Michael Schumacher retires.

[Spritle]

Crushed

I will really have a hard time finding a driver I can cheer on like I did Michael but I'll still wear his hat to the races I go to. I am happy I did get too see him race in person and win ALL of the races I attended!

Per sempre Schumi!!

[ensign14]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

Not sure if I'll miss him, but I still believe that the bad sides of his racing outweigh the good. Statistically he is the best ever, but statistics sometimes play tricks.

Yeah - there are a couple of stats that have George Amick as the best ever.

[Bononi]

BEFORE anyone spoil this thread with that neverending discussion if TGF was the greatest or not, HEAR THIS:

READ MY POST, I say that in the books, statistics, HE'S THE GREATEST OF ALL. PERIOD.

It's not a personal opinions, and nobody here is claiming that.

IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS HIS GREATNESS, THERE ARE ZILLION OF THREADS ABOUT IT IN THIS FORUM.

Let's continue.

[Heebeegeetee]

Its been a great, great time watching the Schumacher era. I followed F1 long before Schumi came, so I have something to compare to, and I think the Schumi era has been as great as just about any other time in the sport.

I truly believe that Schumi has been the greatest fighter in our sport. I don't have a great problem with his 'dark side', Senna had it too and please don't anyone patronise me with a "yeah but no but yeah but he had more class in his cheating" type ******. To stay at the top in F1 you have to be ruthless. Blind obediance of the rule book is for losers, IMO.

I know there have been great drivers in the past who couldn't resort to Schumi type tactics 'cos they would have been killed, but only Fangio stayed at the top for long. I often think about Jim Clark, but we have to admit that Jim filled the gap between Moss and Stewart, he never raced a peer, he always had access to the best technology of the time, and so on. I don't want to take anything away from Jim Clark, but Schumacher had to (or chose to) battle against many drivers who were as good as he (Schumacher) was, and mostly he beat them. The big difference is that Schumachers rivals didn't have the energy, drive, ambition, call it what you will, to continue to fight against him.

You can only judge Schumacher from the period he raced within, and nowadays there is no scope for a Colin Chapman to come along and design a car that breaks completely new ground, or for a Cooper to come along and say "hey, lets put the engine where nobody else does and see if its quicker". Those times are gone, and the only way to stay at the top now is to work bloody hard, ruthlessly hard for virtually the entire year, year after year. For better or worse, nobody has worked harder than Schumacher for so long. He had many rivals, but they came and went.

Many people here in the UK have strong views on Schumacher, strong views on a person they don't know at all. I prefer to think of what those at Ferrari must think of him, for they must know him well. It really does seem that those Ferrari guys truly love him, I bet they think he walks on water. Their big problem now is how do they motivate themselves for next year? 'Cos god, I bet its gonna be boring for them for quite a while. I think we'll see quite a destabilised team at ferrari in the next year or two.

One last point: Whoever wins the championship next year won't be able to claim to be the best driver in the world, 'cos the best driver won't be driving.

Posted after Bononis post, may I add. (Though I'm not sure waht the thread is for, if not to discuss Schumis greatness)

[Bononi]

It's basically to discuss this moment, his retirement.


It's not to discuss each one's point of view... like the usual driver X or Y was better than him (as already one has posted) or not, got it ?

[Inigo Montoya]

Originally Posted by ralf fan

Can anyone see Kimi bringing out the same kind of fanatical support from the tifosi like MS did...i somehow dont think so...

If he wins, no problem.

[racingdad]

Just heard a chap called Stirling Moss talking on Radio Five. I think he is of my opinion. Really exceptional driver of his age, but not compaable with Fangio & Senna - oh and he was even so ungracious as to mention something about gamesmanship (omle he called it something a little more pointed beginning with c).

As I said,

not a great fan, but he will be missed.

[Heebeegeetee]

Originally Posted by Bononi

It's basically to discuss this moment, his retirement.

But... how can you do that without discussing the man himself? I think its what we all want to talk about. I think many will perhaps now reappraise their opinions to a degree, for better or worse, now we know that next year we'll be watching F1 without him.

Which I can't say I'm looking forward to, too much.

[Dani Filth]

the first time since Meoni died that motorsport brought tears to my eyes ..
thank you Michael for the last 10 years or so ..

[Inigo Montoya]

Shall we summarize?
7 (8?) WDC.
90 wins, 247 starts
68 poles
75 fastest laps
1354 points

Anything to add?

Forza Schummi. I cannot wait to see what role he will take on at Maranello. And I am even more looking forward to seeing Kimi in the red overalls.

[Inigo Montoya]

Originally Posted by Heebeegeetee

But... how can you do that without discussing the man himself? I think its what we all want to talk about. I think many will perhaps now reappraise their opinions to a degree, for better or worse, now we know that next year we'll be watching F1 without him.

Which I can't say I'm looking forward to, too much.

So use this thread:
http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88223

[racingdad]

Originally Posted by Bononi

BEFORE anyone spoil this thread with that neverending discussion if TGF was the greatest or not, HEAR THIS:

READ MY POST, I say that in the books, statistics, HE'S THE GREATEST OF ALL. PERIOD.

It's not a personal opinions, and nobody here is claiming that.

IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS HIS GREATNESS, THERE ARE ZILLION OF THREADS ABOUT IT IN THIS FORUM.

Let's continue.

obviously YOUR opinion easily outweighs Sir Stirling Moss - universally recognised as the greatest driver never to win the WDC (but then you probably have a better view of that as well).

Schumi - definately the guy who has dominated F1 for a number of years - but the greatest??????? as I said, I really struggle with that concept- purely a personal thing, of course!

[Inigo Montoya]

And YOUR opinion outweighs the wishes of those wanting to keep order to the forum? Any further questions, take it to PM.

[Knowlesy]

Just because Striling says it does not mean it is right. I'd prefer to leave him out of this to be honest as he generally talks a load of old twaddle regarding todays drivers.

Now please, let's keep calm here. There is no need to get into the timeworn debate that has so many threads already. Today is a very different day.

[RT]

Vielen Dank Schumi !!

With heartfelt gratitude for the past 12 years of superior racing.

Today he again showed how it is done.

RT

[Alienman_69]

Dont really have much to say.
Its the end of a era. I just feel previledge I was able to see Schumacher since his first F1 race back in 1991 and im hopping he will end his career wining the 8th WDC. Either way...

Thanks for this 15 years Michael, you will be missed.

[ralf fan]

Originally Posted by Inigo Montoya

If he wins, no problem.

This is true....but it seemed that MS had a special bond with the tifosi....to me anyways

[racingdad]

I keep saying I am not a Schumi fan, but give him the respect he deserves (just about) for what he has achieved.

His supporters, however will hear nothing but unadulterated praise for the man who can do no wrong and is without a shadow of a doubt the greatest driver who ever lived. I was going to add something there, but my experience tells me that it would result in my post being deleted, so I won't.

My reference to Stirling was to show that I may not be alone- it is the dark side of MS that stops most of us from being able to put him on top of a lot of others.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by racingdad

obviously YOUR opinion easily outweighs Sir Stirling Moss - universally recognised as the greatest driver never to win the WDC (but then you probably have a better view of that as well).

Read Bon's post again ...... and again if you have to. All Bon is stating is that, statistically, Schumacher is the greatest; that is indisputably a fact whatever opinions we hold about whether he is the greatest by any other criteria (eg skill, driver ethics etc).

[Knowlesy]

racingdad - you will find that a lot of us here aren't actually Michael fans.

As a JPM fan I certainly am not!

And nobody doubts there are dark sides to this driver.

Whatever we feel towards Michael we have lost, unquestionably, the best. The sport will be the poorer without him, it is another big name, a crowd puller, banished from F1.

[freud]

Originally Posted by racingdad

My reference to Stirling was to show that I may not be alone- it is the dark side of MS that stops most of us from being able to put him on top of a lot of others.

Lots of people will agree with you. Lets not forget Schumacher has always driven great cars with excellent technical support, and has been exceptionally lucky.. (today reminded me of that Mika hakkinen engine blow-up in what it was 2000 when MS closed down the gap in points).

Good for him. We desperately need more fresh faces and new champions in F1 now.

[kdr]

I'm looking forward to seeing him at Le Mans in a couple of years.

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by freud

Good for him. We desperately need more fresh faces and new champions in F1 now.

That's the most important part of this news. What comes next, a new era, new drivers, new champions, long live F1 !

[freud]

Originally Posted by Bononi

That's the most important part of this news. What comes next, a new era, new drivers, new champions, long live F1 !

Absolutely

[touringlegend]

Originally Posted by Inigo Montoya

And I am even more looking forward to seeing Kimi in the red overalls.

It's so nearly a mouth watering prospect in my eyes. Perhaps Kimi will be complete if he harnesses that passion of the Tifosi and shows a little more emotion from time to time. In saying that though, half of Kimi's appeal is no doubt his persona.

I cannot wait.

Although I do think he will make Massa ordinary.


Sorry - very off topic!

Schumacher I would be surprised to see racing anything ever again. As long as he's the rumoured ambassador that he will be for Fiat / Ferrari we probably won't see him in any other machinery, unless it is a Ferrari at say Le Mans. But I don't see why he would want to do anything like that. No doubt he will be very comfortably paid for any role he takes with Ferrari in the future.