By Bodapati David
Happy Birthday, Dad! Says Mick Schumacher on social media.
Bengaluru, 4 Jan 2022: It is exactly 20 years since I first met Michael Schumacher. He was then at his peak, the God of Motorsports, when I ment him at Sepang during the Formula 1 World Championship race in the F1 calendar, hosted by Malaysia. That year, I was deputed by my employer The New Indian Express to cover the hockey World Cup that was also held in Kuala Lumpur. That was the infamous year, where a National hockey coach was sacked midway through the tournament.
Sensing that a World Cup is a big assignment for which I have worked for over eight years, I readily agreed but secretly planned another big assignment, the F1. In the last minute, Indian Express told me that they would bear only half the cost. With only a week left, that left me in a frenetic search for the resources to plan and arrange the logistics. Fortunately, everything fell in place. But the sudden change of plan, also helped me to stay back for a week and travel to Sepang and cover the Formula 1 race, my maiden FIA World Championship. I have visited for at least 12 F1 races since then. It was late Nazir Hoosein, who helped me fill in the accreditation form and submit it before the last date, a month earlier.
Jean Todt, was then the manager of Ferrari. For over a week, I have been tailing him and requesting for an interview of Michael Schumacher. I was, at that time, not actually a fan of Michael. I was a blue-eyed boy learning motorsports… grown up guzzling draught beer on the streets of downtown Bangalore, with a liking for one particular pub called Guzzlers Inn, with I frequented with veterans for every F1 screening. So as a McLaren fan, it was a bit tough to do an interview of Michael but I was armed with all the questions from the die-hard Indian tifosi, who all pooled their questions, including my Resident Editor back home, and one naughty motorsports fan, James, fondly known as Kimi in the newsroom. All the questions landed in my inbox. I could not take a print out but jotted them down, and as I was going to the circuit on Monday, a friend and colleague, who was with me at Centre Point hotel, where all the hockey journalists shacked up, asked me a favour. So Sandeep gave me a colourful book, the programme book of F1 which cost about 60 ringett, if I remember correctly. And a sketch pen! He insised that I should get Michael Schumacher autograph.
For one week, religiously, I carried the book and the pen, but alas there was no interview. Finally, on Friday, Jean Todt, my saviour then, agreed ! And said, I could go around the ‘pen’ and catch him. It is an area where Michael would come after the practice session and give bites to all TV crew, mostly German. I was the only print media guy looking lost. For print guys had no access to that area unless they have that special wrist band. But I did make it to the first place available, thanks to Ferrari support. We waited, waited and waited. The 45 minutes was like a year. And finally the real God descended. I was trying to squeeze in, to get his view. But had no chance with all the bullish cameraman who bulldozed me. One by one, I tried to jump the queue, using all the tricks in the book. After I skipped, hopped and stood still… Schumy noticed and pointed a place near the pole, at the end of the square shaped temporary structure. I went and humbly stood there, another 25 minutes passed.
And then he came. The God said: Are you the one from INDIA?
Shocked and scared: I nodded my head weakly. Then came a booming voice again.
TWO QUESTIONS! Later, I was grateful, it was only two questions. As I could not recollect any.
In all the confusion, I dropped the felt pen. My first priority was an autograph. Then suddenly my resident editor appeared in my vision rather threateningly!. I forgot all the questions, but quickly reconciled and remembered the one, he sent.
After so many wins, what makes you focus and race again… I blurted out. He smiled patted me and answered briefly…
I was in a trance. Did not know what happened later. But I saw him bending down taking the felt pen and signing autograph in the book. And yes, it was only one question but back in the safety of the hotel, I reeled out 1000 words and hurray, it was a Page 1 story the next day in Bangalore, and many other Indian Express editions.
Memoreis are vivid. I became his fan instantly. And followed his exploits ever since, till that fateful day… Sporting Gods live for ever, in our hearts!
PS: For the Original interview read Indian Express, which was published in 19 editions all over the country way back in 2002. Unwittingly, I also became the first Indian to interview Schumacher. Later, many more journalists did interview him in his second stint even as F1 came to India for three years.
Will try to get the link here soon.
