The '97 season wasn't easy, however. For the second straight year the Ferrari chassis-engine package was inferior to that of Williams-Renault. Michael had to play variables, out-think them in the pitlane, to squeeze a win. By the time of Jerez finale, it was between Villeneuve and Schumacher, winner takes it all.

It would be Michael's lowest point. He had led from the start and seemingly had the race won. Then his temperatures began to climb and he was forced to ease off. Villeneuve caught him - and pounced at the hairpin. Surprised, Michael turned into jacques from the outside, seemingly intent on taking him out. For his actions he was disqualified from the championship.

You could argue that he was overpenalised. Barely a race goes by without one driver hitting another. Mostly the outcomes are benign and the incidents are shrugged away as 'racing'. The reality is that nothing, in racing is benign and that someone, somehow, is always blame: the difference comes when the spotlight is on but two drivers. Then the blame is a necessity, a public right.

Michael tried to worsen a collision that Villeneuve had initiated. Michael hadn't missed his braking point nor locked the rear wheels. He had braked and turned in, just as he had done since the start. And Villeneuve's wasn't a clean pass: shots made from that far back into a hairpin are never 'clean'. What they require is acquiesce. Villeneuve knew that going in, and Michael obliged.

The incident had an effect more far-reaching than a retrospective loss of points. Shocked by the public's reaction, Michael laid low that winter, relishing the security of his new family. He needed time alone, after which he would again come out fighting.

It worked for Michael the driver. For Michael the tactician, however, an opportunity was lost. While Ferrari regrouped, eye off the ball, McLaren's Ron Dennis secretly concluded an almost exclusive deal to run Bridgestone tyres in '98. This should have been Schumacher's deal. He was aware how powerful Bridgestone were going to be, and of how difficult Goodyear's last season was to be, and he certainly knew the angle Dennis played (that all Goodyear contracts wre null and void because Goodyear, in pulling out of racing, were in breach of their own contract). Yet Michael, distracted, missed the opportunity.

And with that went '98. Adrian Newey's new McLaren-Iimor Mecedes and Mika Hakkinen were going to be difficult enough to beat on Goodyears, let alone on Bridgestones. Michael drove brilliantly for Ferrari, but effectively lost the championship at the Spa, in the wet, when he was walking it. With Hakkinen and Coulthard out of the race, arguably due to incidents caused by Ferrari, Michael ran too close to Coulthard's lapped McLaren. DC ran acceptable speed differentials to the very edge - Michael hit him, ramming him hard from behind. The fault, for the first time in two and a half years, belonged to Ferrari's pitwall. All Michael had needed, long before he had caught Dc, were obvious words: "Stay right away from Coulthard. He's a lap behind. Give him lots of room." As it was, Michael's thoughts were of more mundane things. Like winning.

A similar omission cost him the '99 championship. Both McLaren drivers backed off halfway down Hangar Straight on the opening lap at Silverstone in response to radio messages from Dave Ryan and Steve hallam: the race had been red-flagged due to an incident on the grid. Michael, though, heard nothing. He hit the brakes at racing speed, the pedal went soft - and towards the tyre wall he speared. Milliseconds before Michael split the barrier, breaking his legs, Brawn's voice crackled onto the radio: "red flag, Michael, red flag."

Which isn't to say that Michael's Ferrari years, prior to 2000, were riddled with errors; on the contrary, he should, could and would have won the championship in '97, '98 and '99 but for the nuances of radio messages, tyre dealsand of too-frantic championship finales. What Michael needed was a stronger championship base - one that could withstand the occasional mistake, the infrequent loss of judgement.

What Michael needed was to start with three wins in a row.

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