have won more championships had he not been taken away from the world prematurely. However, Schumacher's physical edge would have made things difficult had they gone head to head. Michael Schumacher changed the game when it came to fitness.
Michael understood that fitness was proportional to performance. Thus, between races weekends, and even during, Michael would be training. Unlike Mansell, it wasn't merely strength training. He would work scientifically on his cardiovascular fitness, ensuring that he had the longevity to maintain a high driving standard throughout the race. Cardio work doesn't' take simply benefit an athlete in being able to perform an activity longer; it also decreases the chance of mistakes. This is why pre-Schumacher, errors in the closing stages of the race were much more likely. In contrast, drivers of today have the capacity to go for the fastest lap of the race in the final lap.
Schumacher's relentless pursuit of success didn't stop after being fit. Formula One is a team sport - a fact that some disregard. Those who recall working with Schumacher describe a man who genuinely cared about those in his team. He wouldn't just know the names of the people in the factory, but the names of their partners. Such a personable nature will galvanise a team.
In addition to rallying the troops, encouraging them to develop the best car for the racetrack, gelling with the team like Schumacher gives a driver an extra edge. In Formula One, your biggest rival is your teammate. They are the only one in the same machinery as you and potentially, could be the only one standing between you and victory. When a team develops their car, as well as the data, they listen to the two drivers in order to understand the direction that they take. Naturally, the drivers will want the car to suit their driving style. If you can have the team on side and are a constant presence in the factory, the car is more likely to develop in your direction. This is hugely significant for a driver's chance of victory. So while others may have gone cycling in Monaco, Schumacher was at the factory or the test track.
As humans, we are quick to put individuals in boxes. Those at the top of the tree set the standard for how others in the industry 'should' behave. It takes someone to succeed with new approaches before others follow. The reality is that if the maverick does eventually succeed, they can maintain an advantage due to their extra experience. Michael Schumacher ensured that he utilised every advantage possible over his competition. In doing so, he created the mould for Formula One drivers, on and off the track.
Interestingly, this model has led to much criticism of Lewis Hamilton's lifestyle, which doesn't just include greatness in Formula One but other industries. Eventually, Hamilton's success has reached a point where he cannot be questioned in taking a new approach to Formula One. Such criticism raises an important point - people are different and so will perform better in different conditions. Throughout this series, we have learned the importance of various qualities in sport. However, hard work and dedication are essential for success in any walk of life. All professional athletes have a good work ethic to be in their position, Schumacher, though, showed a new level in consistently finding more throughout his career. That is what makes him one of sport's greatest ever champions.
Iconic moment: Belgian GP 1992
Schumacher would use his youth and fitness to intimidate the competition. While his peers would climb out of the car exhausted, Michael would seemingly emerge with hardly a bead of sweat on his brow. This was more evident than ever following his first win at the Belgian Grand Prix of 1992. Having taken victory by more than half a minute, he celebrated on the podium, accompanied by Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese. They were both fifteen years older than Schumacher and looked exhausted. Michael appeared as though he was ready to continue.
As a young driver, the message to the rest of the field is ominous - I'm winning, and I'm only going to get better. Max Verstappen sends out a similar message nowadays, taking every opportunity to remind likes of Hamilton and Vettel of his age.
Schumacher, the first driver to take science and fitness seriously in his sport, had a mental edge over the competition. It just goes to show that his hard work, be it in the gym or the factory, does pay off. His seven world championships prove just that.