Driving for Ferrari is a dream that virtually every aspiring Formula 1 driver grows up with.
Their iconic red cars – even if they sometimes have a tinge of blue like they did in Miami – are the first things that most people think of when you ask them about F1.
Some of the greatest drivers in the sport’s history have created their legacies with Ferrari.
Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, John Surtees and Niki Lauda all spring to mind.
However, their greatest-ever driver is Michael Schumacher, having won five world championships in consecutive years between 2000 and 2004.
In an interview with La Repubblica, Italian driver Jarno Trulli has admitted that Schumacher’s presence at Ferrari was the only reason he never drove for the team.
Instead, he enjoyed a long career in the sport driving for various midfield teams without ever racing for the Tifosi.
Jarno Trulli says Michael Schumacher was the reason he never drove for Ferrari
Last season, Sergio Perez took part in his 253 Formula 1 Grand Prix in Austin and came home in 4 place.
While that wasn’t a particularly remarkable result for the Mexican, it meant something to Jarno Trulli.
Perez became the driver with the 10 most appearances in Formula 1, pushing Trulli down to 11.
The Italian – who turns 50 in July – made his debut in 1997 for Minardi before taking over from Oliver Panis at Prost halfway through the season after the Frenchman broke his leg in Canada.
It was the start of a Formula 1 career that lasted 15 seasons and 252 races before starting his own team in Formula E.
Trulli was never the fastest driver on the grid, but his longevity was down to his reliability, especially in the middle of the pack.
However, Trulli has suggested that he would have had a chance to drive for Ferrari were it not for Michael Schumacher.
The German dominated Formula 1 in the years when Trulli was making his name at Jordan and Renault.
By the time Schumacher decided to retire for the first time, Trulli was pioneering the new Toyota team.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Scuderia Ferrari from team principal to factory
Jarno Trulli never got his chance at top Formula 1 team
Talking about his chance of racing for one of Formula 1’s most iconic teams, Trulli said: “Why didn’t I go to Ferrari? [Michael] Schumacher was there, they didn’t need another strong player.”
Despite being on the grid for longer than nearly every driver in the sport’s history, Trulli only tasted victory once.
The Monaco Grand Prix is the setting of several drivers earning their only victories in F1.
The previously mentioned Panis secured his only win for Ligier in 1996.
Back in 1972, another Frenchman – Jean-Pierre Beltoise – guided his BRM to victory in the principality after several successful years with Matra.
However, Trulli is the last driver to win his only Formula 1 race in Monaco back in 2004.
Jarno Trulli’s 2004 Monaco Grand Prix heroics
It was the year before Fernando Alonso won his first world championship with the team, but Trulli’s exceptional qualifying pace saw him start on pole.
Alonso was down in fourth with Trulli joined on the front row of the grid by Williams driver Ralf Schumacher.
The German’s gearbox failed in the latter stages of the race and it was a straight shootout between Trulli and Jenson Button – who was also aiming to secure his maiden F1 victory.
The British BAR driver crossed the line less than half a second behind Trulli but the Italian was the man standing on the top step of the podium.
While Trulli never got to live out his dream of driving for Ferrari because of Schumacher, he still managed to add his name to Formula 1’s coveted list of race winners.
His legacy in F1 still lives on, with commentators regularly referring to the ‘Trulli Train’ when a slower car is holding up the drivers behind him.
The post ‘Didn’t need another’: 1-time race winner says Michael Schumacher is the only reason he never joined Ferrari appeared first on F1 Oversteer.