But everyone knows that like in any good movie, book, year or event, the ending is crucial. After such a long and turbulent story, it probably does deserve a happy ending. Every athlete dreams of quitting on top, and it is this that makes the retirement decision so difficult. Alonso’s unexpected engine failure in the closing stages of the Monza race has brought the happy ending for Michael and his team ten points closer, with two points to go.

Alonso had a tough time at Monza

Almost superfluous and already widely acknowledged as fact, Ferrari finally announced that Kimi Raikkonen would replace Michael Schumacher.

It is a shame that we will not see Michael and Kimi race alongside each other at Ferrari. If only Ferrari had given both its drivers a fair shot at the championship over the past decade, we might have been able to understand Shuey’s performance better. This is not to take away from his talent, skills and abilities, but it would have been interesting to see nonetheless.

The best way to rate the performance of a driver is by his teammate. Felipe Massa, Rubens Barrichello, Eddie Irvine and Jos Verstappen were all good drivers, but are not comparable to the likes of Kimi Raikkonen, Mika Hakkinen, Ayrton Senna or Alain Prost. The German never wanted a high caliber teammate, and it is well-known that he was usually consulted before making a final decision on this matter.

Hence, it seems almost natural that a man of such great talent, in combination with a team that opts to focus all of its synergies and influences on this one individual, results in the most dominant team-driver combination in the history of Formula 1. This outcome was attainable, and they made it happen.

As difficult as it may seem to imagine, Formula 1 will survive without Michael Schumacher. His departure marks the end of an era, more than five years in succession of driving competitors into the ground. Champions come and go, but for them to shine, the sport must continue and prosper.

Michael Schumacher would be devastated if he left the 2006 stage without the drivers’ championship title, because unlike all seasons before, he will not have another chance.

Prepare for a nerve-racking season showdown.