Andy Wilman, the former executive producer of hit shows such as \u2018Top Gear\u2019, \u2018The Grand Tour\u2019 and \u2018Clarkson\u2019s Farm\u2019, recalled the wild story of interviewing Michael Schumacher in Italy.<\/p>\n
Schumacher\u2019s plush hotel where he was staying was the scene. Wilman was able to get it closed especially for the interview, as Schumacher proceeded to take advantage of what had inadvertently become his private bar, allegedly speaking of Mika Hakkinen being \u201coften faster\u201d, and addressing his controversial collision with Jacques Villeneuve.<\/p>\n
Michael Schumacher revels in rare bar opportunity<\/p>\n
Wilman harked back to the Schumacher interview, which was conducted for the former BBC programme \u2018Speed\u2019.<\/p>\n
Schumacher was one of the sporting stars to appear in the episode titled \u2018Superstars of Speed\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cSchumacher, favourite driver,\u201d Wilman declared on the Midweek F1 podcast.<\/p>\n
\u201cJeremy [Clarkson] and I made this TV series called The Science of Speed [sic] for BBC, and it was all science department stuff, and each episode was different aspects of speed, and one is about people, so obviously he [Schumacher] had to be in it.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo Ross Brawn gets us the interview with him. We go to Mugello, and he\u2019s testing, and it\u2019s the week before he goes to Japan to finally win the World Championship for Ferrari. A lot on his plate.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I remember, if there\u2019s one team testing, you don\u2019t have to pay Bernie [Ecclestone] any money to film at the track. We get there and they go, \u2018We need another 10 grand off you\u2019, because there\u2019s a young kid in a Sauber in a last-minute test. He\u2019s called Kimi Raikkonen, and they\u2019re testing him out, and they don\u2019t think he\u2019s got enough experience to do F1.<\/p>\n
\u201cRemember, he got that provisional Super License. But he\u2019s there. We don\u2019t know that.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyway, we meet Schumacher, and we said, \u2018We want to talk to you back at your hotel\u2019. And his manager, Sabine [Kehm], says, \u2018Yeah, I\u2019ll give you half an hour. We\u2019ll do it back at the hotel when he\u2019s finished testing\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I go back to the hotel with a film crew, and it\u2019s a businessman\u2019s hotel in Mugello. I go up to the manager and I go, \u2018Can we shut your bar for a few hours while we do an interview?’\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d was the clear reply which Wilman got.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we were like, \u2018It\u2019s with Michael Schumacher, who is staying with you\u2019. And his face was like, John Cleese, Basil Fawlty. He went, \u2018Moment\u2026\u2019, and then just ushers everyone out of this bar. Everyone\u2019s lobbed out. Shuts the bar. We set it up. We film with him, and he\u2019s really lovely, and he talks about anything.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe says [Mika] Hakkinen is often faster than him. He talks about smacking into Villeneuve and why he did it, and that sort of stuff.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then Sabine, his manager, is going, \u2018Shh, it\u2019s 40 minutes now, wrap it\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we all wrap up, and we start packing everything up, and he doesn\u2019t move. And we\u2019re like, \u2018What\u2019s going on?\u2019 And he\u2019s like, \u2018How long does this bar stay shut?\u2019 And I was like, \u2018Well, until we\u2019ve finished\u2019. And he went, \u2018So nobody can come in here while you\u2019re in here?\u2019 I was like, \u2018No\u2019. He went, \u2018I\u2019ll have a beer then\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen he had another, like, half an hour. We slowed down our packing up, and he said, \u2018You\u2019ve got to understand, in Italy, I can\u2019t go anywhere, because I\u2019m like, world\u2019s highest-paid traveling salesman. I have dinner in my room. Ring my wife, and that\u2019s it. Now I can be in a bar\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we just adored him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen Bernie wouldn\u2019t give us the footage, when we cut the interview together for Villeneuve and him. Bernie\u2019s like, \u2018That\u2019s old news, son. Dead and buried. It stays in the vaults\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen he rang back later on, he went, \u2018I\u2019ve changed my mind. You can have it. I just need a fax from Michael saying it\u2019s okay\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we ring his other manager, Willi Weber, who goes, \u2018I\u2019m with Bernie. That stuff is the past. It\u2019s ancient history. But, I will ask Michael\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen Willi Weber rings back, and goes, \u2018Michael went, No, I gave him the interview. I don\u2019t want to watch it again on telly, to be honest, but I did give him the interview\u2019. So, he signs the fax. We liked him!\u201d<\/p>\n
More on Michael Schumacher from PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n
\u2018Killer Coulthard\u2019 opens up on iconic Michael Schumacher Spa clash and Tifosi abuse<\/a><\/p>\n How Michael Schumacher battered F1 World Champion into retirement<\/a><\/p>\n Schumacher was among the F1 icons to appear on the show which Wilman formerly executively produced, \u2018Top Gear\u2019.<\/p>\n Schumacher\u2019s fellow seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton also featured, twice, with the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Jenson Button, Raikkonen and Daniel Ricciardo also stopping by.<\/p>\n So, Schumacher is Wilman\u2019s favourite F1 driver, but his favourite F1 driver appearance on Top Gear was that of Vettel.<\/p>\n Vettel came on Top Gear in 2011 and proved a hit with the audience. His impression of Mansell, in particular, won him over with Wilman.<\/p>\n Apparently, Vettel learned it from Adrian Newey, the iconic F1 designer and his former Red Bull colleague.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Vettel was the funniest,\u201d Wilman reflected. \u201cIf you\u2019ve ever seen the show, when he does his Nigel Mansell impersonation, it\u2019s spellbinding. And Adrian Newey taught it to him, and then that egged him on to do it.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were like, \u2018Oh, he\u2019s German. This is going to be a bit sh*t\u2019. And it was pitch perfect. He was so funny.\u201d<\/p>\n Vettel would to the customary \u2018F1 Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car\u2019 lap around the Top Gear test track. All drivers set their time in the Suzuki Liana. Vettel\u2019s 1:44.0 placed him fourth on the final leaderboard, one topped by ex-Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo.<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n