Schumacher: A year later, the fight continues

A year ago German racing champion Michael Schumacher made his annual skiing trip with family and friends. No one knew that their lives would change so drastically. And even now, a year later, it hasn't become easier. Not for Michael's relatives and for us, his fans.

In the last 365 days there hasn't been even one day that Schumi didn't cross my mind for some reason. And it's difficult. It's something I just can't let go because Schumacher means too much for me. The fear is the worst part, the constant fear that he won't win the battle for his life. We have to be realistic and accept that chance, even a year later. Michael might be at home but the word "home" is actually way too positive. Home is a private hospital with a medical staff of over ten specialists who monitor him around the clock. Home in this case is still a hospital, just on his own estate.

It's the truth, as far as we know, and we have to accept that the road is still very long. But that doesn't mean we should just give up because neither will Schumacher. "If there is one man who can win this battle, it's Michael", is a thought many fans and family hang on to. Including myself. Schumi is a fighter, he has always been and he will always be. Failure was never an option and it still isn't. Der Kaiser is physically and mentally extremely strong and with the constant support of his family he can win this thing. I still believe in that very much. It won't be easy and will still take years probably but he will win. Like in the good old days.

Michael Schumacher's fight and later in 2014 also the accident of Jules Bianchi has taught me a valuable lesson. Multiple lessons even. The first is that even Formula One champions, who race on the edge their whole life, who take risk no ordinary person would ever consider, even they are human. It would be nice to think that they are not and that they can survive whatever may happen to them. That if they crash, they just jump out unharmed and already impatiently wait for the next race. In most cases it goes like that but when it doesn't, it goes terribly wrong. As with Jules.

For that reason my respect for every single racer has enlarged a lot. What they are doing and the risk that they are taking time and time again is incredible. Another thing I learnt in 2014 is that you never know what's around the corner and waiting around is not the solution. We should get most out of our lives, friendships, passions and professions because you never know what tomorrow might bring. Take a chance, follow your heart and do what you want to do, say what you think even when you don't know what response you will get. Because I know it would be one of the first thing Michael and Jules would say if they wake up, "I'm sorry I haven't told you this before". I hope they can still say everything they wanted to say to their family and friends. But maybe they'll never get the chance. We have. And with that message I wish you all the very best for 2015 and may this be the year we get some better news from Michael and Jules. Keep fighting guys and know that we support you through this horrible fight.

Catya Leroux

F1: Grazie Nando, Welcome Seb

It's official! Sebastian Vettel replaces Fernando Alonso at Ferrari next season. Everybody in F1 is extremely surprised because I don’t think anyone saw this one coming, did they? 

But here it is and as a Ferrari fan of course I have to give my opinion about the guy I cannot support any longer now and the one I have to support now. Oh, the horrible life of a red fan. What do I think about this change? I’m not ecstatic or anything, but I’m not sad or disappointed either. I do regret to see Fernando leave because for me he is the best driver on the current grid. So yeah, you don’t want to see a driver like that leave your team. But I totally understand his decision: he gave his all for Ferrari the last five years and it all just didn’t work out as it should have. We had to win at least one title with him but that didn’t happen and that’s a shame. 

So no hard feelings Nando! If he thinks he can find a better car for the next year(s), it’s his right to leave Ferrari and I hope it all goes well for him. He’s the best and he deserves nothing less. So if he wins with a McLaren or Mercedes next year, I’ll have a smile on my face because that guy, he’s one of us, one of the Ferrari family. Even if his suit is saying something different, he’s a Ferrari guy in his heart and in ours. And everyone knows how extremely passionate those Ferrari fans are, they don’t forget their drivers. I don’t think we can thank him enough for everything he has done for Ferrari. So Mr Samurai, all the best and hey, maybe one day we’ll see you again in red. Always welcome! 

One is leaving, another one is arriving. So at the same time I have (well, not have to but like to) welcome Vettel to the red family. Yes, Vettel for now, I’m not ready for Sebastian or Seb! Ask me again in some months. Let’s not act stupid: Vettel is an extraordinary driver. He’s a four times world champion at age 27. Enough said. So I do think he is a good replacement for Fernando. Fun fact: when he won his fourth title I wrote an article about him on this blog and it stated: “Don't get me wrong, I'm still no fan of Vettel. I never have and (unless he comes to Ferrari) I probably never will.” Busted! 

But let me tell you something else, I wasn’t a huge fan of Nando either when he joined Ferrari. Hard to believe now, right? I always liked Kimi “The Iceman” Raikkonen very, very much and he was put aside to make place for Alonso. So I wasn’t too happy with that. And I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only Ferrari fan feeling like that back then but Fernando won over all our hearts and proved himself to the team and all the fans race after race. And we love him now so maybe it will go the same way with Vettel. He just has to prove to the fans that he’s worth the Ferrari suit he will be wearing and then we’ll support him. We’re Ferrari fans so at the end we’ll stick with our team and our drivers. And maybe one day I’ll even get used saying “Kimi and Seb”. One day, not yet. 

Catya Leroux

F1: Holding on to the memory of meeting Jules Bianchi

It is today exactly one month since the horrible accident of Jules Bianchi. Even though the future isn't looking too bright for the young Frenchman I keep hoping for some good news. The picture I have with him has become much more valuable for me the last few weeks. In a way it’s a reminder of a better time and only now I fully realize how much that Thursday at Monza means to me.


I haven't met that many F1-drivers but from the ones I have, Jules Bianchi was by far the nicest. It was Thursday at the Italian GP at Monza in 2012. Even though I'm a diehard Ferrari fan, I knew it was impossible to get even close to the Ferrari box. On top of that Kimi "The Iceman" Räikkönen, who is still one of my favorites and my fellow Belgian Jerôme d'Ambrosio were the driver line-up for the Lotus team that weekend (Remember, Grosjean was banned after his incident in Spa). So I decided to go the Lotus box and try to get some autographs over there. 

Next to the Lotus pit box was the Force India box, but it weren’t their drivers Paul di Resta or Nico Hulkenberg who were the first ones to come out and meet the fans. No, it was their reserve driver Jules Bianchi, who would drive the Friday morning test session. Not everybody recognized the young chap that seemed to be a driver. (Fun fact: I heard someone first very excited asking Bianchi for an autograph and when he got it, he turned to the person next to him and asked "who is this guy?!") I did recognize him because Jules was part of the Ferrari Drivers Academy and hey, I know my own team. I also had seen updates from him over the last years in the World Championship by Renault so I knew pretty much who he was. I was a bit further down the pit lane, at Lotus, but Bianchi took his time to meet lots of fans. So when he was at hearing distance I yelled his name and he turned his head, surprised that there someone that excited to see him. The picture on the right is the one I took then and you can almost see him thinking "who is yelling my name over there?”. Maybe not and it's just a coincidence he's looking my way but I still love that picture, even more now.

Bianchi kept giving autographs to everybody and when he was finally close enough I got mine and hey, now that he was there, I ask for a picture as well. "Of course!” he said with a smile on his face. So I had my picture with this young chap who one day might become a F1 champion. I was thrilled and I remember I kept saying the next day, when Bianchi was driving the Force India, "I met that guy! I have a picture and autograph of him! How insane is it that yesterday he was next to me and today he is driving a Formula 1 car around Monza!” Oh yes, I was very excited every time he passed us. 

I think it's pretty clear that after Monza 2012, Jules Bianchi gained another fan. So when he got a seat at Marussia the next year, I was extremely happy for him. He deserved it, he's a great driver. If you can finish ninth with a Marussia at Monaco, you can drive for sure. But on top of that he's a nice guy, always with a smile on his face. I can imagine driving at Marussia isn't that fun at times but he was always positive and was building his way to the top and maybe get himself a seat at Ferrari someday. 

Now however everything is unclear but the chance to ever see him racing again is very small. But who cares about racing, all that matters is that we want him to be ok. To wake up. I keep struggling with the idea that the smiley chap I met in Monza is now fighting for his life. Only five years older than me and already fighting for his life. Every single day I keep hoping that we will get some good news and even though staying positive is getting harder day by day, I won't stop hoping. I can't. He has to win his most important battle. I don't want to think about another outcome. I can’t deal with thinking about that. It might sound naïf to keep holding onto such a small amount of hope but that's all I can do right now. Positive vibes only. Forza Jules! 

Catya Leroux 

Cycling: The only good thing Armstrong ever did. And isn't allowed to now.

Lance Armstrong isn't allowed to participate in the Gran Fondo ride his old friend George Hincapie is organizing this weekend. Although it is a charity event, it is an authorized event from USADA. Several of Armstrong's old team mates: Vande Velde, Livingston and of course Hincapie himself  join the ride. They are allowed to participate. Lance isn't. But hey, no witch hunt or anything.

Those who read some of my other posts on this blog, know that I have never hide my respect for the American. But this is just a case of justice. I am well aware Lance isn't the most popular guy in the world right now but why does he in particular has to be punished again and again for the mistake he made 10 years ago. I said it before and I will probably have to say it again: why only Armstrong? Everybody from the US Postal team doped but they haven't nearly been as punished as Lance. They can participate without any problem. How is this justice? I know many people think the Texan doesn't deserves justice but he does.

I said and wrote it a million times: it isn't fair to punish Armstrong harder because he's Armstrong. Ok, he was the leader of the team, he was the one with the highest salary, he was the one the team followed. But at the end they all did the same, they all doped. Not only US Postal but the majority of the peleton. UCI and USADA always denied the investigation was a witch hunt against Armstrong, but honestly how can you not call this a witch hunt? One cyclist is paying the price for a epoch of doping. Justice, yeah right!

Everyone can agree that founding Livestrong is one of the (few) good things Armstrong has done. He has been great in charity work, he's a born speecher and does actually care for people who need help. Why can't he even do that anymore? He has been forced to leave the organisation he founded and now he can't even participate in a charity ride. Should they really push it this far? In my opinion, Lance should just start in the event. What on earth are they going to do to him? Ban him from cycling for life and give him an insane harsh punishment or something? Oh wait...

Catya Leroux

MotoGP: In memory of Marco Simoncelli

Three years have passed since the horrible crash which ended the life of Marco Simoncelli way too soon. Three years and it still feels as if it was yesterday. MotoGP moved on, but there still is something large, with curly hair missing. And the question "What if Marco was racing?" still occurs to me often. Come on, Marquez vs Simoncelli, that would have been exceptional. What if...What if tragedy hadn't struck three years ago?

I honestly think I never going to be able to delete the footage of the crash from my memory. Too bad. I saw the crash happening once, live on television, but I can still see it in front of me when I close my eyes. But now that three years have passed, I think I moved on from the real sadness and came into the state of being proud that I have known Marco and that I have been able to see him race. For me, Marco is being able to smile when someone says “I’ll be arrest!”. I have many great memories of Marco and those will never fade. 

Because of our SuperSic I have met many great people, all around the world. Bounded by one man. And I honestly think that’s incredible. If you can touch and change the lives of so many people, you must have been pretty extraordinary. I here also want to thank everybody who has supported me on the “We want a Simoncelli corner at Mugello” project. We’re not there yet and I maybe we never will but the support we’ve got has been immense. And I can never thank all of you enough for that. 

We still miss you, Marco and that will never change. But for us, you will live on forever, we will never forget you and there will always be a place for you in our hearts. Keep racing in heaven, SuperSic!

Catya Leroux