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It's Official: Schumacher is Retiring (again)

10K views 50 replies 22 participants last post by  612Scag 
#1 ·
#3 ·
It was good to see him come out of retirement and finish mediocre most of the time due to having a mediocre car. Kind of proved what I thought all along that it was the car that made him the fastest driver.

In comparison of the late 70's when Gilles Villeneuve had the ****tiest car (Ferrari) and literally drove the wheels off it to win.
 
#6 ·
Of course that will always be up for debate, but in his prime, no one could even come close to Schumacher in the wet and his feel for the limit was always discussed as being scary good. Any one else remember that documentary where they reviewed telematry of Schumi vs. another F1 driver? The difference in the number of steering inputs vs. the other driver was astonoshing
 
#41 ·
Of course that will always be up for debate, but in his prime, no one could even come close to Schumacher in the wet and his feel for the limit was always discussed as being scary good. Any one else remember that documentary where they reviewed telematry of Schumi vs. another F1 driver? The difference in the number of steering inputs vs. the other driver was astonoshing
:laugh::laugh:
 
#12 · (Edited)


Some of schumacher career notes: From another site i frequent


1969: Born on January 3 in Huerth-Hermuelheim, Germany.

1973: Makes his racing debut in a karting event.

1987: Wins German and European kart championships.

1988: Finishes fourth in German Formula Ford championship and is second in the European series in his first year of car racing.

1990: Wins first major single-seater title, clinching the German Formula Three crown. Steps up to sportscars, driving for Mercedes.

1991: Makes Formula One debut for Jordan in Belgium, qualifying seventh before retiring. Poached by Benetton for the rest of the season.

1992: Takes first Grand Prix win in Belgium on his way to third in the championship.

1994: Wins title, with eight wins to his name, after controversial last-race clash with Damon Hill in Australia.

1995: Retains world crown, taking nine victories.

1996: Moves to struggling Ferrari and manages three wins on his way to third in the championship.

1997: Wins five races but is stripped of second in the championship for attempting to take out title rival Jacques Villeneuve at Jerez.

1999: Breaks his leg at Silverstone when easily leading the championship.

2000: Finally wins Ferrari's first drivers' title since 1979, amassing nine wins on the way.

2001: Another nine wins and another title, setting a new record for all-time victories.

2002: Wins championship in record time, setting a new mark of 11 victories.

2003: Wins title by a point after six victories, breaking Juan Manuel Fangio's record of five championships.

2004: Breaks his own record for wins in a season, 13, to take title number seven.

2006: September 10 - Announces his retirement at end of 2006 season after winning Italian Grand Prix.

2009: July 29 - Announces plans to make a shock return to F1 with Ferrari, deputising for Felipe Massa until the Brazilian recovers from injuries suffered in an accident in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

August 11 - Forced to abort comeback due to a neck injury sustained in a motorbike accident in February.

December 23 - Signs a three-year contract to drive for Mercedes GP, ending three years in retirement.

2010: Makes his return to F1 in Bahrain and finishes the season in ninth, with a highest finish of fourth.

2011: Betters his previous season with an eighth-placed finish and 96 points, with a fourth in Canada his best result.

2012: Returns to the podium for the first time since his retirement, finishing third in the European Grand Prix.
 
#25 ·
Some of the many reasons why I didn't like him, poor sportsmanship. A true "Champion" wouldn't resort to such B.S. to win.

1994: After hitting the Adelaide wall and terminally damaging his car, smashes into Damon Hill to secure his first world title.

1997: Cynically slams into Jacques Villeneuve in a failed bid to win the world championship. Is stripped of his second place in the championship by the FIA.

2002: Takes advantage of Ferrari team orders to pass team-mate Rubens Barrichello yards from the chequered flag in Austria for a victory greeted by boos from the crowd.

2002: Inexplicably attempted to engineer a dead heat at Indianapolis, only to lose out to Barrichello by 0.011 seconds.

2006: Parks his Ferrari across the track in Monaco in an attempt to disrupt qualifying and retain pole position. Sent to the back of the grid by stewards.
 
#42 ·
Fangio, Gilles, et al would completely lack the conditioning required to drive today's cars for a full race distance. Aside from the gulf of time, that would be the toughest thing for the previous generations of drivers.

Aside from that, I think there was a bigger breadth in quality in F1 three or more decades ago. Damn near anyone could show up with a car and race. When ABBA is driving in F1, you know there is some crap talent in the field. It was easier for a driver to shine against people like that.
 
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