When was Shumi at his best?

Sonic

Well???

Five era's to pick from IMO.

1991-1993 - The debut years

1994-1995 - Champion

1996-1999 - Rebuilding Ferrari

2000-2004 - The glory years

2005-2006 - The end?

Brown, Jon Brow

I reckon rebuilding Ferrari era. There is no doubt in my mind that he would have been WDC in 1999 if he hadn't broken his leg.

wedge

There were odd moments where you questioned his motivation eg.Suzuka 2003 and China 2005 where he seemed to fall asleep but on the whole he was consistantly at his best.

He started as a (potential) great and finished as a great.

Jag_Warrior

I'd say the Ferrari Reformation period.

I actually liked him during those years.

Valve Bounce

Is this thread a tribute to a missing friend or what??

woody2goody

I'd pick 'the glory years' of 2000-2004.

He always seemed to be able to put in that little bit extra to make a strategy work, or to get pole position in those years. Even in 2002 with a vastly superior car, the way he dealt with Montoya and Barrichello was ruthless and a great display of driving.

In '03 he overcame a great challenge from McLaren and Williams, and in 04 he crushed everyone again. I wouldn't say 04 was his best year as he didn't really have to break a sweat for most of the year.

555-04Q2

I will never forget Spa 91 where he put the Jordan in P6 straight out the hat. That for me was the greatest Schumi moment in his F1 career. I was an instant fan and when Prost retired, I started to support Schumi and what a ride he provided me over the years.

1994 and 1995 were obviously special as he was racing against the best car in the field in the 80's and 90's, Williams, and still won the WDC twice.

1997 was a great year as well, the last race sadly recked it though for many of us, including some of us Schumi fans.

I think Schumi had his best two seasons in 1999 and 2000. He probably would have won the 1999 WDC but for a tyre wall that jumped in front of him

In 2002 and 2004 he was sublime, even though the car was fast as sh!t, he dominated F1 totally.

2006 for me was also a great season for an old Schumi vs a hungry and young Alonso. His last GP at Brazil was astounding! I wept like a firkin baby after the race.

I have to agree with wedge though, Schumi was like a reliable old Swiss clock.

F1boat

All seasons IMO were amazing, but the glory years of course was most impressive

ArrowsFA1

Tough to say because he was pretty darn good throughout his career

but probably the early years at Ferrari were his best IMHO. He had far from the best car, and yet produced some superb performances. As well as that he was part of the team being put in place that was to produce such success later. No easy task.

SGWilko

When he was winning. Austria 2003, when he recovered from a pit lane fire to Win (I was on honeymoon at the time in Italy, and had cunningly paid for my wife to spend the day at the health spa....) is one that sticks out for me.

Mark

Originally Posted by Brown, Jon Brow
I reckon rebuilding Ferrari era. There is no doubt in my mind that he would have been WDC in 1999 if he hadn't broken his leg.

I think there is pretty much no doubt about that. Considering Irvine ran Hakkinen to the title down to the final race at Suzuka. MS had way more points than Irvine before Silverstone, so I don't see any scenario where MS wouldn't have been champion in 1999.

However the only difference it would have made is that Hakkinen would have only won one championship and Schumacher eight.

As to the question, I think the stregth of Schumacher is that he didn't have a good or bad time, I'd say the entire time from 1995 to 2004 he was at the absolute top of his game.

Up to and including 1994 he was still a youngster, a bit where Hamilton is now, and after 2004 I think after getting a kicking from Alonso he'd grown tired of Formula 1.

henners88

The rebuilding years IMO as he got a fair few race wins in an under performing car and showed his true talent. The glory years were just the fruits of their labour from the previous seasons and by an experienced driver by this time.

Mark

Originally Posted by henners88
The rebuilding years IMO as he got a fair few race wins in an under performing car and showed his true talent. The glory years were just the fruits of their labour from the previous seasons and by an experienced driver by this time.

Remeber of course that he came within a whisker of being champion in 1997 if it wasn't for the infamous Jerez incident.

1998 it went down to the final race, and of course 1999 he broke his leg.

The only year he wasn't in (or could have been in) real contention for the championship was 1996, his first year at Ferrari when Williams dominated, and yet he still managed to win.

henners88

Originally Posted by Mark
Remeber of course that he came within a whisker of being champion in 1997 if it wasn't for the infamous Jerez incident.

1998 it went down to the final race, and of course 1999 he broke his leg.

The only year he wasn't in (or could have been in) real contention for the championship was 1996, his first year at Ferrari when Williams dominated, and yet he still managed to win.

Indeed, I agree had the Mclaren of Hakkinen not had been so dominant, the 1998 title would have been his. He was certainly the more complete driver of the two. 1997 wasn't his finest hour and he let his team down really, so to build up morale for 1998 was no mean feat, much like what Mclaren are facing now. I would have to agree also that 1999 would have been his first title with Ferrari had he not broken his leg, and that must have been gutting to watch possibly the finest playboy from Northern Ireland (other than Georgie Best) have a stab at glory

jens

Originally Posted by Mark
-- I'd say the entire time from 1995 to 2004 he was at the absolute top of his game.

I tend to agree and it's difficult to really divide that era of 10 years into smaller pieces to find out, where he was 'better'. For half of it he had an inferior car and later on often superior. Of course in either occasions the driver of MS was shown in different light in different situations, but results were in both occasions similarly impressive.

Garry Walker

Originally Posted by Mark
I think there is pretty much no doubt about that. Considering Irvine ran Hakkinen to the title down to the final race at Suzuka. MS had way more points than Irvine before Silverstone, so I don't see any scenario where MS wouldn't have been champion in 1999.

.

Well, to be fair, before Silverstone MS had 6 more points than Eddie and after Silverstone, they were equal.
Schumi would have probably won that year though, but it is irrelevant now. He won plenty after

I`d say his best years were from 95 to 97. After that he was still brilliant, but without slicks not as dominating as before. But still dominating.
Funny how in 2002 he did not impress me anywhere near as much as during some other years, where he won much less.

jens

Originally Posted by Garry Walker
Funny how in 2002 he did not impress me anywhere near as much as during some other years, where he won much less.

He was often driving away from the pack together with Rubens, so it was difficult to 'impress'.

And considering all those gifted wins in the second half of 2002, it was clear Michael was performing far from his best that year as he didn't need to be at his best.

Garry Walker

Originally Posted by jens
He was often driving away from the pack together with Rubens, so it was difficult to 'impress'.

And considering all those gifted wins in the second half of 2002, it was clear Michael was performing far from his best that year as he didn't need to be at his best.

Even when he was pushing, he did not have the pace over Rubens in quite the similar way he had in some other years.
Rubens loved the F2002, it suited him really well and he was quite the threat to MS that year.

PolePosition_1

I'd say he was his best between 1996 - 2002.

Amazing performances, undoubtably a great talent and very much missed.

555-04Q2

Originally Posted by SGWilko
When he was winning. Austria 2003, when he recovered from a pit lane fire to Win (I was on honeymoon at the time in Italy, and had cunningly paid for my wife to spend the day at the health spa....) is one that sticks out for me.

Money well spent