Michael Schumacher, a brilliant and masterful yet controversial F1 driver. Loved by many of his fans, yet hated by many of his critics. He has achieved so much yet embarrassed himself a lot as well.

   He has caused extreme polarized opinions. They say, it is either you love him or you hate him, either you are a fan or a critic. As for me? I consider myself a fan of his positives, and a critic of his negatives. Im in awe of his positives, and I criticize his negatives. I respect him for his excellence in Formula One and his greatness as a driver, a leader, and a person. I criticize him for his mistakes and unthinkable and wrong acts. Yes, because of Michael being a hero sometimes and a villain sometimes, he has caused polarized opinions. But true F1 fans wont have extreme polarized opinions of him. Schumi, like this world, is not just black and white. We should see him in all angles, in both negative and positive light. For the Disciples (Planet-F1 forum term, they worship MS,  for them MS has the divine nature in which he can do no wrong) you should be open to the fact that MS is not infallible and makes mistakes now and then. For the Antis (Planet-F1 forum term too, they hate MS to death that they blame him for everything from a rival's engine failure to global warming, he never does anything right for them). you should be open to the fact that MS has achieved a lot for F1 and deserves credit for the good things he has done.

   As for me, I admit that I support Michael to win this years World Drivers Championship. The man is retiring, I think it would be great if he would retire while on top, rather than retire because he is no longer competitive enough. At 37, MS is no longer at his prime, I believe his prime was from 1995 to 2004, his abilities started to be in a downward slope from 2005 onwards. MS at 37 is no longer as fast, as competitive, as sharp, or even as fit as the MS of 3 or 5 years ago. But even though that is the case, MS is still one of the best, if not the best driver of today. However, 3 to 5 years ago, no one would have dared to question Michael's status as Formula 1's best driver - by light years. Now, the question is being asked, is Michael still the best driver? or is Kimi Raikkonen or Fernando Alonso better? But at 37, MS is still right up there with Raikkonen and Alonso, if not above them. Winning this season's WDC will silence the critics who question his ability to deliver and his status as the best. I believe he is still the best, just not by light years but rather by inches. I would like to see Michael Schumacher retire in 2006 as a champion in the same way Michael Jordan retired in 1998 as a champion.

   Michael Schumacher will go down in Formula One history as one of the greatest, if not the greatest driver to ever grace F1. For all his abilities - the blinding speed, the superior racecraft, the intelligence, the tactical wisdom and technical brilliance, the wet weather superiority, the unbelievable awareness in all situations and almost perfect decision making skills (MS probably makes 19 right decisions in every 20 hard decisions). For all his unbelievable desire and unshakeable will to win, the pyschotic drive to win, he would win at all costs, he believes winning is everything and would do everything to win. For all his leadership, perserverance, dedication, commitment and hard work in helping Ferrari revive and win a title after 21 years. For all his consistency, competitiveness, excellence, greatness, and dominance. I have never seen a Formula One driver dominate the sport in the way Schumacher had done it. Michael has been at the top of Formula One for more than a decade, he has been considered as the best driver from 1994 onwards. The closest figures right now who can possibly achieve that same kind of domination and competitiveness is Tiger Woods of Golf, and Roger Federer of Tennis, and they are still not close enough.

   Of course there is the downside of MS as a driver. Michael is has that ruthless streak in his character, he is willing to risk a competitor's life to his advantage, his intentional crash to Damon Hill in Adelaide 94, and to Jacques Villeneuve in Jerez 97 is a testament to that. He even squeezed his own brother to the wall at almost 200mph. Michael would do everything to win, even if it means cheating like what he did in Monaco 06. While I admire his ruthlessness to some extent, I believe that in order to win, you need to be a bit ruthless, and in order to dominate, you need to be ruthless. Michael's ruthlessness is what separates him from just an extremely talented driver to an utterly dominant driver. Sure his win at all costs attitude is unacceptable to some, but at the end of the day he is the winningest driver in Formula 1 history.

   MS is not just a great driver, he is a great person  as well. I have read the book "Schumacher : Driving Force" and I recommend this book to everyone. Michael has donated a lot to charities, and is one of the highest individual donors, if not the highest individual donor in the Tsunami disaster in 2005. Contrary to the popular view that Michael is this arrogant and cold driving machine, the people who know him very well would say that he is a person who cares about others and will do everything to help them. There are many stories about MS compassion and remarkable deeds, its just that many of those stories were never published. Michael the competitor is for sure, arrogant and ruthless, But Michael the person is the complete opposite.

   MS is a great leader, he is the driving force behind Ferrari's success and their revival. Sure MS is not the only one, there is Jean Todt and LdM, but he is the driving force and the leader of the Ferrari team. He is very professional when it comes to doing the job with excellence. He is a great motivator and is a leader by example. His professionalsm, commitment, dedication, motivational skills, and character is what makes him a great leader. No wonder it was he who ended up Ferrari's 21 years of drought without a title. Sure, it is possible that Ferrari would end their losing streak, but I think it will take them longer, and I doubt if they would be able to sustain that level of success. MS after leading them to revival, led them to more success, and led them to dominance. MS didnt just drive fast and win races for Ferrari. He has visited the factory oftenly to motivate the team as well as be of help. He has provided technical inputs to help develop the car, as well as tirelessly testing them. Ive never seen a driver so dedicated and commited in doing the job with such high energy and optimism.  And I think his greatest achievement as a leader - he made the people around him better hence making the team better. Thats why I believe he is deserving of his status as the team's number 1 driver.

   Whether we are fans or critics, I think we can all agree that MS has given us a lot in watching him from our armchairs, from out TV sets, to our Internet Live Timings. For fans, MS has given them someone to support, someone to cheer and root for, and perhaps someone who made them watch F1, and become a F1 fan in the process. For critics, MS has given them someone to blame, someone to criticize, and etc. For F1 fans like me, MS has given us a benchmark for excellence in the sport. I appreciate and respect MS for what he has done in the sport, Michael gave everything even if it meant compromising himself. MS came back even after breaking his legs in 1999, and won 5 straight World Championships from 2000 to 2004, thats resilience, thats something that merely ordinary or even very good drivers cannot do. Michael has remarkable consistency, he always turns up to be Michael Schumacher every season, every grandprix, every race, every qualifying, and even every practice and testing session. I have never seen a more competitive driver than MS, he will always fight to the bitter end, he never gives up. This season he is 25 points down after the Canadian GP, everyone thought this championship is already sewn up by Fernando Alonso, but after 6 races, MS came back, fought back, and is now just 2 points down. I remember Spain 94 and Nurburgring 95, in Spain 94, MS willed his way to 2nd place despite being stuck in 5th gear for most of the race. In Nurburgring 95, MS was 30 secs behind, and cameback in the final laps, to win. I have never seen a more determined driver than MS, perhaps Ayrton Senna is right up there, but MS still gets the notch.

   Yet, I have never seen a driver tainted with as many controversies as MS had. Adelaide 94, Jerez 97, Austria 01 and 02, Monaco 06 on and on and on... I have never seen a driver that is both loved and hated at the same time. I thought I will never see a driver as ruthless as Ayrton Senna, until Michael Schumacher came. I have never seen such a great champion get heavily criticized like MS does. And yes MS fans, admit it, MS deserves some of those criticisms because of his own faults.

   Michael Schumacher, the best and the greatest Formula One and Grand Prix driver ever. The most controversial driver in F1 and Grand Prix history. Some will remember him as the greatest in F1. Some will remember him as the most successful in F1. Some will remember him as the biggest cheater in F1. Some will remember him as the dirtiest driver in F1. Some will remember him as the most controversial driver in F1. Some will remember him for gracing F1. Some will remember him for disgracing F1. Some will remember him  for being a flawed driver. Some will remember him for being a great champion. But for sure, F1 will miss him, and will never be the same without him.

   How will I remember him now that his time has come? Instead of remembering him as a flawed driver who happens to be a great champion, I will remember him as a great champion who happens to be a flawed driver. Sure Michael has his flaws, controversies, unforgettable mistakes and the like; but his great traits, contributions, achievements, and greatness outweigh those flaws. Sure he has negatives, but the positives outpower those negatives. He maybe a flawed genius, but a genius nonetheless.

   I hope and pray that Michael Schumacher will win this years World Drivers Championship, as well as Ferrari winning this years World Constructors Championship. I wished we could have a season long last dance for MS in 2007. But MS decided it was time to go, I can only support him in that decision. I believe he knows best on when to call it a day, its his career anyway. This last three Grands Prix in China, Japan, and Brazil will be the last time were gonna see Michael Schumacher drive...race...and fight. Have a great one, Michael.