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Michael Schumacher kept his cards close to his chest, but former Top Gear producer Andy Wilman has remembered one exception where the driver discussed the collision with Jacques Villeneuve that decided the 1997 Formula 1 title.
Speaking on the High Performance podcast, Wilman reflected on an interview between the seven-time champion and Jeremy Clarkson that came about as part of a project with the BBC in the late 1990s called Science of Speed.
“We did this series for the BBC in the ’90s… called The Science of Speed,” Wilman said. “Ross Brawn fixes it up, Schumacher says yes. We go over to Mugello because they’re testing there… and it’s the week before he goes to Japan and it’s a decider with Hakkinen. So he’s got a lot on his plate.”
Schumacher eventually sat down with the now Clarkson’s Farm presenter after Wilman had persuaded a hotel manager to shut a bar so they could talk in private.
“We set up and we talk with Schumacher in there and he mucks about with Jeremy… He’s like, ‘This is the least scientific thing I’ve ever done,'” he said after playing a game of reactions with the presenter.
“We ask him about bumping into Villeneuve and knocking him off,” Wilman continued. “He goes, ‘I knew it wasn’t right. I absolutely knew it wasn’t right. But I grew up in that era of Mansell, Senna, Prost, Piquet where they played fast and loose. That was a tough driver era… and he said that was in me definitely – that’s my schooling. So I did it and I knew it wasn’t right.’”
Jacques Villeneuve
Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt
Schumacher arrived at the 1997 European Grand Prix a single point ahead of Villeneuve. But during the race, the Canadian driver attempted an overtake during which the two eventually made contact. The Ferrari driver looked to turn in on his rival, but alas, only damaged his own car.
Villeneuve finished third, allowing him to win the championship while the German was disqualified from the drivers’ championship.
A phone call with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone quickly followed when Wilman attempted to track down footage of the crash. “I ring Bernie… and we need him bashing into Villeneuve,” Wilman said. “And Bernie goes, ‘You’re not having that footage, son… That’s in the vaults now. That’s history. No one wants to see that again.’”
But as the producer fought back, Ecclestone simply wanted one thing: “‘All I want is a signed fax from Michael saying he’s happy about it,'” Wilman quoted him as saying.
“Half an hour later,” Wilman said, “Michael said, ‘Yeah, but I did do the interview and I did talk to them, so yeah, they get the footage.’”
Wilman paused before adding: “What a man. Man of his word.”
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