Michael needs to retire...

RE30B#16 · Post by **RE30B#16** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 5:21 pm

As much as I have loved watching this guys career unfold (his early career was much more exciting than his F1 career due to the gross lack of competition after Mika Hakkinen retired), he has nothing left to prove. How many great driving talent has been squandered while Bernie and Max try to hang onto their cashcow. He is like Michael Jordan in his last year now. Yes, he can still do it, but why?

Alonso has arrived and will be a force to be reckoned with for many years to come. It's about time the old guys make way for baby. I think I would rather see Lewis Hamilton, Anthony Davidson, Robert Kubica, Heikki Kovalainen, join Jr Rosberg and company. Let's see Heidfeld, PDLR, and Wurz in competitive rides before they are too old like Mika Salo, Olivier Panis, Tomas Enge, Alan McNish, and others. Get rid of seat hogging rolling chicanes like Jenson Button (yeah, I said it!), David Coulthard, Ralf Shoe, JV and Jarno Trulli if they aren't consistently challenging for points or podiums. If F1 can let some one with a dossier like Juan Montoya's just go by the wayside, JB, DC, RS, JV, and JT definitely need to stepdown.

In a sort of unrelated note, I've never been truly enamoured with Michael Schumacher although I've always appreciated his talent, and I wasn't sure why until last night. I found myself on YouTube.Com watching the podium celebration of Imola 1994 after the death of Ayrton Senna. Michael Schumacher was jumping around and carrying on like he had just won the championship, grinning and mugging and pumping his fists in the air while subdued runner up Nicola Larini and third placed Mika Hakkinen looked like WW III had just broke out! All of the drivers at that point knew Senna was near death or dead already (the red flag was 2 hours long!). We are talking about Senna dying in front of him in the race!! Add to this Roland Ratzenberger had died the day beore in practice, Rubens Barrichello was in the hospital ICU after a shunt of his own, Pedro Lamy rearended JJ Lehto stalled Benetton at unabatted speed at the start a la Ricardo Paletti [fortunately both drivers were unhurt], and here is Schumacher dancing around like nothing at all out of the ordinary had happened that weekend. How shameful!! He made some weak remark about learning from the incident in the post race interview while Mika Hakkinen looked on in utter disbelief. Add to this the disqualifications, the dodgey moves, the politics. Just like his mentor Alain Prost, he is too good to have to resort to all that crap, which let's me know that dispite all of the wins and accolades, something is deficient.

Now before you die hard Shoefans attempt to take me out to the killing fields, I'm reminded of IndyCar champ Dan Wheldon who, as he was taking the checkered flag in the first race of the season, told his team over the radio not to celebrate out of respect for the fallen Paul Dana. On the podium he refused to spray the champaigne and encouraged the other two podium finishers to do the same. What a class act!! 10 Formula 1 World Championships for Michael Schumacher wouldn't make him half the champion of Dan Wheldon in my opinion.

Michael Schumacher. Great? Yes. The greatest? Never!

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 5:50 pm

Or IMHO even close to Senna himself. Senna did not always fight fair but he seemed to genuinly care when others were hurt or worse, lost their life. Most of his scraps were with Prost who sure knew how to play the political game too.

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 9:16 am

Well, RE, the lastest murmer from Maranello is that Scummaker will not retire.
The theory is that he will race Kimi on equal terms in equal machinery to establish his superiority once and for all.

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 9:19 am

Oooops, forgot to add, Massa will be a very highly paid test driver for one year, before partnering Kimi.

but, Ferrari do like to keep people guessing, And Scummaker loves all the attention he gets at this time of year

RE30B#16 · Post by **RE30B#16** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 11:39 am

Julian Mayo wrote:Well, RE, the lastest murmer from Maranello is that Scummaker will not retire.
The theory is that he will race Kimi on equal terms in equal machinery to establish his superiority once and for all.

I'll believe that when I see it. I don't believe he will continue racing without Ross Brawn and Jean Todt which are both saying they are retiring at season's end.

Schumacher hasn't raced on equal footing with any driver since he drove for Jordan. Johnny Herbert was the closest thing he has ever had to a real teammate.

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Thu Aug 10, 2006 11:56 am

RE30B#16 wrote:
Julian Mayo wrote:Well, RE, the lastest murmer from Maranello is that Scummaker will not retire.
The theory is that he will race Kimi on equal terms in equal machinery to establish his superiority once and for all.

I'll believe that when I see it.

Likewise

F1greyhound · Post by **F1greyhound** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 11:23 pm

Hey guys, why not give it a break?

PIQUET, BRUNDLE, HERBERT, IRVINE, BARRICHELLO and now MASSA...

YEAH! They are all normally faster than MICHAEL, its only down to his politics that he can beat them...

He drives everyone in the ground, thats the truth

KIMI might become his strongest teammate, lets wait and see...

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 2:02 am

F1greyhound wrote:Hey guys, why not give it a break?

PIQUET, BRUNDLE, HERBERT, IRVINE, BARRICHELLO and now MASSA...

YEAH! They are all normally faster than MICHAEL, its only down to his politics that he can beat them...

He drives everyone in the ground, thats the truth

KIMI might become his strongest teammate, lets wait and see...

Gee, I am sorry, I thought the purpose of these forums, amongst other things, was to source rumours, and float them out here to discuss.

Sorry.

RE30B#16 · Post by **RE30B#16** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 1:48 pm

F1greyhound wrote:Hey guys, why not give it a break?

PIQUET, BRUNDLE, HERBERT, IRVINE, BARRICHELLO and now MASSA...

YEAH! They are all normally faster than MICHAEL, its only down to his politics that he can beat them...

He drives everyone in the ground, thats the truth

KIMI might become his strongest teammate, lets wait and see...

I understand your frustration, F1greyhound, because Michael could have blown off most of his teammates anyway. Contrary to what you may think, I feel your pain, however MS did choose to have #1 status clauses placed in his contracts [every one except with Piquet and deCesaris (his 1st Benetton and Jordan teammates respectively)]. Alain Prost did the same thing. So did Mansell in his second stint for Williams. Alan Jones tried it with Williams, but it wouldn't fly back then [1981].

Johnny Herbert was his most formidible teammate, considering Nelson Piquet in 1992 was towards the end of his stellar career. IMHO, he should have taken on a supporting role for Eddie Irvine in 1999 upon returning to F1 [after missing half of the season with a broken leg!]. His ego is just too fragile for me, and even though he seems to be 'where he should be all the time,' these off track excursions take away from his stature as a true sportsman.

I was raised on Gilles Villeneuve. A sportsman through and through. Race to win or die tryin'!!!

F1greyhound · Post by **F1greyhound** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 4:35 am

This thing with the No.1 status is a rumour lasting for 13 years...

MICHAELs team mates were simply neither able to beat him nor did they have his ability to develop a winning package. In the few cases when he got past his team mates easily(so called team orders) he was going faster and he was the only driver able to win the WDC for the team. Teams like MCLAREN, WILLIAMS and more recently RENAULT have shown how to lose or at least endanger their WDC success and we will know by the end of this year if FLAVIO regrets the Sepang result...

Anyway, some people like to think MICHAEL needed a certain type of contract whereas MIKA, FERNANDO and KIMI dominate their team mates without this, just like AYRTON did. Up to anyones guess, I suppose...

Re.MICHAEL helping EDDIE in 99, he actually did but was unable to win the last GP in Suzuka. By the way, EDDIE was beaten by MIKA and I found it always strange that MICHAEL was blamed in the first place....Obviously some guys love these conspiracy theories and MICHAEL seems to make for an ideal target.

Thankfully, re.pure speed and car developing ability all experts are certain of his supremacy!

RE30B#16 · Post by **RE30B#16** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:36 pm

F1greyhound wrote:This thing with the No.1 status is a rumour lasting for 13 years...

MICHAELs team mates were simply neither able to beat him nor did they have his ability to develop a winning package. In the few cases when he got past his team mates easily(so called team orders) he was going faster and he was the only driver able to win the WDC for the team.

I can remember a few times when Barrichello damn near parked it to let Michael take a win. It has happened more than once.

No is saying MS never blew off his teammates, but his #1 contract status is fact. That's why everyone was shocked when it was Eddie Irvine of all characters in F1 who decided to take the #2 status and go there in 1998.

As far as developing the winning package, the team cars are supposed to be equal, so your own argument nearly indicts your man.

RE30B#16 · Post by **RE30B#16** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:40 pm

RE30B#16 wrote:No is saying MS never blew off his teammates, but his #1 contract status is fact. That's why everyone was shocked when it was Eddie Irvine of all characters in F1 who decided to take the #2 status and go there in 1998.

"No one" is saying...

One of those RB-slows-down- to-let-Michael-win races happened at Indianapolis if I remember correctly. All the papers were going nuts about it.

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:32 am

What??? Team orders... no that is against the rules and that would never happen.

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:53 am

AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!

Kapel · Post by **Kapel** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 3:36 pm

RE30B#16 wrote: One of those RB-slows-down- to-let-Michael-win races happened at Indianapolis if I remember correctly. All the papers were going nuts about it.

It was Michael who slowed down to let Rubens win, a kinda payback for Austria 2002.
I personally think he wanted to have a photo finish but probably Rubens thought he was lettng him win & press the throtle a little extra