In the latest instalment of our comprehensive 2006 review we picked the quotes that tell the story of the season.
F1 drivers and personnel may be tight-lipped and PR-savvy, but these 22 on-the-record remarks show what they really thought of their rivals, their teams, and of course, the life and times of one Michael Schumacher.
“If I don’t have the chance to win races and fight for the title then I don’t think I will be keen to continue my career.”
Michael Schumacher’s early thoughts on quitting, January
“In England they never really liked Schumacher – people felt that one Schumacher was enough.”
Ralf Schumacher regrets coming late to the party, February
“A series for people with no money. I don’t see any reason to race in such rubbish.”
Nelson Piquet has reservations about Grand Prix Masters, February
“Scott Speed got in [Formula One] more because of the support from Red Bull, the fact that he’s American and his last name’s Speed than what he did on the track.”
Nelson Piquet Jnr’s a chip off the old block, February
“I can tell you what feeds my passion: to beat people like Ron Dennis”
Flavio Briatore isn’t sore about Dennis poaching Fernando Alonso, February
“What gets me out of bed is to piss on Ron and Flav”
Frank Williams returns fire, March
“We at the FIA are trying to save the teams, but particularly the manufacturers, from themselves. And if you want to know what happens when you listen too closely to the manufacturers, take a long, hard look at the Indy Racing League.”
Max Mosley knows he’s right, March
“There are no nightclubs in Maranello – there would be no problems.”
Luca di Montezemolo on those crazy rumours that Kimi Raikkonen could be joining Ferrari on 2007″
“Maybe he should concentrate on staying on the road before the race, maybe that would help so he wouldn’t have to talk so much.”
Kimi Raikkonen fires a disjointed salvo at McLaren team mate Juan Pablo Montoya, April
“I’ve not had this much attention since I was in the DTM”
Christijan Albers on being flipped by Yuji Ide in San Marino, May
“I think it’s called Rascasse”
Michael Schumacher can’t remember where he parked his car, Monaco Grand Prix post-qualifying press conference, June
“Michael, do you think you cheated today?”
Byron Young, journalist, questions Michael Schumacher in the Monaco Grand Prix post-qualifying press conference, June
“The cheapest, dirtiest thing I have ever seen in Formula One”
Keke Rosberg on Schumacher’s Monaco stunt, June
“He braked over 50% more heavily than on the other laps. Then he performed some absolutely unnecessary and pathetic counter-steering until there was no more chances of going through the turn normally. He lost control of the car while travelling at 16km/h! That’s something completely unjustifiable. And the engine shut off because he wanted it to, by losing enough time before hitting the clutch. And the excuse that he did not engage reverse because there was traffic doesn’t make sense.”
Joaquin Verdegay, vice-president of the Spanish motorsport federation and one of the three stewards at the Monaco Grand Prix, explains the case against Michael Schumacher, June
“He has a good dentist”
Midland F1 boss Colin Kolles on driver Christijan Albers, having treated him before the French Grand Prix, July
“The car drove me to boredom”
Juan Pablo Montoya on life as a midfielder, August
“It is like deciding halfway through a football match that one team has to use 10 players instead of 11.”
Flavio Briatore fails to find a cogent analogy for the mass damper ban, August
“The track rod broke as Heidfeld went past.”
Maybe someone’s hands slipped on the wheel again eh, Schumi, August
“Michael simply isn’t a great champion because he’s played too many dirty tricks and because he isn’t a great human being. The sad thing is the fans accept it – they swear black is white, in fact – just so that they can go on respecting the sport they love.”
Jacques Villeneuve’s parting shot aimed squarely at Schumacher, September
“I don’t consider F1 anymore to be a sport.”
Fernando Alonso’s vehement denunciation of the reasons he saw behind his Monza qualifying penalty.
“The people in charge should be businessmen, as they are in Hollywood, not ex-engineers. Nothing costs more, and delivers less entertainment, than hidden technology. And that’s what engineers love most of all.”
So the FIA were right to ban hidden technologies like mass dampers were they Flavio Briatore, October
“That we’re all going to go home healthy, that nothing happened in all these years and that we got away with just the one broken leg.”
Corinna Schumacher on what she’s glad about following her husband’s retirement, October
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