With notebook and a clear plan: This is how Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali experienced Michael Schumacher’s first test with Ferrari
Stefano Domenicali, former Ferrari sports director and team principal and now CEO of Formula One, recalls Michael Schumacher’s first test with Ferrari in the Pirelli vodcast Box Box Box on YouTube and describes it as the beginning of an extraordinary partnership.
He emphasizes Schumacher’s precise and methodical approach, which was already evident at this first meeting and laid the foundation for an era of unprecedented success.
“I remember very well the first day Michael came to Maranello,” Domenicali says of 1995. ”He wasn’t dressed in red then, because the first test he did was before the start of the season. So he wasn’t allowed to compete in full team clothing.”
Nevertheless, this moment marked not only Schumacher’s transition to Ferrari, but also the beginning of a new chapter for the traditional Italian team, which was to become the dominant force in Formula 1 in the following years.
Schumacher came with a clear mission and immediately impressed with his approach to work. “He had a very pragmatic approach to, well, you know, becoming world champion,” Domenicali describes his first impression.
“He was known for being very direct, very hard, in a German way, and he brought a notebook and a pen to write everything down.”
That meticulousness and determination quickly made it clear where the journey would take them. “It was very, very interesting to see the evolution he had in working with our team and the evolution of the team working with him. That’s something I really remember very clearly,” says Domenicali.
This collaboration led to five consecutive drivers’ and six consecutive constructors’ titles, making Ferrari and Schumacher unbeatable in the early 2000s.
The last joint world championship victory was 20 years ago, but for Domenicali it is as if it were yesterday: “I remember every single moment of the time we spent together, the incredible times, but also the most difficult times. So, yes, I remember it very, very well.”
For the Formula One CEO, who has worked with many other great drivers in his career, including Fernando Alonso, in addition to Michael Schumacher, the German remains a unique personality in the sport.
Domenicali emphasizes: “The great thing about this sport is that in the 30 years or so that I have been in Formula 1, I have met incredible people. I don’t want to disrespect anyone, but in my heart of hearts, Michael represents something truly unique.”