Jos Verstappen has reiterated his feelings that former Benetton team-mate Michael Schumacher used a selection of driving aids during the 1994 Formula 1 season, explaining that 'there is no way he could have been so fast' in a standard car.
The Dutchman, who claimed two podium finishes during his time in the sport, was left convinced when team boss Flavio Briatore refused to talk about the matter.
"You see, Michael also depends on machinery," Verstappen told Dutch magazine NUsport. "For most people he was God, but he’s not Superman, he never was. When I went karting with him he never beat me. I know what happened when we were together at Benetton in 1994, there is a reason.
"People think I'm looking for an excuse when I say this, but I just know that his car was different compared to my car that year. I kept thinking that this cannot be done! I would brake on the limit and go as hard as I could into every corner. So what could I do when Schumacher was able to do that and not me? It just wasn’t right."
Verstappen added that although the team will never admit it, after a drive in Schumacher's 'normal' car at Hockenheim, the situation became clear in his mind.
"There were electronic aids," he commented. "They will never admit it, but I am convinced of it. I later asked Flavio Briatore, who had brought me to Benetton and was then the team's manager. He said 'Let's not talk about it.' So I know enough now.
"I drove Michael's car a few times, at Hockenheim for example, but I spun off. There's no way that he could have been so fast with that set-up. But the system that Michael used wasn't in the car at that moment."
Schumacher dramatically sealed the 1994 Drivers' crown by one point, having collided with Williams driver Damon Hill in the Adelaide finale during their battle for the lead.
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Michael Schumacher
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