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Battle of Schumacher brothers pull crowds in thousands
Nuerburgring, June 28: Masses fo Formula One fans have started arriving at the Nuerburgring race track ahead of Sunday`s European Grand Prix.
Nuerburgring, June 28: Masses fo Formula One fans have started arriving at the Nuerburgring race track ahead of Sunday's European Grand Prix.
Heaven is a melange of grilled sausages, beer and watching the Schumacher brothers, then the Nuerburgring is definitely the place to be this weekend. Tens of thousands of fans have been pouring into the 14 camp sites bordering the track on Friday (June 27) ahead of the much-anticipated battle of the German brothers in Sundays European Grand Prix.
Nuerburgring fever is nothing new but since the one-two Schumacher finish in Montreal two weeks ago, it has been spreading like never before. In all some 300,000, mostly Schumacher-obsessed supporters are expected for the three-day festival in the scenic Eifel hills which started with Fridays first qualifying session.
To join them, you need a barbecue, enough of your favourite lager to sip from breakfast onwards, a portable CD player loaded with syrupy German pop music and plenty of patience.
Michael, who won here in 1995 and again last year, is still the most popular Schumacher by a long way but Ralf is quickly catching up. While Michael is establishment, Ralf is the shooting star, having won his first two races this year.
Ralf, who has started on the front row at the Nuerburgring for the last two years without winning at a circuit near his home town of Kerpen, said he would always try to overtake when possible.
Ralf has yet to win a race this year while Michael has won four of the last five and leads the championship by three points from McLarens young Finn Kimi Raikkonen. He can take his 50th win for Ferrari this weekend.
Michael Schumacher can become the first driver to score more than 1,000 career points, although systems have changed over the years and the top eight now score. His current tally is 999.
Ferrari have won at the Nuerburgring for the last three years, with Brazilian Rubens Barrichello ahead of Schumacher last year, while McLaren are still waiting for their new car to be reliable enough to race.
Bureau Report
Heaven is a melange of grilled sausages, beer and watching the Schumacher brothers, then the Nuerburgring is definitely the place to be this weekend. Tens of thousands of fans have been pouring into the 14 camp sites bordering the track on Friday (June 27) ahead of the much-anticipated battle of the German brothers in Sundays European Grand Prix.
Nuerburgring fever is nothing new but since the one-two Schumacher finish in Montreal two weeks ago, it has been spreading like never before. In all some 300,000, mostly Schumacher-obsessed supporters are expected for the three-day festival in the scenic Eifel hills which started with Fridays first qualifying session.
To join them, you need a barbecue, enough of your favourite lager to sip from breakfast onwards, a portable CD player loaded with syrupy German pop music and plenty of patience.
Michael, who won here in 1995 and again last year, is still the most popular Schumacher by a long way but Ralf is quickly catching up. While Michael is establishment, Ralf is the shooting star, having won his first two races this year.
Ralf, who has started on the front row at the Nuerburgring for the last two years without winning at a circuit near his home town of Kerpen, said he would always try to overtake when possible.
Ralf has yet to win a race this year while Michael has won four of the last five and leads the championship by three points from McLarens young Finn Kimi Raikkonen. He can take his 50th win for Ferrari this weekend.
Michael Schumacher can become the first driver to score more than 1,000 career points, although systems have changed over the years and the top eight now score. His current tally is 999.
Ferrari have won at the Nuerburgring for the last three years, with Brazilian Rubens Barrichello ahead of Schumacher last year, while McLaren are still waiting for their new car to be reliable enough to race.
Bureau Report