Sky Sports activities F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham has admitted she was “scared” of interviewing Michael Schumacher forward of her first season masking the game.
Pinkham has been an integral a part of Sky Sports activities’ F1 protection since 2012 after they acquired the TV rights within the UK.
Her function has sometimes been centred round interviewing drivers after races as a part of Sky’s post-race protection.
2012 was Schumacher’s ultimate season within the sport with Mercedes.
Having certified fourth at Albert Park, Schumacher was pressured to retire from the race prematurely because of a technical difficulty.
Talking on The Pink Flags podcast, Pinkham mirrored on her first interview with the seven-time world champion and the way it ended up being a terrifying encounter.
“The toughest would have been Michael Schumacher,” she mentioned. “I can’t let you know how scared I used to be of interviewing him. It was a joke.
“That was my very, very first interview ever in Components 1 was with Michael Schumacher. It was the Australian Grand Prix and he completed his race prematurely.
“They have been simply in my ear and I inadvertently grabbed him. I don’t know what the hell I used to be doing however I simply grabbed him.I used to be squeezing his arm and he seemed down at his arm and seemed again at me to say ‘why are you touching me?’.
“I used to be then like ‘Oh, I’m so sorry’. At this level I’m reside. That was such a baptism of fireside. It was ridiculous.”
Schumacher’s unlucky ultimate F1 season
Schumacher’s ultimate season with Mercedes was tarnished by dangerous luck.
After being comprehensively out-performed by Nico Rosberg in 2010 and 2011, 2012 was his best.
Even at 43, Schumacher proved he nonetheless had the velocity and talent to compete with the perfect in F1.
Schumacher famously took pole place for the Monaco GP, however because of a lingering grid penalty, needed to begin the race from sixth on the grid.
He would stand on the rostrum yet one more time, although, ending third on the European Grand Prix.
His retirement paved the best way for Lewis Hamilton’s arrival in 2013 forward of Mercedes’ years of dominance.