Hyderabad: It is the accident that has left the motorsports community worldwide stunned. Michael Schumacher, seven-time champ and probably one of the world’s best Formula 1 drivers, now lies in a medically-induced coma with doctors fearing that he may “never be the same again” when, or if he wakes up.
There’s also a vigil by his bedside, at the hospital in Grenoble, southeastern France, with family members praying that Schumi makes it out of the deep slumber.
The champ’s severe accident has deeply affected teams and managers. Germany’s Bild newspaper reports that drivers have been issued a “list of off-track activities that are now banned”.
According to the report, skiing, motocross and bikes are completely off the list. Also, rumours claim that Red Bull has even asked driver Daniel Ricciardo to stop surfing in the shark-infested waters off Perth in Australia, his hometown.
Ferrari too has joined the advisory list with this curt statement: “We trust our drivers to be able to decide what is dangerous and what is not.”
The boys from India, however, are not surprised and claim they’re used to such advisories.
“My contracts are already full of things I can’t do. I have been asked to stay away from paragliding and most adventure sports and as drivers you have to take care and teams too will be concerned about your well being. So yes, we agree with most of their requests,” says racing driver Karun Chandhok, fresh off a podium finish at the Dubai 24Hours.
But the thing is, racing drivers have always enjoyed a bit of the off-season adrenaline rush. Skiing, for example, is widely considered to be a very relaxing sport with several fitness benefits. Schumi’s colleague Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, too, is a big fan of the sport.
“You can’t stop people from doing what they like. Me? I like cycling in the mornings. I take my bike out and I go out for an early morning ride. It’s very relaxing and the activity helps keep up my fitness levels. But I can’t just be asked to stop it overnight. Obviously, teams want us to be safe but it’s also my job to stay fit and stay safe,” says 25-year-old Chennai-based racer Aditya Patel, currently competing in the ADAC GT Masters Series in Germany.
“But yes, we have to take it easy and keep in mind that teams do spend a lot of money on us and that we, even if it’s off season and off track, need to play it safe,” Patel adds.
Chennai-based racer Armaan Ebrahim, meanwhile, feels the safety advisories go beyond the team too.
“Team sponsors also have a lot of say in this. Personally, I have never been asked to refrain from activities but the thing is, it’s an unwritten agreement. Sponsors pump in all that money into the sport and, yes, they do expect us to be compliant with certain rules and regulations, even if they’re not completely written down — like Ferrari did.”
It remains unclear what kind of rules and regulations have been put down for drivers across teams. But as Schumi fights off injuries from that slip on the slopes, it is unlikely that bosses would let any one of their boys indulge in a bit of risky R&R.
