Schumacher Retires, Kimi Announced

**IAMVTEC** · 13-09-2006 08:04 AM

Great. Good career but glad to see him go.

I think Honda could win it next year.

**LUD02C** · 13-09-2006 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by IAMVTEC

I think Honda could win it next year.

Honda have MASSIVE problems.
Ferrari, McLaren and Renault still leave them for miles.
Then next year, there going to have BMW (only getting faster in my opinion)
Red Bull (should be next years stand out team)
Toyota and even Williams (thats a maybe)

**LUD02C** · 13-09-2006 03:57 PM

Alonso is at it again.
Talking absolute rubbish, just like when he bad mouthed Rossi, I actually think he doesn't think before he speaks!

Reigning world champion Fernando Alonso believes that for all his talent, German championship rival Michael Schumacher has been the most unsporting driver in the history of Formula One.

Schumacher announced his end-of-season retirement after his victory in the Monza Grand Prix in Italy on Sunday, but not before reducing his deficit on the Spaniard to just two points with three races remaining.

It means Schumacher is now in contention for an eighth world title - however that has failed to impress Renault driver Alonso.

Schumacher's critics talk of his questionable racing ethics, and purists argue that the German should not be included in the pantheon of greatest racing drivers alongside Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina, Scotland's Jim Clark or Englishman Stirling Moss.

And Alonso, who had a disastrous weekend of racing at Monza, was keen to join those who have often questioned the less sporting aspects of the 37-year-old German's statistically impressive career.

"He's been the most penalised and is the most unsporting driver in the history of Formula One," Alonso said in daily sports paper Marca on Tuesday.

Alonso even claimed that French football legend Zinedine Zidane, who capped his retirement from football with an audacious World Cup final headbutt on Italian rival Marco Materrazzi, had gone out with more glory.

"Despite his headbutt, Zidane even left with more glory," added Alonso.

In Saturday's qualifying Alonso was relegated from fifth to tenth on the grid for an infringement which Renault contested vehemently, and he then failed to finish the race on Sunday when his engine blew.

Alonso now only has races in China, Japan and Brazil, the season-ender on October 22, to defend his title against Schumacher.

The Spaniard did give his German rival some credit, however. "He's been the best driver in the sport, and competing against him has been an honour," said Alonso.

**j3z3z** · 14-09-2006 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by ProECU

mate, trust me, ive been following F1 since it came to Adelaide in 1985.

try downloading some old footage of senna at Donnington, wet race......enough said! I havent seen Schumacher display any such brilliance in the wet.

hater!
so you didnt see micheal at belgium in the late 90s had almost laped every one hit the back of dc and with 3 wheels still hauled ass the 2nd half of the lap back to the pits, that was briliance

**Omotesando** · 17-09-2006 04:32 AM

I think it is hard to compare people driving in the wets, unless they're on exactly the same tyres. I guess when its wet, the car's engine/aerodynamics performance is relatively not as important. Mechanical grip and tyre grip is more relevant! Hence HONDA has always said they wished for a wet race, because driving skills in an inferior car (provided its on good tyres) will close the gap difference. And as we saw, they had their wish granted with Button's maiden win in the wet! Obviously Button is one of the best drivers on the grid, and he's smooth style suits the wet.

But Senna always lapped people in the wet, even during Prost days. And it was consistent for every race, so obviously he would have been very good.

Schuey is known as a wet master as well. Whether he still possess this skill at his 37 y.o of age or whether he's driving on experience, is a question mark though.

Remember Schuey vs Alonso in the same race Button had won, Alonso was so much quicker than Schuey. And he was driving off the racing line too. But in that case, Bridgestone had much inferior semi-wet tyres...

Me thinks Raikkonen must be quick in the wet

**bo279** · 17-09-2006 11:04 AM

last time i saw schuey live was at the melbourne GP this year, where ferrari were struggling all weekend with grip. He missed the top 10 qualifying!!. Renault dominated all weekend. Probly one of the worst weekends any ferrari fan could have.

During the race things didnt get any better either. There were speculation maybe he was on heavy fuel load, hence the lack of speed, but that went out the window when he pitted at the same time as everyone else. But then around mid race out of nowhere he was around 1 sec quicker than anyone else, closing the gap to the leaders lap after lap, pushing the sh!t out of a uncompetitive car and using every mm of the track until coming out of the last corner onto the main straight where he went abit wide and smacked into the wall on both sides of the track.

Sad Sad moment it was. but it just sums up the guy. Always pushing and trying, giving his all, even though the car was shat. At least from my point of view, i can see he was trying n not just give up.

The guys a genius, first year at ferrari and he had wins with them when ferrari's status n performance were no way near what it is today. they were a mid field team in a sport that was dominated by williams and previously by Bennetton when Schuey was there.

There will be no other. I guess we should be happy he's goin out in almost peak form and not when he's lost it. Maybe he shouldve retired 2 years ago when F1 = Schumacher. He absolutely dominasted. Think he had 13 wins.

I wouldnt like to see him struggle like the way Michael Jordan did in his last years.

Kimi to be world champ next year and alonso to struggle due to reliability problems with mclaren.

**Omotesando** · 17-09-2006 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by bo279

last time i saw schuey live was at the melbourne GP this year, where ferrari were struggling all weekend with grip. He missed the top 10 qualifying!!. Renault dominated all weekend. Probly one of the worst weekends any ferrari fan could have.

During the race things didnt get any better either. There were speculation maybe he was on heavy fuel load, hence the lack of speed, but that went out the window when he pitted at the same time as everyone else. But then around mid race out of nowhere he was around 1 sec quicker than anyone else, closing the gap to the leaders lap after lap, pushing the sh!t out of a uncompetitive car and using every mm of the track until coming out of the last corner onto the main straight where he went abit wide and smacked into the wall on both sides of the track..........

Yeah and don't forget, when he went wide at Albert Park, in reality he was only very slightly wide (whilst chasing Button) but what ended it for him, was his right tyre hitting the unnecessary and dangerous 'bump' of the kerb, that has caught out a few people over the years.

If that bump wasn't there, he should surely have finished as 4th or 5th. Same thing happened with Montoya, except Montoya saved his car, but then the engine shut down due to safety feature....

I still remember Schuey asking 'why is that bump even there' lol!

In hindsight, the Melbourne race could prove to be crucial to the world championship end result

**bo279** · 17-09-2006 10:24 PM

the only bright thing that happened that weekened was button taking pole away from alonso, (even though im not a button fan), i was hopin for some sort of miracle where button could out launch the renaults at the start. but of course it never happened n alonso cruised to victory.

it was the first time i got to see the famous renault launch control in action live in front of me (literally, i was only bout 20m away), n to my surprise theres wheel spin involved but they just gather speed alot quicker than anyone else.

**Omotesando** · 17-09-2006 11:33 PM

Those Renaults seriously can launch well!

Honda is launching much better these days. Funny thing is, you always noticed Schuey this year, NOT launching well. Forgot the race, but Massa in P2 out launched him. Schuey had to overtake Massa when Massa artificially did an ultra-slow in-lap (or outlap?).

And Just then in Monza, Heinfeld outlaunched Schuey, so Schuey was lucky to get the win. There were a couple more.

Isn't it interesting - how after nearly a whole season, the Renaults still have that launch advantage?

**bo279** · 18-09-2006 09:32 AM

yeah...renault still pretty good at launching, but theyre not dominating as much as they did in the last 2 seasons.

Notice in Monza during the podium ceremony how humble kimmi was, n how it seemed like he was been accepted into the ferrari family by todt. It was a dead give away he was to replace the Greatest of all time. Honestly the best replacement they couldve hope for. Better than Alonso, he wouldve beaten Alonso the previous year if it wasnt of mechanical problems at Mclaren.

But i thought webber wouldve been perfect to goto Renault, but i think it probly came down to $$$, he was probly too expenice for them and by hiring a rookie, it wouldve saved alot of costs towards a driver and more towards development.