The Return of Michael Schumacher

[Tetradic]

Give Rosberg his chance in a top team first before you definitively say he isn't up with Vettel and Hamilton (both of whom have had championship-capable cars now).

I think Jenson realises why McLaren picked him - its why he went there, he wants the challenge of trying to take Lewis on in his team.
Its not impossible, Jenson took down Villenueve in his own team Not that I'm saying Jenson stands much chance, but I'm interested to see how he does anyway. Villenueve was a rubbish team leader and by the time Button came Richards was in charge and the team really didn't favour Jacques much anymore. Plus Jacques wasn't hard to beat.

I still don't think Nico "deserved" a seat at a top team but good for him and now that he is there go for it...but he should have a long chat with Rubens first given who his team-mate is and the team he is going too.

Remember what Vettel did with the Toro-Rosso? That car was well under the performance of last years Williams yet he still rang it's neck. Even last year when the Red Bull was not the top car Vettel still won with it. In that way he has shown more than Hamilton.

I generally like Jenson, I always have, but he completely lucked out last year. He defended in the later half of the season brilliantly (which is hat he has always been good at, defending a position) but if it wasn't for the advantage the Brawn had in the first 6 races he would have not been the champion last year. But good for him.

Methinks maybe this whole Schumi return was known by interested parties a while ago. Thus Jesnon's and Rubens not resigning with the team (just one of many reasons no doubt).

Jenson beating JV at Jv's team? That was hardly a surprise. JV was never much of anything. He won a championship because he had a car 2 seconds a lap faster than any other car most of the season (sound familiar Jenson?). JV's "team" was destined to fail from the start and when Honda finally took it over it was too late. It took someone like Ross Brawn to wring it's neck and make something of it. With the influx of Merc proper it sets the stage for Schumi to have one good (but not great) car under him next season. Though thinking about it I chuckle think that Schumi will be driving "JV's" car (in a way). Oh irony...

As for Jenson at McLaren. Ya, wave the Union Jack with a all British team... block all season for Lewis and collect a big paycheck for a year or two coasting on the World Champion status. He has earned it in his journeyman'esque career (though so have a few others, ie. Nick H.).

 

[Pescara for GT5]

Schumacher confirmed.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80651

 

[Ardius]

Its been confirmed for almost 12 hours, Pescara but thank you anyway.

As for Rosberg deserving a top seat - what more can he do? Not everyone gets the same opportunities to shine and Vettel's Toro Rosso win was very lucky in a number of ways.
Ironically, Vettel is also a person who hasn't really proven himself in racecraft - he seems to thrive more in racing from pole than having to battle past people. If you rate Vettel as deserving but then say Rosberg lacks racecraft I don't understand what your rules for determining driver talent are.
I also don't think the Williams and STR were really that far apart in performance terms, it shows in the contructors tables. I also don't see how you can say that "oh, Vettel's win was down to his skill but Rosberg's results were down to the team". I mean, what?

Rosberg is far more qualified for a top seat than many before him, you don't have to be making headlines to deserve a chance at the top.

 

[Tetradic]

Its been confirmed for almost 12 hours, Pescara but thank you anyway.

As for Rosberg deserving a top seat - what more can he do? Not everyone gets the same opportunities to shine and Vettel's Toro Rosso win was very lucky in a number of ways.
Ironically, Vettel is also a person who hasn't really proven himself in racecraft - he seems to thrive more in racing from pole than having to battle past people. If you rate Vettel as deserving but then say Rosberg lacks racecraft I don't understand what your rules for determining driver talent are.

Rosberg is far more qualified for a top seat than many before him, you don't have to be making headlines to deserve a chance at the top.

Yes, Vettel's TR win was lucky in many ways. Also he does do better from pole and not well having to go through the field. Nico isn't much better, but he can defend a position well.

Rosberg has his chance now, yes he is more deserving of that seat than some before him, but it isn't realistic to expect much from him.

 

[Ardius]

I don't and others don't have more expectation of him than Vettel had this year. I think its more that your expectation is too low I expect him to take his first win in 2010, if the car is there. But I don't expect him to beat Schumacher.
Depending where the Mercedes is next year, I reckon top 4 WDC position at best, top 8 at worst. I think he has what it takes to make a run for the championship though, but I'm not sure the car will be there next year, not in the same way the BGP was.

 

[sejtur]

Woohoo!

 

[Tetradic]

I don't and others don't have more expectation of him than Vettel had this year. I think its more that your expectation is too low I expect him to take his first win in 2010, if the car is there. But I don't expect him to beat Schumacher.
Depending where the Mercedes is next year, I reckon top 4 WDC position at best, top 8 at worst. I think he has what it takes to make a run for the championship though, but I'm not sure the car will be there next year, not in the same way the BGP was.

Top 8 is realistic for Nico, but nothing more. Maybe my expectations are low for him but there is alot more talent on the grid. All of them will get in Nico's way.

As long as Schumi is near Nico in that silver car, Nico won't win a race, unless Michael is feeling generous and I don't expect the Mercedes car to be dominant at all (thus Schumi won't be handing Nico "thank you" victories like he did for Rubens).

 

[Pescara for GT5]

Its been confirmed for almost 12 hours, Pescara but thank you anyway.

I know, but I didn't see it posted, so I thought I would be nice guy and help out.

 

[The Outlaw]

I was never a Schumi fan. I never disliked him, like many seem to have, but given how dominant he was F1 got a little boring. I welcome his return though. In fact I'm even more interested in F1 next season because of it (and next season is shaping up to be one interesting one, topping this past one).

The grid is a very different place than it was 6 years ago. There has been alot of young talent that has popped up to the top since Schumi left. Seeing Schumi battle on track with Lewis and Vettel will be enough alone.

Schumi will win a few races next season and finish in the top 5 (ahead of Button). The Mercedes will not be as dominant as the Brawn was and not the fastest car on the grid. It will be interesting to see what Schumi can do with sub par machinery (again).

As for Rosberg. Yawn. He never will (or could) amount to anything. He is lucky to be playing the Rubens role to Schumi.

As for next year...

Alonso and Lewis will be fighting for the top spot with Vettel, Schumi and Massa fighting for the remaining spots in the top 5.

EDIT: I agree with the poster above. Schumi lucked out last season (or strategically backed away) as Kimi no doubt would have wiped the track with him in those final few races. Nothing against Schumi, but Kimi seemed to have finally cared in those last few races (maybe due to the threat of Michael coming) and was the Kimi of old (until the winds changed again and he went back to thinking about rallys).

You sound pretty sure of yourself

 

[crooky369]

just found this lovely picture...WOW!

I actually had that amazing picture as my background. Is there another picture with that many WDC's between so little cars?

Ok this is a little weird but I also remember adding up the cars numbers which add up to 15 which I thought was a shame because it would have been an even greater picture if it matched the number of WDC's Schumacher, Senna and Prost had won which was 14 in total. So hopefully Schumacher wins this year for the sake of this photo!

 

[Jim Prower]

I am fearing the worst...Michael Jordan's second return. >:

However, I do hope he'll come out and be competitive. unless he walks all over the field again.

 

[mafia_boy]

Saying someone blew away Nakajima isn't exactly a compliment. A semi-trained ape could do the same.

That has to be the quote of the whole thread.

*wishes I was the semi-trained ape at Williams*

 

[Bram Turismo]

Saying someone blew away Nakajima isn't exactly a compliment. A semi-trained ape could do the same.

I'd be very interested in how you would do in one of these cars. You have got to have some very good driving skills no matter what to drive these type of cars. They both had the same car, and the fact that Nico scored nearly 40 points more than Kazuki does prove his racing capabilities in a certain way.

 

[Tetradic]

I'd be very interested in how you would do in one of these cars. You have got to have some very good driving skills no matter what to drive these type of cars. They both had the same car, and the fact that Nico scored nearly 40 points more than Kazuki does prove his racing capabilities in a certain way.

No doubt. Any of us punters chatting away here would be humiliated by Nakajima in a real F1 car. Does that make us trained apes?

Anyway... The point was... Using Nakajimi as a yardstick is setting the bar very low. Nico is not that bad. Nakajima had a mid pack car. In all honesty, sans the rookies, he was maybe the worst driver on the grid last year (not counting Bourdais). But he is still a F1 driver. As a baseline any F1 driver should be able to bring their car home where it should be as a baseline. Mid pack car gives mid pack points. Nakajimi scored 0 points. Even Bourdais scored more and he got booted. At least Luca Badoer is a solid development driver. One can't say that about Nakajimi. The sponsorship money he brought to Williams kept him there. Without it he would have been gone long ago.

I don't see anyone rushing to hire Nakajima. Even with all the new teams needing a "experienced" driver. That says alot too.

You sound pretty sure of yourself

Enough so that if I was a betting man I would put a wager on my statement!

Seriously though. I've been a F1 fan for a while now and find it intriguing how next season is setting up. Schumi coming back only adds to it. No?

 

[Peter]

I'd be very interested in how you would do in one of these cars. You have got to have some very good driving skills no matter what to drive these type of cars. They both had the same car, and the fact that Nico scored nearly 40 points more than Kazuki does prove his racing capabilities in a certain way.

So, Nico scored 40 points then.

Nakajima was a waste of time at Williams. he didn't score a single point this year, while Rosberg was fighting for podiums. Good riddance

I am fearing the worst. Michael Jordan's second return

Schumacher

 

[mafia_boy]

It would be scary if it was Michael Jackson's second return. Zombie Michael.

 

[Ardius]

So, Nico scored 40 points then.

Nakajima was a waste of time at Williams. he didn't score a single point this year, while Rosberg was fighting for podiums. Good riddance

He did alright in 2008, and he had a couple of races this year where he was robbed of points through no fault of his own like Turkey.
He has the speed but rarely puts it together. I think he's also a victim of the close field of today, if this was the 1990s he would have scored more points.

Ah well, he had his chance and didn't do enough. Now Kobayashi takes the flag and we shall see if he can do better over a season.

 

[Bram Turismo]

Now Kobayashi takes the flag and we shall see if he can do better over a season.

I can't wait to see his helmet at the start in 2010. He's a crazy driver, but that's the kind of drivers we've been missing since Sato left F1. Kobayashi immediatly beat his teammate when he took over from Glock, and I feel sure he will beat his teammate at Sauber, even if that is Heidfeld.

 

[Turbo-Kai]

Why not calling Katayama for a comeback! LOL
He was kind of funny and regrettable guy... I hardly remember a race he finished...
But I remember one British GP... The two German commentators where talking about the British bet passion and that they bet 1 pound on Katayama to win the race...they would have won maybe several millions pounds...LOL
So what happened? Ukyo crashed after the start within the first 200m or so... I laughed my axx off....

"Great Tennis"! (as we say in Germany for WOW)

 

[Ardius]

Hey, Katayama was a legend, the guy raced with cancer on his back! He didn't admit it till after retiring because he didn't want sympathy (his own words). He recently was lost and found up Mount Fuji and the rest of his team are presumed dead, so give the guy some respect, he's been through a lot and he is the very essence of racing spirit in my opinion.
He apparently even turned down a top team drive in 1994 too.

He was a way more respectable F1 driver than the likes of Piquet Jr.

 

[Feschka]

Hey, Katayama was a legend, the guy raced with cancer on his back! He didn't admit it till after retiring because he didn't want sympathy (his own words). He recently was lost and found up Mount Fuji and the rest of his team are presumed dead, so give the guy some respect, he's been through a lot and he is the very essence of racing spirit in my opinion.
He apparently even turned down a top team drive in 1994 too.

He was a way more respectable F1 driver than the likes of Piquet Jr.

Nice post mate. 👍

More respectable than Schumi for sure.

And sadly, than Alonso too. I can't believe he didn't know anything, before or after...

 

[niky]

Funny... Star Sports in Asia is replaying old F1 races in the lead-up to the 2010 Season (either that... or it's just filler) and they've been playing the infamous Schumacher-Hill championship race for the past week.

The look on Damon Hill's face as they wheeled him backwards into the garage... his eyes like dark laser beams... I don't doubt if Schumacher were in the pits as Damon sat there, that Schumacher would have been the first homicide victim ever in pit lane... and he would have deserved it for intentionally causing a crash on the course.

-

Alonso? I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt. As much as I don't like the guy's guts (such a prima donna), he's not the one calling the shots on race strategy... and Renault has been known to bet on weird pit strategies in the past...

 

[Feschka]

Alonso? I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt.

Ferrari shouldn't have.
BTW Massa shares my humble opinion. I can feel the love, heehee!

 

[Prince.M5]

Funny... Star Sports in Asia is replaying old F1 races in the lead-up to the 2010 Season (either that... or it's just filler) and they've been playing the infamous Schumacher-Hill championship race for the past week.

Ahaha!! Yeah it's funny and I watched one, the 1996 Spanish GP won by Michael Schumacher. Damon Hill retired. Interesting race by the way

 

[Small_Fryz]

Well schumacher has raced in cars before TC, has raced in slicks. so...

Also all this talk of Schumacher's dodgy driving and yet no one ever holds senna to his actions... crashing into prost twice??

Eitherway will be a great season, big shame raikonen isnt in it.. would of been quite a few World Champions then!!

MS,
Alonso
Button
Hamilton
Raikonnen.

Which season had the most World champions competiting?

 

[Peter]

Raikkonen isn't competing this year, sabbatical remember?

 

[Roo]

Which season had the most World champions competiting?

At certain races in 1970, Jack Brabham, Graham Hill, John Surtees, Denny Hulme and Jackie Stewart all competed in the same race.

Raikkonen isn't competing this year, sabbatical remember?

Eitherway will be a great season, big shame raikonen isnt in it.. would of been quite a few World Champions then!!.

 

[Hun200kmh]

Although they were not all "already champions" at the time, just check the 1991 season:



Schumacher - 7 WDC
Prost - 4 WDC
Senna - 3 WDC
Piquet - 3 WDC
Hakkinen - 2 WDC
Mansell - 1 WDC

That's 20 !

And if you want to count GP wins ... add to the impressive numbers of the gentlemen above the victories from Berger, Alesi and Patrese, also racing in the 1991 season.

 

[Hun200kmh]

Spoken like a true (Mario Puzo's) Godfather:

(Piero) Ferrari believes his legendary father would also have accepted Schumacher's decision.

"I'll take a step back in time: I was very close to Lorenzo Bandini and I suffered greatly when he died in Monte Carlo in 1967," said Ferrari.

"Right then, my father gave me some advice that was in line with his policy: 'You must never get too affectionate with racing drivers, because it either ends this way or they go race somewhere else. They are employees, even if very important ones.'"

the coolness of Enzo's advice is impressive.
Don't get too affectionate with guys that drive our cars. Either they die doing it or they go die ... errr ... drive somewhere else ...