RacingJean Todt has flipped his old stance and said Michael Schumacher committed two deliberate fouls that cost championships, first at Jerez in 1997 and then in Monaco qualifying in 2006. The former Ferrari team principal, a longtime Schumacher ally, said the seven-time champion “did it… twice” and “badly,” a clear reversal of his 2006 defense. He spoke on the High Performance podcast.
“In fact, Michael did not know how to cheat,” Todt said, speaking as former Ferrari team principal in the High Performance podcast interview. “He did it, from my knowing, twice. But he did it badly.” He then spelled out the moments: “He crashed into [Jacques Villeneuve] purposely” in 1997 and “purposely spun” at Monaco in 2006. “So the two mistakes he made cost him the championship.”
Jerez 1997 set the scene. Schumacher arrived one point ahead of Villeneuve. They shared the front row after identical pole times of 1:21.072. On lap 48 at Curva Dry Sac, Villeneuve lunged for the inside. Todt said, “I mean, he crashed into him purposely. But he did it badly,” on the High Performance podcast. Schumacher’s Ferrari ended in the gravel, Villeneuve carried on and finished third to win the title, and the FIA later disqualified Schumacher from the Drivers’ Championship.
Monaco 2006 was the other flashpoint. Schumacher held provisional pole when he stopped his Ferrari at La Rascasse near the end of Q3. According to Todt on the High Performance podcast, Schumacher “purposely spun” in an attempt to protect his time. The stewards stripped his lap and sent him to the back of the grid. Fernando Alonso inherited pole and won the race. Schumacher climbed to fifth and ultimately lost the title to Alonso by 13 points.
Todt framed both calls as emotional errors made in the heat of battle. “It was just in emotion,” he said, as former Ferrari team principal on the High Performance podcast. “That’s why when you judge somebody in action, you must be very indulgent. When you are in the action, you must understand that your brain is reacting differently.” He added that he told Schumacher privately, “We are going to protect you. We are together,” recalling that conversation as former Ferrari team principal on the High Performance podcast.
The shift lands hardest at Monaco. Back in 2006, Todt, then Ferrari team principal, said, “We totally disagree with it,” after stewards sent Schumacher to the back of the grid. He also argued, “Such a decision creates a very serious precedent, ruling out the possibility of driver error,” and, “With no real evidence, the stewards have assumed he is guilty.” Now, almost two decades on, he calls both Monaco and Jerez deliberate, and says Schumacher paid for each with a lost shot at the crown.