It would be nice if my final F1 win at Adelaide in 1994 was one of the happiest memories of my career. Unfortunately it was probably the worst moment of my life.

We arrived in Australia with the two hotshoes, Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill, competing for the World Championship.

But look at the history books and they’ll tell you that I qualified on pole position by almost a full second.

A mark of how good a lap it was is that even Patrick Head patted me on the back and said ‘Brilliant’!

However, I upset the powers that be with that pole.

I was taken aside and told to make a slow start so that I didn’t get in the way of the battle for the title – although I’m not prepared to say who by.

But that wasn’t the end of it. I came back to the track on Saturday evening to check out the circuit out after having posted that pretty neat time.

During qualifying, Michael had crashed his car at the chicane trying to beat my lap. It was a big accident and wrote off chassis number five, his favourite.

As I looked around the circuit, there were workmen at the chicane with grinding machines changing all the kerbs.

I stopped them and said ‘What the hell are you doing?’

They said to me, ‘Michael Schumacher had an accident here. We’re changing the corner because it is dangerous’.

I said ‘You can’t do that. Between qualifying and the race you can’t change the circuit unless the FIA and everyone else agrees to it. And I’m not going to do that. Tell Michael to go around the kerbs rather than over them!’

The Australians and I got on like a house on fire so they did as I said. I actually stopped them changing the circuit off my own back. I got into so much trouble for that.

As for race day, you know what happened.

I made my slow start as instructed, and Michael and Damon got away ahead of me.

I watched all their antics from 50 yards behind. They took one another off and I won the race.

But what went on beforehand and the fact that I was edged out of a Williams drive for 1995 have soured my memories of the day.

Drivers shouldn’t have to put up with that.

Take Silverstone in 1987. The team wanted Nelson to win. They were telling me to slow down. With ten laps to go I was even informed that I was running out of fuel!

I thought ‘No, this is the British GP’ so I just ignored them. I got past Nelson down the Hangar Straight and took the victory.

I was a very unpopular winner within the team. The mechanics were pleased for me but they had to be discreet about it, because the guys on the pit wall were not happy at all.

But it was my home race so what the hell?