A Lackluster Start
There’s no doubt that Ferrari has had an unsatisfactory start to the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship, as, after just three races, it is 76 points behind McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship, and Charles Leclerc is 42 points adrift of leader Lando Norris. Considering the winter expectations, justified by the arrival of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, the results are quite poor.
However, it’s also true that there are still 21 races left in the season, and it’s equally true that in 2024, after three races, McLaren was in third place (with only one top-3 finish in qualifying and one podium in the race) 42 points behind Red Bull and then went on to win the Constructors’ Championship. Therefore, the judgment for Ferrari is certainly not positive, but there is still time to make up the gap – in a season that will end in December.
The Usual Over-the-Top Headline from Bild
On Monday, April 7, the German newspaper Bild – as is its style – didn’t hold back in describing Ferrari’s current situation and titled: “The Return of the Red Cucumber,” comparing Lewis Hamilton’s start at Maranello to Michael Schumacher’s nearly thirty years ago. The harsh tone is maintained throughout the article, where the dream is described as turning into a nightmare, and Hamilton is said to be “only a matter of time before he explodes in frustration and the Prancing Horse takes over.”
These are clearly unkind words, but they are in line with what Bild has been known for over the years – especially when it comes to the Italian team.
In Michael Schumacher’s first year at Maranello, he failed to start from pole position in France due to a blown engine during the formation lap.
Bild was extremely harsh: “In the trash along with this cucumber!” with a headline: “Schumi: the Ferrari smoke under his rear end.” Michael Schumacher, a two-time champion with Benetton, accepted the challenge from the Prancing Horse, and his first season was certainly not easy…
…and in 2006
After winning five consecutive world titles and making history, Bild revisited the year when it all began, ten years later – in a 2006 article. The ‘red cucumber’ label was coined, which was then used again just a couple of days ago for Lewis Hamilton.
“His first Ferrari was the red cucumber,” with this caption under the images: “Already in February, during Estoril testing, Schumi ran away from the Ferrari in flames. ‘Where have I ended up?’ he seemed to ask.”
Idiots in the Pits
Many will remember the 2001 Malaysian Grand Prix, when a monsoon hit the Sepang track during the third lap of the race. There was a great deal of confusion, and Michael Schumacher found himself waiting for over a minute in the pit lane for teammate Rubens Barrichello’s tire change – Barrichello, who was ahead of him, had lost his right front tire.
Schumi re-entered the track in 11th place, and thanks to the Safety Car, he managed to stay in touch with the leaders and executed an exciting comeback that saw him win the race with a 23-second lead.
Bild pointed the finger at Ferrari’s mechanics: “They’re back! The idiots in the Ferrari pits. Oh my God! One, two, three, where’s the fourth?” referring to the missing tire during Barrichello’s stop. The article then had an even more direct attack: “Hard to believe Schumi won this race. The idiots in the Ferrari pits had ruined everything again…”
Poor Schumacher, surrounded by a bunch of incapable people – who would eventually help him win five consecutive world titles during those years.
But Now There’s No Schumacher
If in all these instances there could be some justification for the hyper-protectionism toward Michael Schumacher, in 2025 – even though Ferrari isn’t delivering as expected – the “return of the red cucumber” seems excessively offensive and final, especially since the Formula 1 World Championship is only just beginning.
Could it perhaps be related to Lewis Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes, a German team, and join Ferrari? Ah, who knows…
Leave a Reply