Herbert: Team Orders Tarnish Schumacher's Titles

Michael Schumacher's controversial victory at the Austrian Grand Prix last week has tarnished his world titles and Formula One, according to his former teammate Johnny Herbert.

The German was helped to stay on target for a record-equalling fifth title when Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello pulled over under team orders on the final lap to allow Schumacher to win in Austria on May 12.

"In Michael's position I would never behave as he does because I would never feel that I had properly won the world title," the Briton, who was Schumacher's teammate at Benetton in 1995, told the London Evening Standard newspaper.

"At least three of his four world titles have been won with help. I don't remember Ayrton Senna or Alain Prost ever needing anything like that. It's the absolute worst. I don't know how he can do it.

"I don't know how he can feel he's really World Champion, although I'm sure he will be champion again this year.

"The whole point of racing is that the best man wins. But it's naive to believe that nowadays because the best man isn't winning. Michael has tarnished his reputation and the value of the Championship.

"He has won by batting down his teammate and it's not the first time he's done it. This year at the San Marino Grand Prix he took Rubens's car when Rubens was quicker than him before qualifying. Michael has never had to address the very first challenge a driver faces, which is beating the only guy in the same machinery."

Clearly Favoured

In the 1995 season Herbert won his first race in Formula One but the Briton claimed the Benetton team clearly favoured Schumacher, who retained the Championship.

"I know what it's like to be Michael's teammate," said Herbert, 37, who will drive for the Audi factory team at the Le Mans 24-Hour race next month.

"When I joined Michael at Benetton the team had just won the world title and I thought it was an opportunity for me to do the same. So I said publicly I wanted to win the world title. But when Michael was asked about that he said I was 'getting political'.

"That was when the problems began. At the Argentinean Grand Prix all Michael's data was taken away after practice so that I couldn't look at it and get the benefit. He saw mine, of course. Refusing to let me see his was something he asked for and the team agreed to it.

"The team shouldn't allow it. Ordering Rubens to give way wasn't fair. If he'd refused, I'm sure they'd have got rid of him. The silly part is (Schumacher) doesn't need to do it this way. He's only damaging himself," Herbert added.

This is not the first time that Herbert has attacked Schumacher, whom he described last year as the "rotten egg" of Formula One.