Michael Schumacher is the next Kimi Raikonen

legion · 04-18-2010, 07:14 PM

All I'm saying is that I think MS has lost the fire. I think he's comfortable where he is and enjoys racing, but he doesn't NEED to win anymore. Just look at all the people that passed him in China. He put up a little fight with LH, but pretty much let everyone else by.

He doesn't seem to be taking risks or pushing the envelope anymore.

URY914 · URY914's Garage

I said a few weeks ago, if Nico keeps qualifing and finishing races higher, MS will find a reason to leave. "Oh my back/neck hurts, I can't drive these high g-forces anymore..."

McLovin · 04-18-2010, 07:22 PM

I have to admit, I've been a little surprised by MS this year. Yeah, I didn't think he was going to win races right out of the box, but he's not doing quite as well as I thought.

I think the car needs more development and it doesn't seem particularly quick, but he is being outpaced by his teammate.

I'm not sure it's mostly because he's "lost the fire." I think the reality is he's now an old man in a young man's sport. He's close to (or more than) twice the age of most of the others. I just don't think there is any 41 year old who has the reflexes and sharpness needed to be a modern F1 driver. And he's been out for 3 years. And, yeah, he's not going to be as hungry as he was when he was starting out. That'd be impossible.

He isn't doing horribly, and I do think he will improve as the season goes on and he gets more time to get some rust off, and develop the car more.

Still waiting for a podium from him this year!

tcar · 04-18-2010, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McLovin

I just don't think there is any 41 year old who has the reflexes and sharpness needed!

Then, of course, there was the man whose record MS broke... Fangio. Who won the championship in his mid 40's. But he was almost superhuman.

McLovin · 04-18-2010, 07:43 PM

you left the last 6 words out of my sentence!

McLovin · 04-18-2010, 07:47 PM

Also, MS is still setting records even this year.

No 40+ year old F1 driver will ever score more points than MS will score this year.

Noah930 · Noah930's Garage

Schumi was pretty disappointing in the rain. Where he should have shined, he got passed by everyone who challenged for position.

Fangio may have won his 4 titles in his 40s, but the competition was much different back then, as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by McLovin

No 40+ year old F1 driver will ever score more points than MS will score this year.

Considering how they've doctored the points system this year, that's not saying as much as it would have even a season ago.

s_morrison57 · 04-19-2010, 03:59 AM

MS may have lost the fire or maybe he's just not good enough anymore, he was a talented driver but I've never been a MS fan, sure he has all the records but what would he have if Senna hadn't died, squat. Senna had no equal in my book.

Joeaksa · 04-19-2010, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by s_morrison57

MS may have lost the fire or maybe he's just not good enough anymore, he was a talented driver but I've never been a MS fan, sure he has all the records but what would he have if Senna hadn't died, squat. Senna had no equal in my book.

Totally agree. As long as Senna was around, MS did not have a chance.

sammyg2 · 08:34 AM

Uh huh. Righhhhhht. And i suppose that last years' champion has always been the world's best driver, even back when he went months without scoring a point.

Schumi's best strength has always been the development of a car he can be fast in. Faster than anyone else.
A car that will allow him to drive his style without eating up tires. Others may be easier on tires and faster with a bad car, but once he gets the car dialed in so that he can drive hard and make his tires last, he can't be beat.
That process doesn't happen overnight.

Quote:

Mercedes GP aren't ready to give up on Michael Schumacher just yet, insisting it was tyres and not talent that let him down in China.

In the changing conditions, Schumacher showed some signs of the talent that carried him to seven World titles as well as making up positions in the pit stops.

But he also came up short when measured directly against the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, too often losing those positions he had gained when fighting with his rivals out on track.

In the final handful of laps alone Schumacher lost places to Mark Webber and Felipe Massa, eventually finishing the Chinese GP in tenth place, one position lower than where he had started.

However, Merc insist that the blame doesn't rest entirely with Schumacher.

"We have some issues that we need to understand as the deterioration of his tyres and therefore his pace is a problem that we need to resolve before the next race," said team boss Ross Brawn.

"We haven't quite got the car at the moment but when we do, we know that we can get the job done."

Brawn's thoughts were echoed by Merc motorsport boss Norbert Haug: "It was not a good race weekend for Michael unfortunately.

"We will investigate what the problems were and I am convinced we will all see much stronger results from him rather sooner than later.

"Give us a chance to look at that and we can come up with a good explanation."

Schumacher understandably just wanted to get out of Shanghai immediately after the race, although like many others in F1 may have had to wait a little longer to get home due to the volcanic ash cloud that has resulted in flight restrictions across much of Europe.

"In general I had some good and tight fights which was fun but with my last stop being probably too early, in the end I just couldn't do anything and my fights were quite hopeless then," he said.

Quote:

Nico Rosberg refuted claims he is Mercedes' number one driver after he once again outperformed veteran Michael Schumacher at the Chinese GP.

The 24-year-old is second in the Drivers' Championship to Jenson Button after securing third for the second successive race in Shanghai.

Schumacher could only cross the line in 10th as he failed to get the better of his young team-mate for the fourth race in a row.

'From the beginning on we have been even in the team. Even before, when everybody saw Michael was number one and me number two, it was even'...
Nico Rosberg

But Rosberg was adamant both he and the seven-time World Champion are equals within the team.

"From the beginning on we have been even in the team," he said. "Even before, when everybody saw Michael was number one and me number two, it was even.

"Of course I'm very, very happy with the way it's going for me and I am really getting some consistent results and making the best of it, so I'm really pleased with my season so far.

"At the moment I'm in front, which is great, but I expect him to be right there again at the next race weekend of course, and to be fighting with him would be fantastic for the rest of the season and would be good for the team also.

"I'm very confident that I can do a great job all year."

Victory has so far eluded Rosberg in the 74 grands prix he has contested since he arrived on the scene four years ago.

But the German is happy the team appear to be moving forward with each race and is confident he can perform even better as the season progresses.

"We've made a step in the right direction this weekend," he added.

"There's more to come from the team so it's really good to be heading into the European season with some strong results and second place in the Drivers' Championship."

Schumacher, meanwhile, acknowledged he must perform better if he is to live up to the hype that surrounded his return to the sport at the start of the season.

"It was not good for me and not good from me," said the 41-year-old.

"You have to take it as another experience and accept it."

In other news, hambone escaped without penalty AGAIN for acting like a total tool in pit lane. A second warning in as many races seems to be sufficient for FIA.
Maybe when his stupidity wrecks an opponent AGAIN he'll actually get slapped for his immaturity and lack of self-control.

ham-tool:

Quote:

"As far as I'm concerned, I thought it was okay," he said. "The team were waiting for quite some time and they waited until it was the right time; but as I came out I noticed Sebastian was there - he was pushing me a little bit to the right and we pushed wheels. Other than that, it was fair."

Vettel, meanwhile, was relieved he didn't puncture a wheel during the incident.

Vettel:

Quote:

"I had battle with Lewis (Hamilton) in the pit lane," the German said. "At the stop I was ahead; I don't know why he pulled to the left and was keen to touch me. I hoped I didn't get a puncture from that - I don't really understand why he did that as I was a bit ahead of him and had the advantage anyway."

legion · 04-19-2010, 10:32 AM

Wasn't the mistake Hamilton's engineer's for releasing him?

MotoSook · 11:26 AM

Quote:

Wasn't the mistake Hamilton's engineer's for releasing him?

Vettel was clearly in front. Hamilton should have lifted and fell in behind him regardless. You really can't blame Hami or Vettel really. The engineer was trying to get his guy ahead of Vettel if he could. And if Vettel didn't fight then Mc succeeded. Hami had to try and eventually gave in. Vettel moved over a bit to make it known the he wasn't giving in squeezing Hami over to the slow lane.

Timing was right for the fight and the more competitive guy with the position advantage won in that fight. There have been plenty of other racing in the pit lanes.

I think Hami knew he didn't have position, but he had to try and get Vettel to back off.

It's not safe in the pits but these guys are competitors.

legion · 04-19-2010, 11:42 AM

I agree. Hamilton and Vettel are top drivers and scrambling for any advantage. The season is still young and the pecking order is changing from race to race. I expect this to break into questionable behavior once in awhile. I think a warning is okay....the first time. Next time they should both get the book thrown at them.

Didn't Alonso try to screw Massa in the pits too?

MotoSook · 04-19-2010, 11:48 AM

Yep. Alonso did to Massa what Hami did to Vettel earlier in the race at the pit entrance. Or was that te last race when Hami cut in on Vettel?

911pcars · 04-19-2010, 03:11 PM

Hamilton should have been penalized for attempting to beat Vettel out - highly dangerous for pit crews in that lane. What if they had touched wheels?

Alonso should have been penalized for passing Massa in the lane leading into the pit entrance.

F1 politics in play here.

Officials shouldn't allow competitiveness to negate stupidity.

Sherwood

Zeke · 04-19-2010, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcar

Then, of course, there was the man whose record MS broke... Fangio. Who won the championship in his mid 40's. But he was almost superhuman.

It wasn't but a generation or so ago that a NASCAR Cup driver didn't make the big show until he was 30. Now, they start at 18 if they're good enough, like Joey Legano.

In the days of James Hunt and Clay Raggazoni, F1 drivers were in pretty much the same boat, not making the top tier until at least late 20's. Times have changed that.

Schumi is old for what he is doing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by McLovin

Also, MS is still setting records even this year.

No 40+ year old F1 driver will ever score more points than MS will score this year.

That may be all true. But, with Vettel and his group of youngins, I don't see MS going too far AFA championships are concerned.

MysticLlama · 04-19-2010, 04:22 PM

My conspiracy theory, if you want to call it that, is that MS may be testing some farther out than usual changes / adjustments to the car to develop it quicker for Rosberg, who some people, maybe even MS, think is the better option for the team win.

greglepore · 04-19-2010, 04:48 PM

Schumi has been away for 3 years. Needs to knock the rust off. Even so, a podium this year will be an accomplishment. Give him a year to develop what he wants, if Brawn will let him, then we'll see. And yeah, at 50, I don't want to play rock, paper, scissors with anyone under, say, 46.

As far as Button goes, I thought last year was a fluke. Now, I'm not so sure. He was amazing his first couple years in F1, and maybe the years in crap equipment took their toll. Either he ran away from LH or Ron Dennis can no longer protect Mr. Arrogance. We'll see. Either way, Jenson has earned (back) my respect.

Buckterrier · 04-19-2010, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milt

It wasn't but a generation or so ago that a NASCAR Cup driver didn't make the big show until he was 30. Now, they start at 18 if they're good enough, like Joey Legano.

In the days of James Hunt and Clay Raggazoni, F1 drivers were in pretty much the same boat, not making the top tier until at least late 20's. Times have changed that.

Schumi is old for what he is doing.That may be all true. But, with Vettel and his group of youngins, I don't see MS going too far AFA championships are concerned.

Hey there Milt! Very cool to see you posting again!!
Very true about the age of drivers. Of course it's true in every aspect of life. As they say todays' 60 is yesterday's 40.

911pcars · 04-19-2010, 05:59 PM

F1 fans are too quick to write off drivers. It wasn't but a year ago that Rosberg was villified for being too slow in a Williams. Before that, it was Barrachello/Button at Honda. In some cases, the criticism may have been warranted (e.g. Luca Badoer in the Ferrari). Fisichella, a good driver, was also criticized while standing in for Massa in the difficult '09 Ferrari. Many times, it comes down to the right equipment.

With no testing allowed, MS hasn't had a chance to fully develop the Mercedes to his liking. Let's see what happens by mid-season before we give him a gold watch.

Sherwood