Maranello cannot be understood without Ferrari. It is estimated that 80% of its inhabitants live directly or indirectly from a ‘Scuderia’ which is a symbol for the whole of Italy, like the Italian soccer team. The city, painted red in all its corners, with the ‘Prancing Horse’ logo on the entrance roundabout, breathes F1 and the passion for a team that from 2000 to 2004 lived the golden era with Michael Schumacher as the great captain.
In the various Ferrari merchandising stores they remember the good days they lived thanks to the great success of the group at that time led by Jean Todt, with Ross Brawn and a Michael Schumacher who became their beloved neighbor, with the endless Visitors who flocked to this small. town every day. People still come to this town of around 17,000 inhabitants, but nothing compares to that glory days when the ‘Kaiser’ was unrivaled.
Everyone remembers those people with nostalgia, but most of all, they miss knowing about their beloved figure, a Michael Schumacher 10 years ago, on December 29, 2013, suffered a skiing accident that would change his life forever.
Respect to Michael
Little is known since then about German health. That’s sad for the people in Ferrari town. Like someone who doesn’t know what makes a good friend. A neighbor. It has not been a problem to stop the inhabitants looking for opinions about other great champions like Fernando Alonso or its current drivers, like Carlos Sainz.. The residents here always welcome MD as they drink a quick ‘espresso’ coffee at any time of the day, and at any time of the year. But this time, when the name Schumacher was heard, because of the great respect they had for their great champion and the privacy the family always demanded, it was difficult to collect testimonies and statements.
“I don’t follow F1”said a passerby. “I’m in a hurry,” said an operator dressed in Ferrari overalls. after eating his ‘cornetto’ before his day of work at the factory. “I have things to do”said a woman before entering the bank. “I like football more”pointed out another old man in the Town Hall square, something almost unbelievable in a city where everyone, absolutely everyone, knows what goes on beyond the walls of the legendary Ferrari factory. They don’t want to talk about Michael. Perhaps because of the aforementioned respect. Perhaps so as not to arouse the feelings that arise when talking about an idol they no longer know.
“Maranello has loved Schumacher for a long time”
Some decided to talk to this humble journalist, who was just looking for a few words in tribute to Michael on the 10th anniversary of his skiing accident. No awkward questions. Just to report the feeling of a town and the memory of him and Michael still 17 years after the ‘Kaiser’ left the team of his life in 2006.
“We have good memories because he won all those races. It’s a precious memory, but it’s in very bad taste for us … that’s how it is,” one of the inhabitants pointed out nostalgically. “Maranello has loved Schumacher for a long time. Besides when we saw him walking herewho tested cars here, and also when they did the FIAT Multipla with him,” he said, recalling the many days that Schumacher was in Maranello to test at Fiorano at a time when tests were not limited due to regulations. For Maranello Schumacher this is everything. He is another resident here, another but good resident of Maranello. When he comes here he always goes around the town. We have good memories and it is not easy to forget,” he added.
“We are waiting for him to recover,” he finished, keeping hope alive after 10 years of not hearing from him.
“Schumacher made Ferrari win and that for us was more than enough. “It’s been a long time but Maranello still remembers.”another passer-by continued. “Schumacher’s great”another resident said.
“It’s very important for the city of Maranello. The memory is very strong because he won so many titles and contributed a lot to this city. So it’s a big one.”he commented.
The idea of a Schumacher as a leader
In front of the roundabout at the entrance of the town is the church of San Biagio, where the bells ring every time Ferrari wins a Grand Prix. Michael rang them up a total of 72 times in his 11 campaigns with the ‘Cavallino’ team. Of the 91 total victories he achieved in F1, 72 were in red, namely 5 of his seven titles (from 2000 to 2004, consecutively).
In that emblematic place, a veteran fan from Maranello recognizes how many Ferrari fans repeat that Schumacher, if he had not had an accident, should have returned to Ferrari to build a champion structure as a leader.
“Everyone talks about Schumacher here. I don’t know him. I worked for 38 years at Ferrari, 11 on the track (at Fiorano) because I followed the timing facilities and I followed the tests. But more than I have been retired for 20 years and I did not agree with him. Everyone is talking about Schumacher. He left a great memory, he won and was a very important figure for Ferrari and for Ferrari at that time. Now, with the crisis in the team, everyone is saying that we will need Schumacher, Jean Todt, Ross Brawn… they have missed that team since then, but unfortunately that team will never be rebuilt. “It takes years to rebuild it.”he declared, giving the key to Michael’s achievements and what Ferrari needed to become a winning team again.
“He’s been a great driver. But it’s like he’s got everything done. But be careful: there’s a great car, a great team and a great driver. They’re those three ingredients. Only the car, only the driver and only the team did nothing. Look at what Verstappen is doing now: He is a great driver, he has a great car and he has a great team. Three essential components to win,” he argued.
“He gave us a hand”
In front of the aforementioned roundabout, the yellow color of the signs of a shop catches anyone’s attention. Also many small cars in their window. Is about Giorgio Giochi, a toy store with lots of Ferrari items and red cars of all kinds. Upon entering, it is noticeable that a large part of the store is devoted to other types of toys. Also see a little Red Bull car among all the red cars. A sign that might remind you that there were times when that didn’t happen.
“We have a great memory of Schumacher. It was a time when… Michael brought success in Maranello and obviously, in addition to our passion, we also worked thanks to Ferrari, so Michael also gave us a hand. And we have the best memory,” said son of the owner while wrapping a Ferrari as a Christmas present for one of his clients. “We are very sorry for what happened to him and obviously nobody wants it to end like this. We have no contact and I haven’t seen him around town, but he has given us so much, throughout his time at Ferrari he has given so much to the city ,” he remembered with nostalgia and a sigh.
““I wish him the best, for whatever he can serve.”he finished.
“Number 1, we keep a great memory”
Next to that establishment there is another business with the typical tortellini of the area, filled with meat and Parmesan cured in 30 months, shining in your shop window. We entered Pasta Fresca Di Nocetti Rina, a fresh pasta laboratory with a display full of the aforementioned tortellini, a typical dish for Italian Christmas tables (they are made into soup on the night of December 24), as well as Lasagna and other specialties. At this time, owners can’t afford to waste a minute answering questions while the phone doesn’t stop ringing with more orders on the way. After buying some of that food, and after realizing that the report’s only purpose was to pay tribute to Michael, The owner wants to remember the German pilot.
“Schumacher became number 1. We have great memories. Unfortunately, it is a shame to know that it is in this condition…but we hope that the car can be worthy of returning to the dawn of our great Schumacher, who for so many years was unbeatable because he was the number one “It’s worthy of a Ferrari,” He argued behind the counter, his hands full of flour, demanding that the Italian team pay the best possible tribute to the German by creating another champion car sooner rather than later after many blank years (they haven’t won the drivers’ title since 2007 with Raikkonen and the of Builders since 2008).
“For these people, Schumacher is the myth, he is the memory of great glory, of great happiness. It is unique. The church bells have rung many times for him.”, he exclaimed, looking out the window towards the bell tower. In 2023, they rang only once for the victory achieved by Carlos Sainz in Singapore. Meanwhile, in Maranello they continue to think of better times, above all, of the golden age of Michael, who will always be in their hearts.
The town where he found another mother
A few years ago, in 2018, MD also chatted with Michael Schumacher’s ‘mamma’ Rossella how much he takes care of the ‘Kaiser’ in his hostel, the famous Montana. He, in the kitchen of his legendary Ferrari restaurant, taught her how to find the right cooking for his famous ‘Tagliatelle al ragú’.
“That’s Michael’s favorite dish. He even learned to boil the noodles with me,” the cook acknowledged to MD on that occasion, with great nostalgia and at the same time sadness for the current state of the 7-time world champion. A tear escaped when he referred to the German in the past, though he quickly realized this and corrected himself with the present. “Michael was… that’s him!, he’s still Michael, he is always everywhere, inside my heart. Like the rest, but him a little more in particular. Because he’s been here for many years”said.
“When he was here, the teams could test the car without limit (no testing limit) and he came here for weeks to test the car. A friendly relationship was created”, she recalled at the time, in 2018. This December 29, no doubt, ‘mamma’ Rosella will live a day full of nostalgia in memory of her German ‘son’. Like an entire town that not only yearns for success, but also for the person who most reminds them of the past glory of their life team.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
