I think Ralf should've refused to back out when Michael came over to squeeze him at Nurburgring. If they both crash, the points gap stays the same. If Michael can't continue but Ralf can and scores in the points, he gains in the standings. If Ralf can't continue but Michael can, it's no different than if the car had a mechanical failure except that Michael will now have to take into account that he will get no quarter from his brother. IMO, a win-win situation. :D

Also, I know it's old history, but I think Bernoldi holding up Coulthard at Monaco either shows just how much fire he lacks for the championship in comparison to Michael or, say, Senna or that he is a lot more mature (responsible?) in his thinking. I think Michael would have made a move (with it entirely being possible that he'd be taken out of the race). He would've bitched and moaned to the press about how Bernoldi deliberately took him out, but he would have made the effort to pass. Coulthard, it seems, was only willing to pass if he could do so safely. A very Jackie Stewart-ish train of thought, I'd say. :)

It seems to me that Michael is very driven (for lack of a better word). He is willing to push the envelope [of the rules] in order to achieve his goal of the driver's championship, and to heck with good sportsmanship. Just like Senna.