Michael Schumacher retires.

[Motu]

A pretty impressive career,no denying he was the best there has ever been....but.

I've never liked the guy,mainly because of his unsportsman like behaviour,the win at all cost mindset....taking out other competitors,the famous ''Schuey Chop'',the blocking,the MS first team tactics where his No2 driver was only there to back him up.But I got to hand it to the guy - he was totaly on the ball ALL the time...making your own luck,he didn't get a lucky break,he made lucky breaks.I remember when he spun out into the kitty litter,and he waved marshalls over to push him out...there was an uproar about how that was illeagal - but no,he knows the rules so well even in that situation he can get it right.I don't like the tactics,but admire the driving skill,the ability to make the team around him - the total driver package.

And Kimi Raikkonen steps into his place at Ferrari - he's definatly the next best driver out there,and if it wasn't for McLaren's unreliable cars he would of had at least two WDC's to his name.But is the Ferrari team going to work for him? I hope he hasn't made a mistake.

Anyway,thanks for the show Michael Schumacher....it'll take some beating.

[ManDownUnder]

Ditto.

I'm glad to see him leaving the sport at the top of his game rather than by accident (a la, Brockie et al.)

[McJim]

Are there still rumours of Rossi moving to F1 at some point?

[sAsLEX]

Only watched it through live timing but he didnt seem phased at any time during the race, he was comfortably faster than any one else there and even after fuelling was putting down sectors that embarressed most of the field, added to the fact that Alonso burned we now have a decent championship challange going in to the final races!

[Karma]

Today is a great day for Formula 1. So many people, including myself, stopped watching it because the finish was so predictable. Perhaps injecting some new blood into the sport might bring back some old fans, and get some new ones.

[The Pastor]

He was an awesome driver. I don't think he should retire.

[k14]

Today is a great day for Formula 1. So many people, including myself, stopped watching it because the finish was so predictable. Perhaps injecting some new blood into the sport might bring back some old fans, and get some new ones.
Nah its still going to be just as boring. I reckon they should instate some sort of sprinkler system at the circuits. Turns on sprinklers at various corners at random times through the race. Would make it more interesting :lol:

[Whynot]

A pretty impressive career,no denying he was the best there has ever been....but.

I've never liked the guy,mainly because of his unsportsman like behaviour,the win at all cost mindset....taking out other competitors,the famous ''Schuey Chop'',the blocking,the MS first team tactics where his No2 driver was only there to back him up.But I got to hand it to the guy - he was totaly on the ball ALL the time...making your own luck,he didn't get a lucky break,he made lucky breaks.I remember when he spun out into the kitty litter,and he waved marshalls over to push him out...there was an uproar about how that was illeagal - but no,he knows the rules so well even in that situation he can get it right.I don't like the tactics,but admire the driving skill,the ability to make the team around him - the total driver package.

And Kimi Raikkonen steps into his place at Ferrari - he's definatly the next best driver out there,and if it wasn't for McLaren's unreliable cars he would of had at least two WDC's to his name.But is the Ferrari team going to work for him? I hope he hasn't made a mistake.

Anyway,thanks for the show Michael Schumacher....it'll take some beating.

ditto ... i can't say i really liked him either, but you just have to be amazed by the way he can turn on the pace when he needs it, time and time again over the years.

should be very interesting to see how well Kimi does at ferrari to :yes:

[Dooly]

Good riddance, and as much as I cant stand Schumi, I hope he wins the title this year to go out on.

It will be interesting to see if Ferrari allow Tattoo (Massa) and Kimi equal status, unlike now and the past where Schumi has always had, and written in contract, number one status.

[Big Dave]

He drove cars or something didn't he?
Never watched any of that.

[Patrick]

He could afford to buy his own island somewhere in the Pacific with all the $$$ he has made... I wonder if it will be the North Island, but I think the scenery in the South is better, so it will probably be the South Island...

[Pixie]

Ditto.

I'm glad to see him leaving the sport at the top of his game rather than by accident (a la, Brockie et al.)

Brockie was "retired".
Give Schuey time...

[The Pastor]

I wonder if Ferrari will now have to start spending money on advertising?

[Mr. Peanut]

:zzzz: F1 died in 1989

[outlawtorn]

Schumacher is a great driver.....but he's also a pratt!

Schumacher is a great driver.....but he's also a dick!

Schumacher is a great driver.....but he's also a idiot!

Schumacher is a great driver.....but he's also a wanker!

Schumacher is a great driver.....but he's also a turd-burglar!

but damn it he is still a great driver......

[sAsLEX]

Schumacher is a great driver.....but he's also a pratt!

Schumacher is a great driver.....but he's also a dick!

Schumacher is a great driver.....but he's also a idiot!

Schumacher is a great driver.....but he's also a wanker!

Schumacher is a great driver.....but he's also a turd-burglar!

but damn it he is still a great driver......

Dont forget mind bogglingly rich

[Motu]

But as with all mega rich people - not rich enough...

[Motu]

So no the lid is off and stories are coming out,and the rumour machine is in top gear....

Kimi signed his contract with Ferrari a year ago,and it's well known that no way was he going to settle for No2 driver to Schumacher,he wanted equal standing with Schumacher or he wasn't going to race for them.McLaren must of known as they signed Alonso to cover their bets....Rossi was a diversion....So did Schumacher finally retire because he didn't want a team member who was going to race him on equal terms?

These days the only true comparison is drivers in the same team,then you know it's the same car,if one driver is consistantly faster,then he is the faster driver.Who knows if Kimi was faster than Schumacher if he always had a slower unreliable car? Now we'll never know about the great MS,he never had a team mate anywhere near his own abilities....

[MacD]

One thing that will be interesting to see is if Kimi can break Ferrari's too? I'd like to see Kimi win a WDC, but the question is whether he is too hard on the cars, or were McLaren's really that unreliable? I'm not sure what I think about Alonso going to McLaren. I found his win last year somewhat hollow. I've always followed McLaren as I'm old enough to remember Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme. Funny thing is that I had to point out what that funny red kiwi-shaped thing was on the McLaren logo to a couple of Brit mates not so long ago.

[Motu]

The logo is not a kiwi,I dunno what it is....just some designer doodle,but it's definatly not a kiwi.

If Kimi can break a care it's not his problem - it means the car is too weak.This is F1,not club racing - you can't abuse the motor or trans,they are controlled by computers.About the only thing you can damage is the suspension by hitting too many curbs and flatspotting tyres.No way is Kimi a car breaker - the McLaren is just plain unreliable.If he keeps breaking the ulta reliable Ferrari then we'll know....

[Lou Girardin]

I'll predict that Raikkonen won't last two years at Ferrari. He's too cold, he won't be accepted by the team. He won't understand Ferrari politics, Massa has paid his dues there, he knows the sytem, he'll have Kimi sidelined in no time. And he's fast enough to do it on the track too.
Schumies only fault was that he wasn't Italian.
Massa with the Polish guy at No: 2 is a winning combo.

[Motu]

He's got a 3 year contract - someone will have to buy him out....

[Lou Girardin]

He's got a 3 year contract - someone will have to buy him out....

He'll go crawling back to some Teutonic team, like McLaren.

[Motu]

So will Ferrari pay him off or McLaren buy him out? - money,it's all about money in F1.

[JeremyW]

It is all about money and Shuey has more than anyone.... the sport will be much better with him out... no doubting his career

[slowpoke]

A pretty impressive career,no denying he was the best there has ever been.


I don't really give a rat's arse.........but, I think he is the most SUCCESSFUL, not necessarily the "best there has ever been".

The guy was a dirty, cheating prick who raced for a dominant team in an era where car performance far outweighed driver ability.

Yup, we's a winner, but I'll never think of him as a true champion.

[Pathos]

He was a superb driver but I never got the feeling he had a truly competitive opponent to prove how good he was.

If only alonso and renault were where they are now 4 years ago, then he would have had four years to really show how good he was or not.

[BigTex]

Amazing driver adjusting his cars setting by knobs on the wheel for the next turn while taking the corner before. Absolutely nuts. Tactics can be questioned but still and outstanding driver. I watched a thing on him and in the past 16? years he's made $1 billion dollars off of racing alone. :gob:

Don't like how he took Rubens Barrichello out of the light. :second:

Kimi and Juan Pablo are who I'm cheerin for now.

[sAsLEX]

Schumies only fault was that he wasn't Italian.


I dont think they care to much at Monza when the scuderia get on the podium!

[Darryboy]

I don't really give a rat's arse.........but, I think he is the most SUCCESSFUL, not necessarily the "best there has ever been".

The guy was a dirty, cheating prick who raced for a dominant team in an era where car performance far outweighed driver ability.

Yup, we's a winner, but I'll never think of him as a true champion.

Think of his whole career and try to say that without looking like a fool.

[slowpoke]

Think of his whole career and try to say that without looking like a fool.

The only fool is someone who thinks drivers are the biggest part of operating a successful F1 team.

You probably can't even remember when F1 cars were designed without a wind tunnel, or had a gear lever or ran without traction control, launch control and a Cray supercomputer parked in the back. Can you remember when passing manouvers occurred on the track rather than in the pits?
In fact you probably can't even remember F1 without Ferrari and it's only relatively recently that they returned.

Are you denying that for the past 10 years it's become damn near impossible to pass thanks to the aerodynamics?

Are you denying that Ferrari have got far and away the biggest budget of any F1 team?

Are you denying he deliberately crashed into Damon Hill to deny Hill the championship?

Are you denying he tried the same thing on Jacque Villneuve?

Yup, he's a good driver as his early titles show....but driver input now days is far less important than in days gone by. You are kiddin' yourself if you think otherwise.

[SimJen]

He was a good driver, but for me his career will be overshadowed by his few indiscretions. As a professional they shouldn't have happened.
Senna was the better man/driver :)
I had a video of Senna onboard at Monaco, changing gears with a real gearstick 110 changes a lap, driving mostly one handed. They were the days of real skill when drivers would almost collapse after a race with blistered hands and feet.
Still things move on I suppose but I still reckon that wing area should be half and tires should be half the width with no electronic driving aids.
GP2 is a better formula because of the stuff they don't have.

[steved]

I still miss Mika Hakkinen. That guy was great.

[Swoop]

I like him, and that famous German sense of humour...

[SimJen]

Mika was so laid back he was almost asleep. He was almost as exciting as Kimi AKA the worlds most boring man. :)

[Dooly]

Mika was so laid back he was almost asleep. He was almost as exciting as Kimi AKA the worlds most boring man. :)

But boy, Kimi can sink the piss!:gob: :yes:

[willy_01]

Quote


"Think of his whole career and try to say that without looking like a fool."

I agree, he was quite the talent in karting circles before f1 I believe. Anyone who has piloted a 2 stroke 250cc kart will know that driver input is the most important part of going fast around corners (they are so damn easy to spin - solid rear axel) and they are no slugs one holds/ did hold the Taupo track record , so credit where it is due, he is without question the new benchmark in F1. I draw a comparison with the Maclaren F1 (road car), sure it had its flaws but was undoubtedly the 'best' performance car, due in part to its uncompromising nature.

[sAsLEX]

due in part to its uncompromising nature.

replaced now by the Koinegsegg CCX with the top gear wing.

"it sounds like a norse god of thunder gurgling a hammer"

" it is better to go through st peters gates backwards in a flaming fireball at 200MPH"

[outlawtorn]

Dont forget mind bogglingly rich

Shit, now there's another thing to add onto the list........I wonder if he'll adopt me? I'm potty trained!

[SimJen]

replaced now by the Koinegsegg CCX with the top gear wing.

"it sounds like a norse god of thunder gurgling a hammer"

" it is better to go through st peters gates backwards in a flaming fireball at 200MPH"

Yeah but the CCX while quicker isn't any better, its still compromised and full of leather and stereo etc.
The McLaren F1 is completely designed with the driver in mind right down to the middle seat driving position. I'd have the F1 anyday or an F40 :rockon:
A superbikes more fun anyways.... :)

[steved]

Mika was so laid back he was almost asleep. He was almost as exciting as Kimi AKA the worlds most boring man. :)
I just loved his sense of humour.


Brazil 1998 - Post Race Interview
Interviewer: You set pole position and 10 fastest laps during the race today, was there anything else that you could have done?

Hakkinen: [pauses] No.

Audience member: Take a coffee?

Hakkinen: Yeah, probably!

Spain 1998 - Post Race Interview
Interviewer: Mika, the perfect flags to lights victory. It looked very easy, was it?

Hakkinen: Oh yeah it was so easy, you can't believe it.

[Long pause, silence]

Hakkinen: No it wasn't.

[willy_01]

A superbikes more fun anyways.... :)

haha you reckon? I think id have more fun in the CCX due to the computers overiding my gimpy inputs - thus living to tell the tale. From what I've read the Mc F1 is very much like a powerful bike in a sense, if you upset it, your going to die. I reckon id be faster around a track in a less powerful car that has all the computer aids ie fords new GT than something that has a no comprimise power-to-weight focus like the Mclaren F1 or the 07 GSXR1000 (my feeble attempt to get back on topic).

[sAsLEX]

haha you reckon? I think id have more fun in the CCX due to the computers overiding my gimpy inputs - thus living to tell the tale. From what I've read the Mc F1 is very much like a powerful bike in a sense, if you upset it, your going to die. I reckon id be faster around a track in a less powerful car that has all the computer aids ie fords new GT than something that has a no comprimise power-to-weight focus like the Mclaren F1 or the 07 GSXR1000 (my feeble attempt to get back on topic).

umm the CCX has no driver aids!

You fuck up your dead, and it bites and bites hard Jeremy Clarkson was struggling to control the thign

[Drunken Monkey]

... Jeremy Clarkson was struggling to control the thign

That's no guage, Jeremy Clarkson can't drive for shit. The only thing on his side is he more experience than the average man in a less than average cars.

[sAsLEX]

That's no guage, Jeremy Clarkson can't drive for shit. The only thing on his side is he more experience than the average man in a less than average cars.

The stig stuck it through a tire wall as well, and he can drive!

The top gear dvd has the full cokpit view of his F1 lap on their test track impressive to say the least.

[willy_01]

umm the CCX has no driver aids!


Sorry im getting confused with the ccr < even more angry! (something silly like 800hp and getting close to 1000Nm of talk i think) but it has heaps of stuff TCS, ABS, Servo assisted brakes, AIRBAGS. I dont really know anything about the ccx to tell you truth, but its a car designed for the mass market (??) so im guessing it will be toned down if anything.


Ah top gear, by far the best show on tv - by far.

Oh and Drunken Monkey go wash your mouth out:nono: Jeremy Clarkson is the man, just check the initials :innocent:

[onearmedbandit]

Pre rear wing yes. Anyway JC has admitted many times that he can't drive. In the original Top Gear it was Tiff Needle (an acomplished racer) who was the 'driver'.

[Kickaha]

Senna was the better man/driver :)


Senna didn't mind crashing into other drivers

In his less than 11 years in F1, Senna had 16 collisions with other drivers. He was out 11 times because of such collisions with other drivers and it seems that he didn't learn of his faults: In his last seven years in Formula 1, he had 13 collisions!

(Source: Guinness GP Who's Who)

[Motu]

I wasn't impressed with Senna either,if another driver (usually Prost) didn't give way when he decided it was his corner and no one elses,he'd take them out.He was the first of the win at all cost no sportsmanship drivers.A great driver for sure,but like Schumacher,a lot of hollow victories.

But at least Senna and Prost fought tooth and nail against each other,in the same team,with no team orders and no quarter given.It's a pity Schumacher wouldn't let another driver of eaqual talent into the team.It appears with Kimi signing a contract a year ago....and then not so long ago having talks with Renault - that the deal hinged around him having equal statis in the team.MS would either have to drive next to Kimi in the same car with no team tactics....or leave Ferrari.

Here's and interesting quote from Alonso....

quote:Michael is the man with the most sanctions and the most unsporting driver in the history of Formula One," added the Spaniard, who despite his criticism admitted that racing against the Ferrari driver had been an honour.

[Lou Girardin]

Here's and interesting quote from Alonso....

quote:Michael is the man with the most sanctions and the most unsporting driver in the history of Formula One," added the Spaniard, who despite his criticism admitted that racing against the Ferrari driver had been an honour.

Sour grapes?

[Motu]

Just about every driver in F1 says the same thing,he's not a safe guy to be close to on the track.Schumacher is going to be remembered alright - but not in a good light.

[Kickaha]

Just about every driver in F1 says the same thing,he's not a safe guy to be close to on the track.Schumacher is going to be remembered alright - but not in a good light.

Possibly not, but I'd rather be a driver that wins the championship racing against him, than the driver that wins it after he retires

[Patrick]

Possibly not, but I'd rather be a driver that wins the championship racing against him, than the driver that wins it after he retires

then they can be the next tall poppy.....