It is what happened before the race which is strange. This is a world championship, which has already been decided at the table.""We have understood how things go - it has all been decided ... they have decided to give the world championship to Schumacher and that is what will be" , stupid Briatore shooting his mouth off.

"While I accept that there are people who talk about Ferrari from time to time, there is someone who talks too much and who missed a good opportunity to stay quiet, in life you need to have a little bit of class and so I prefer not to respond."

-Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo

It was with a sense of theatre and perfect timing that he announced his retirement at Monza for it was here in 1991 that he was revealed as a Benetton driver after a secret overnight 'transfer' from Jordan on the eve of the Italian Grand Prix.
An eighth title to add to the previous seven now beckons. It would be a sixth for Ferrari. But not even that will overshadow the fact that in Michael Schumacher, Formula One had not only a great driver and a great race winner, but also the greatest competitor in the sport's history.