Originally Posted by tamburello
I think (and it is a theory that some prominent talking-heads have also suggested) that if Michael had a weakness, it was in his split-second moments of judgement.
I do not believe it was premeditated, as I don't believe Jerez 97 was the result of a masterplan, and I don't believe that Schumacher had a moral issue with turning in at that moment purely because he was in racing mode.
To crucify somebody for something premediated, as a believe Senna at Suzuka 90 was (don't have to believe it, he admitted as much) is one thing, but I never thought Michael deliberately carried out any of his controversial moments behind the wheel with the mindset that "this is wrong, but feck it"...I think it was more "Feck! What Can I Do?" panic than evidence of a dark, calculating soul.
It was not pretty, but I really don't believe that in that moment Michael had the ability to remove himself from the instant and think "oh no, best not".
Somebody with that fierce competitive instinct cannot just take time-out until after the event.
If you recall, he was genuinely surprised by the feelings of resentment against him after Jerez 97....which, while in no way endorsing them, does for me make it clear that it wasn't the act of a totally unscrupulous bxxxxxd that many have claimed it was. Same applies to Adelaide 94.