At last he's gone

Bloomin heck. With the title "At last he's gone" I thought Blair had fallen on his sword.

Is Shumi having an planned and orderly transition? Has he actually set a date?

Diccus

Good to see Kimi get the Ferrari drive for the next three years......

How's this for the "I'm not bitter" Award 2006:

Jacques Villeneuve: "the day he hangs up his helmet people will just forget him".*

Well Mr J. Villeneuve, I think this is more likely to happen to you than Mr. Schumacher. Do remind all of us how well you've done since your 1 and only championship...

Shumi may have had his high and low points on the the track, but I admire him all the same.

* taken from this report on the Beeb website:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/5320026.stm

I expect he is - after earning 12 million a season.

The best of his era and one of the half dozen or so best ever. He was perfect for this time in formula one. No one worked harder, no one conditioned better, no one lead the people around him in the same manner. Intelligent, intense, and focused. He had his flaws as everyone does, but he was and is a superb driver.

Clay

Clay

Spot on.

Regards

Mick

No one can criticise him for his sheer professionalism and his dedication to the sport. His driving skills will go down in history as one of the greatest drivers ever.It is a shame that motor sport will lose his experience and ability.

He may not have always been the perfect gentleman but there is no denying his driving ability.

Regrds

PB

I saw him at Le Mans driving a Mercedes in June 1991 a couple of months before he got into F1 with Jordan. From memory he set the fastest lap (while the Mercedes was still going at least - I can't remember if anyone went faster after he stopped) during the night and I can remember thinking that this was someone who we would be hearing a lot more about. Little did I know ...

I'll always wonder what would have happened if he hadn't hit Hill at Adelaide in 1994. Remember neither of them had been champion at that time and had Hill won his confidence would have been up and who knows how things would have turned out. One of the great what ifs of F1.

The most recent times I've seen him was the 2001 and 2002 Melbourne GPs where on both occassions he got the car out of the pits, did an installation lap and then immediately went faster than anyone else on his first flying lap. Total commitment. Now that he won't be driving competitevely it would be great to see hime show up at Goodwood driving an old Ferrari.

Sort of a sad day really as he was the last link back to the previous generation of F1 drivers from whom he learned some of his less sporting tactics. Still, the king is dead long live the king. Kimi for 2007 ???

Cheers
Scott

What did he actually do?

The guy will be a legend, and rightly too.
I remember in bike racing when Eddie Lawson won every title, GP's & Superbikes, and then before retirement he gave time to the no-hoper team Cagiva. He helped the team and was rewarded with a GP win at Hungary. The team boss was so elated he bought Eddie a Ferrari.
Schumy should be as generous with a small team to put something back into the sport, for sports sake.

At least, unlike another control freak shunter, we actually know when he is going...


I do acknowledge Schumacher's undoubted extraordinary talent. But I'm afraid that his 'Ferrari-torpedo' of Hill (in particular) and others, put him right down in my estimation - to being no better than those contemptuous diving football cheaters, who bring the game into disrepute.

James

He was driving for Benetton when Hill failed to spot (or be told over the radio?) that MS's car was in trouble after clouting the wall earlier in the lap. I blame Hill and his team for trying to pass him in a place where they gave Schumacher had the chance to do that. You close on a leader that quick, you must know that something is wrong, so why give him the opportunity? I remember Prost being the 1st driver to crash into another driver to clinch a title (Suzuka?) and Senna returning the favour a year later so MS was only going on what he had seen done before.

His attempt on JV (97?) was so bad it was funny though and as for his little 'off' in Monaco this year, the less said the better. I'm a fan but recognise his mistakes/flaws and i'll be sorry to see him go.

Some of his records look safe for a few years to come.

quote:

Originally posted by Hammerhead:
How's this for the "I'm not bitter" Award 2006:

Jacques Villeneuve: "the day he hangs up his helmet people will just forget him".*

Well Mr J. Villeneuve, I think this is more likely to happen to you than Mr. Schumacher. Do remind all of us how well you've done since your 1 and only championship...

Shumi may have had his high and low points on the the track, but I admire him all the same.

* taken from this report on the Beeb website:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/5320026.stm

I saw the asterik and for a minute thought Fritz had infiltrated this thread...

Phew

Ferrari-torpedo, Benetton-torpedo - whatever...

quote:

Originally posted by JWM:
Ferrari-torpedo, Benetton-torpedo - whatever...

I hate pedants too.