Who thinks Schumacher finally should retire?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by henners88

I have to say I agree and think Schumacher coming back was the biggest mistake of his career. Alot of the things that his fans once held in high regard like adaptation to new regs and his technical feedback being a driving factor in development has sort of hit a sour note since the beginning of 2010. Age isn't on his side and with drivers like Raikkonen coming back after 2 years away and fighting amongst the front runners in a matter of races, I think Michael would be wise to hang up his helmet while he is still rated with such high regard. The Merc has been up and down in performance but I do feel it could have accomplished alot more than it has. Thats just my opinion based on my experience watching him in every season he has competed in since 1991. :)

---

To be honest, I think he has earned the right to stay in F1 for as long as he wants. After giving so much to the sport throughout the years he should decide when he quits and I think he will and really doesn't care what others think. He's one of the greats. His performances this year alone, Hungary aside, show he still has what it takes to be amongst the current crop of drivers.

One can never take away those 7 championships no matter what he does past his peak.

He will stay in F1 as long as he wants and it makes economic sense to Mercedes.

Does he have a 'right' to a drive? Not in my book and if I was Mercedes I wouldn't have entertained him after he screwed them over at the beginnng of hs career. However, I'm glad he came back if only to disprove the BS around him once he was in a team on an equal footing.

As Henners said, hs fans made ludicrous claims such as him being able to win in a Minardi etc but Schumy has managed to dispel a lot of these idiotic rambleings. Yet aven though he has been aniliated by a average team mate since his return, his fans still come up with excuses.

So no, I don't think they are getting the maximum out of that car.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Knock-on

He will stay in F1 as long as he wants and it makes economic sense to Mercedes.

Does he have a 'right' to a drive? Not in my book and if I was Mercedes I wouldn't have entertained him after he screwed them over at the beginnng of hs career. However, I'm glad he came back if only to disprove the BS around him once he was in a team on an equal footing.

As Henners said, hs fans made ludicrous claims such as him being able to win in a Minardi etc but Schumy has managed to dispel a lot of these idiotic rambleings. Yet aven though he has been aniliated by a average team mate since his return, his fans still come up with excuses.

So no, I don't think they are getting the maximum out of that car.

---

He drove a Minardi in the Nurburgring in the early 2000's and was around 2 tenths of a second off the best time set there in testing by their other drivers. He did something like 242 laps in one day, or something crazy like that. That in itself showed he couldn't have won in a Minardi and anyone who really believes that needs their heads checked.

It's a pity you can't appreciate him for the great driver he was in his prime though. Personal dislikes aside in all, you don't become 7 times WDC and get that kind of support from a team like Ferrari if you are not a great driver.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by henners88

but his win at all costs attitude is something I didn't like.

---

A quality I personally admire a lot.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Black Knight

He drove a Minardi in the Nurburgring in the early 2000's and was around 2 tenths of a second off the best time set there in testing by their other drivers. He did something like 242 laps in one day, or something crazy like that.

---

Do you have a link for that? You probably don't.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Knock-on

Does he have a 'right' to a drive? Not in my book and if I was Mercedes I wouldn't have entertained him after he screwed them over at the beginnng of hs career.

---

LOL. Based on this year the only guys who deserve a place above him in F1 would probably be Hamilton, Alonso, Kimi, Webber and possibly bieber then? Because there is nothing about the other drivers in the field that makes them better than MS.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Knock-on

Fair enough. in my opinion, the car is capable of much better results than it has produced. Nico is highly rated by some people but I don't rate him that highly. He seems to me like a Rubens or a DC. Good peddler but not a Alonso or a Hamilton.

As for Schumacher, I think he should have retired before he did the first time around and to be embarrassed by someone like Nico year after year is laughable.

---

He is hardly getting embarrassed by Nico this year. The only thing embarrassing about him this year is the fact that his car keeps falling him most of the time.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by henners88

That doesn't actually surprise me.

---

Do you think there is something wrong with having "winning is everything" mentality? Now, I don't support cheating, but if you give absolutely everything from yourself and don't accept losing (and one never should), you are bound to get it wrong once or twice.

Quote:

---

He has been unlucky with certain car failures, but he has also made a few howlers along the way. Keeping Mercedes busy making front wings and turning his car off on the grid prior to a race after pulling into the wrong grid slot tends to give us a few laughs, but I'd rather see him fighting where many believe he deserves to be.

---

Well, he had bad races at Spain (crashed into Senna idiotically) and Hungary obviously. But other than that he has been on pace and in races, mostly faster than Nico.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by henners88

I have no problem with the 'winning is everything' mentality at all. I just respect the drivers like Vettel, Alonso, Hamilton, Button etc etc who line up on todays grid and don't have to resort to smashing each other off or forcing others into the pit wall. That style of driving is outdated and the talent pool in F1 has provided us with drivers who are capable of racing cleanly, most of the time.

---

Bieber and Rosberg have done some pretty harsh move on others that are no less "bad" compared to what MS has done.
Why is agressive style outdated? Is it better these days with DRS passes when the guy getting overtaken does absolutely NOTHING to protect his position? Yeah, superclean and so interesting to watch.

Quote:

---

He's improved this year and has hit some bad luck, but I feel Nico needs to buck his ideas up too and as both drivers are underperforming and inconsistent with mistakes and pace IMO.

---

But name drivers who this year have actually been consistent? Alonso? Hamilton? Kimi? Who else? No one. MS is not anymore on the level of those three, but in comparison to others he is lacking nothing. Except a reliable and a fast car maybe.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Garry Walker

Do you have a link for that? You probably don't.

---

I might be able to find more info on it if you really want to know more about it. He drove a Minardi twice to my recollection. Once at Fiorano in a two seater with his family and friends in the other seat and the second time in Nurburgring single seater.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Black Knight

I might be able to find more info on it if you really want to know more about it. He drove a Minardi twice to my recollection. Once at Fiorano in a two seater with his family and friends in the other seat and the second time in Nurburgring single seater.

---

The two-seater is obviously meaningless. I don't remember him ever driving a single-seater Minardi. I remember he tried the Sauber in 1997. So, yes, if you have info on it, post it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by henners88

I remember hearing about this years ago. Surprised some of his fans hadn't.

---

As I said, the two-seater is meaningless and not relevant at all. I want to hear about the proper F1 car (if you can ever call Minardi that).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Garry Walker

The two-seater is obviously meaningless. I don't remember him ever driving a single-seater Minardi. I remember he tried the Sauber in 1997. So, yes, if you have info on it, post it.

---

I'll have a look. I remember which website I read on but it's not open to public and I haven't used it in about 8 years. If I find it, I'll post it up.

Now, i was Schumacher's biggest fan back in the day (now a Hamilton fan, bring on the abuse :-D). In my opinion he was the best driver at that time, i loved his race craft, and don't get me started on his wet driving skills, he would have put anyone to shame, maybe not senna though senna was awesome! Anyways, he basically dominated everyone (not all the time i must admit, but most of the time he did) and is known as one of F1's greatest drivers period. Now, you'd have thought that a 7 time world champion going into the Mercedes works team would have done better than what he has right? Yes! Im virtually every race his team mate, Rosberg, has out qualified and out raced him. Which is such a shame as i was hoping for Michael to be up the front, maybe even fighting for wins. I know the mercedes isn't as good as the Ferrari, Mclaren & Red Bull, but still. I hate to say it but i think maybe it is time for him to retire? Unless he can pull something out of the bag for the second half of the season, or at least beating his team mate. We know he is capable of winning championships and races but maybe age has taken its toll a bit, or maybe the competition is stronger. Who knows, but it is a shame!