James Allen's autobiography of Michael Schumacher “Michael Schumacher: The edge of greatness"
The book that gave different perspectives on Shumi's career
Michael Schumacher is, if not the greatest, then at least one of the greatest drivers in Formula One history. The seven-time world champion has had a more than remarkable career in the most important race in the world of motor sports. The years from 1991 to 2006 are one of the most exciting in Formula 1 precisely because of the presence of the German. He also witnessed three more campaigns between 2010 and 2012, when he ended his remarkable career. Unfortunately, he fell victim to his other passion, skiing, but to this day he continues to fight for his life.
A number of autobiographies have been written about Schumacher, but one book about Schumacher seems to stand out above the rest, and that is James Allen's Michael Schumacher: The edge of greatness. The book was published in 2007 and still cannot be found in Bulgarian. Only Karin Sturm's work exists in our bookstores, which seems a little more complete, since it also includes the seasons after Schumi's return to the sport.
However, we will focus on what Alan writes. Still, we have to trust a Formula 1 commentator for ITV. However, we start with one of the cons and that is that this bio is not written on behalf of the contestant. He is not even interviewed by Allen, who relies on the opinions of his Ferrari teammates such as Eddie Irvine and Rubens Barrichello, as well as many people from the Scuderia team. Also featured in Allen's book are the likes of David Coulthard and now former FIA president Max Moseley. But most significant were the comments of Mark Webber, who spoke about how Schumacher took advantage of his position as president of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association.
The author uses this very argument and begins with it in one of the most exciting chapters, which examines the brief but tense relationship between Schumacher and Ayrton Senna. He compared their arguments to the collision between Alonso and Schumacher at Silverstone in 2003.
Most of the biographies about the German pilot downplay the controversial moments of his career, but Allen also pays attention to the most thorny steps, which he even allows himself to examine in detail as a true specialist who can offer every point of view. The claim of Norberto Fontana, who states that Jean Todt ordered him to block Jacques Villeneuve during the title fight in 1997, which ultimately went to the Canadian's account, has not gone unnoticed.
The book may not sit well with you at times because the line is sometimes crossed as Allen develops his own theory which alleges that Schumacher's first car was sabotaged before his debut race. The explanation for this is that it is simply the author's approach. a
Alan presents many interesting observations and different points of view that can spark debate among readers. His explanation that Schumacher was continuing the streak of in-race collisions with his main rivals, set by Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, proved to be one of the points of contention as the German was perceived to be overly, even unnecessarily aggressive, while events between Senna and Prost are considered rather normal.
The book focuses on some of the understudied areas of Schumacher's character, which may appeal to readers looking for the different. Allen's work isn't just about the wins, it's about the bright side of a truly great career. The author examines every single element that makes Schumacher great, giving great importance to his work at Benetton to improve as a driver.
This is a good book with many interesting chapters and new insights. Its non-chronological structure may confuse you a little, as well as the over-intrusion of Irvine's opinion, but overall it's worth a read.
It's worth it because you'll see something that's not typical of most biographies. It is worth it because you are offered different points of view, although not from the man himself. Overall, this is a well-crafted and thought-provoking book about parts of Michael Schumacher's career that some F1 fans may not be familiar with.