Who thinks Schumacher finally should retire?

**donKey jote** · 26th May 12, 23:32

and you don't mean the MS mad hatters, do you?

**odykas** · 26th May 12, 23:46

Originally Posted by donKey jote

His best performance IMO was 2006

I guess it was the parking manoeuvre that made the difference

**gloomyDAY** · 27th May 12, 01:38

I'm happy for Mike Shoe. He can still muster the good stuff.

Originally Posted by ioan

I effin' enjoy to rub it in to MS hatters.

lolwut

**Ranger** · 27th May 12, 03:23

Michael should have been starting on pole today but for a dubious penalty.

Never was much of a fan but it would be great to see him win again.

**F1boat** · 27th May 12, 15:07

Again poor luck...

**Ranger** · 27th May 12, 15:10

Terribly unlucky all weekend, he deserved a lot more.

**N4D13** · 27th May 12, 15:13

It's his fourth retirement in six races, and at least two of them haven't come through his own fault - China and Monaco. I remember him crashing into Senna at Montmeló as well, so which one am I missing?

Edit: gearbox failure in Australia, I think. This guy can't catch a break...

In four out of six races so far, the team has screwed Schumacher royally - the above car retirements, plus Bahrain qualifying. Add to that the Mercedes' poor race performance in Malaysia, and you've got that he's only had a chance to do something in a single race, Montmeló, in which he crashed into Senna. I don't think anyone can blame him at this point.

**The Black Knight** · 28th May 12, 09:13

Originally Posted by N4D13

It's his fourth retirement in six races, and at least two of them haven't come through his own fault - China and Monaco. I remember him crashing into Senna at Montmeló as well, so which one am I missing?

Edit: gearbox failure in Australia, I think. This guy can't catch a break...

In four out of six races so far, the team has screwed Schumacher royally - the above car retirements, plus Bahrain qualifying. Add to that the Mercedes' poor race performance in Malaysia, and you've got that he's only had a chance to do something in a single race, Montmeló, in which he crashed into Senna. I don't think anyone can blame him at this point.

Agreed. He has made one mistake this year and that was in Spain. Other than that I think he and Rosberg have been pretty evenly matched honestly. Rosberg was ahead in China, Schumacher was ahead in Spain and Malaysia. It's 3-3 in qualifying statistics. Not too bad for an old timer.

Ridiculous that he had another failure this weekend. I think we're beginning to see a resurgence in form though. He is looking better and better.

**F1boat** · 28th May 12, 09:50

Mercedes seem very good team with Nico and easily the worst team with Michael. That's a little bit suspicious. Maybe there are team members who hate MS from the past? In three seasons almost all the problems happened with the car of Michael.

**i_max2k2** · 28th May 12, 09:55

Originally Posted by F1boat

Mercedes seem very good team with Nico and easily the worst team with Michael. That's a little bit suspicious. Maybe there are team members who hate MS from the past? In three seasons almost all the problems happened with the car of Michael.

He actually did blow it out after the 2010 season, that his car was different then rosbergs on some occasions, I hope his luck changes now, but atleast the fact remains, however much he has slowed down in competitive machinery he can still hold his own, just before today's retirement he was lapping a second a lap faster then Massa, and had cut his lead from 22seconds to 16seconds, feel bad for him, in free air he was probably faster then anyone today.

**Firstgear** · 28th May 12, 15:37

Originally Posted by N4D13

It's his fourth retirement in six races......

There's a name for a driver with a string of bad luck like this. What was it again that the Ferrari fans used to call Kimi back in his McLaren days?
Ah yes, I remember now - Car Breaker.

**jens** · 28th May 12, 18:20

That was really unlucky for Schumi. Considering Rosberg was right at the tail of Webber in the end and Schumi should have started from pole, he may well have even won the race had the weekend gone uncompromised!

But when it comes to retiring, I have to maintain the previously made point that in future seasons the important thing is long-term perspective rather than current form...

Coming back to current season and string of unluck. It reminds me a bit of what happened ten years ago, but in reversed roles. In the first five races of the season Barrichello finished only once (!) in the all-conquering Ferrari, while Schumacher was running away with the championship. Now Rosberg has opened a big gap in the points with even a remote shot at the title.

**Garry Walker** · 28th May 12, 18:56

Originally Posted by F1boat

Mercedes seem very good team with Nico and easily the worst team with Michael. That's a little bit suspicious. Maybe there are team members who hate MS from the past? In three seasons almost all the problems happened with the car of Michael.

Don't be like those one of those posters who idolize MS to the degree that they post and actually think such stuff.
MS has some bad luck, okay, he had wonderful luck at Ferrari. Sometimes just those things happen in racing.
The main thing for him is that he is on pace (well, with those absolute joke tyres things aren't that clear).

**F1boat** · 30th May 12, 10:02

Originally Posted by Garry Walker

Don't be like those one of those posters who idolize MS to the degree that they post and actually think such stuff.
MS has some bad luck, okay, he had wonderful luck at Ferrari. Sometimes just those things happen in racing.
The main thing for him is that he is on pace

I don't think that he is currently the best driver in F1, but I do think that Mercedes are highly unprofessional when preparing his car, to the point that conspiracy theories almost look credible.

**SlowSon** · 30th May 12, 15:10

Schumacher's disastrous return to F1 makes me think how unbelievably important is to have "suitable" rules and regulations and how easily drivers and teams may change from hero to zero.

**The Black Knight** · 31st May 12, 11:56

Originally Posted by SlowSon

Schumacher's disastrous return to F1 makes me think how unbelievably important is to have "suitable" rules and regulations and how easily drivers and teams may change from hero to zero.

Schumacher himself has been anything but a disaster this year. 3-3 on qualifying ratio with Nico. Got a pole in Monaco.

He has been let down by the team 4 out of 6 races this year. Malaysia he got spun on the first lap by Grosjean I think. None through his own doing except Spain. Were it not for Mercedes blunders he'd probably been in a hunt for the championship and you say he has been disastrous? Not on your life man. He has actually really impressed me again this year. We all know he won't be the Schumacher of old again but he is proving this year that he deserves his place on the grid.

Mercedes have been the disaster this year, not Schumacher.

**nigelred5** · 31st May 12, 16:36

Originally Posted by The Black Knight

Schumacher himself has been anything but a disaster this year. 3-3 on qualifying ratio with Nico. Got a pole in Monaco.

He has been let down by the team 4 out of 6 races this year. Malaysia he got spun on the first lap by Grosjean I think. None through his own doing except Spain. Were it not for Mercedes blunders he'd probably been in a hunt for the championship and you say he has been disastrous? Not on your life man. He has actually really impressed me again this year. We all know he won't be the Schumacher of old again but he is proving this year that he deserves his place on the grid.

Mercedes have been the disaster this year, not Schumacher.

THIS year? Mercedes is just this year providing him with a competetive car capable of wins. Save for the season as Brawn where they had a decided technical advantage for more than half the year and Button managed to hold on to his point lead, that team has been a disaster no matter what it has been named. Had Schummi returned to F1 in a RedBull or a McLaren three years ago, I suspect we'd be talking about an 8 time WDC.

**N4D13** · 31st May 12, 17:45

Originally Posted by nigelred5

THIS year? Mercedes is just this year providing him with a competetive car capable of wins. Save for the season as Brawn where they had a decided technical advantage for more than half the year and Button managed to hold on to his point lead, that team has been a disaster no matter what it has been named. Had Schummi returned to F1 in a RedBull or a McLaren three years ago, I suspect we'd be talking about an 8 time WDC.

Considering his performances in 2010 and 2011, I believe that's way too much to say. He's raised his game in 2012, but he wasn't a match for Rosberg in 2010 and 2011.

**The Black Knight** · 31st May 12, 18:39

Originally Posted by nigelred5

THIS year? Mercedes is just this year providing him with a competetive car capable of wins. Save for the season as Brawn where they had a decided technical advantage for more than half the year and Button managed to hold on to his point lead, that team has been a disaster no matter what it has been named. Had Schummi returned to F1 in a RedBull or a McLaren three years ago, I suspect we'd be talking about an 8 time WDC.

Not to imply he was a disaster last year either but he wasn't at the performance level he is now and was unable to live with Nico over the previous two years.

**F1boat** · 1st Jun 12, 08:56

Originally Posted by nigelred5

THIS year? Mercedes is just this year providing him with a competetive car capable of wins. Save for the season as Brawn where they had a decided technical advantage for more than half the year and Button managed to hold on to his point lead, that team has been a disaster no matter what it has been named. Had Schummi returned to F1 in a RedBull or a McLaren three years ago, I suspect we'd be talking about an 8 time WDC.

If car#7 has problems in almost every race, it doesn't matter how competitive it is pacewise. Merc are doing fine with Nico, but what is happening to Michael is a disgrace, unbelievable.