In today’s round-up: Michael Schumacher says he will be driving for Mercedes next year, saying "I’ll certainly be racing next year, that is definite".
Links
Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:
Schumacher insists he’ll race in 2012 (SuperSport.com)
"Seven-times Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher has put an end to rumours he may retire at the end of the season by insisting on Sunday he will race in 2012 for Mercedes. “I’ll certainly be racing next year, that is definite,” Schumacher said at a Mercedes’ function."
"Fantastic Mercedes-Benz event at Stuttgart. Big crowd! Nico, [Michael Schumacher] and DTM guys busy. Thanks for coming."
In memory of Enzo Ferrari (Ferrari)
"Twenty three years to the day have passed since his death, but the memory of Enzo Ferrari is still very much alive. On behalf of everyone who works for the company, of Ferrari owners and enthusiasts of the Maranello marque, we wanted to express our thoughts about the man who created Ferrari."
Kobayashi knows he needs to unlock speed if he’s to take the next step (JamesAllenonF1)
Kobayashi: "I know that there aren’t enough strong performances in qualifying. The thing is, when the car is good, I’m always okay. But if the car isn’t comfortable then I’m not using the whole performance. This is where I have to improve. It’s everything; confidence, warm up, balance and set up. Then I cannot make a good performance."
Lewis Hamilton’s revving ‘n’ ready (Daily Star)
"Lewis Hamilton’s craving for a second Formula One world title has filled him with fighting talk. Hamilton said: "I am 88 points behind but it is not an impossible task. It’s a shame we didn’t have another race straight away but there’s nothing we could do about that. There are 200 points up for grabs and I will enter all the races believing I can win them."
F1 fan receives bionic hand from Mercedes team (The Telegraph)
"A teenage Formula One fan has been fitted with a souped-up artificial hand after he offered to sell advertising space to Mercedes – on his prosthetic limb."
Thanks to Lee Sharp for the tip
Here’s some amateur footage of the BOSS race at Zandvoort today. They’re not all F1 cars but how many can you name?
India’s Formula One track brings fast living and social disarray to villagers (The Guardian)
"Until a year or so ago, Narangpura was a small village like thousands of others in northern India. Its roads were muddy troughs in the rainy season and dust in the baking summer heat. There were no toilets, no sanitation, electricity for a couple of hours of day, no clinic and only a basic primary school. Most of its few thousand inhabitants were barely literate and many of the children were malnourished. Then came change, in the shape of India’s first Formula One track."
India’s F1 preparations underway (Dawn.com)
Latest photographs from the Buddh International Circuit.
Thanks for the tip TBWG
Tony Fernandes poised to buy Bernie Ecclestone out of Queens Park Rangers (The Observer)
"Tony Fernandes could be announced as the new owner of Queens Park Rangers on Monday in a deal that would mean the Asian businessman taking control of the club from Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, in partnership with Lakshmi Mittal, who already owns 33 per cent."
The Teams’ Half-Term Report (That F1 Blog)
Jonny Whitney has written this half-term report.
Follow F1 news as it breaks using the F1 Fanatic live Twitter app.
Comment of the day
More thoughts on Pirelli’s plans to bring back qualifying tyres. Tom says:
I don’t see any reason for qualifying tyres. Qualifying should be about finding out which car is fastest over a flying lap in race conditions, not which car is fastest over a flying lap with a special set of tyres that will never get used during a race. True, they don’t run full fuel during qualifying, which is a shame, but that is far less absurd than qualifying tyres.
Most importantly, F1 is supposed to be reducing cost. How does developing and manufacturing special qualifying tyres help that goal? There is only one answer: It doesn’t.
Tom
From the forum
Happy birthday!
No F1 Fanatic birthdays today. If you want a birthday shout-out tell us when yours is by emailing me, using Twitter or adding to the list here.
On this day in F1
Jackie Stewart won his second world championship title on this day 40 years ago.
Stewart spun out of the race on lap 35 when a rear wheel fell off due to a broken stub axle. But with Jacky Ickx have retired four laps earlier, Stewart was already unbeatable in the championship.
Jo Siffert led all 54 laps of the race, claiming his second and final win for BRM. Emerson Fittipaldi was second for Lotus in front of Tim Schencken’s Brabham.
The race also saw the debut of Niki Lauda, driving for March. He retired after 20 laps with handling problems.
Here’s a video of the race:
SoLiDG (@solidg)
15th August 2011, 0:16
From the boss series:
I see an new and old indycar (champcar) a gp2 and Renault world series 3.5 car
and for the f1 cars I believe to recognize:
– Simtek F1
– Benetton (98)
– Arrows F1
– Ferrari (93)
– Leyton house
Mlracing (@mlracing)
15th August 2011, 2:51
There was a Benetton from 1997 and 1999. There was no simtek though. Also present were a Tyrrell 026 (2), Jaguar R5, and Jordan 194. Thing is some owners changed the colors (and off course some parts to make the cars last longer). The Tyrells are completely original though.
The Jordan 191 should have been there also, but since the engine broke it was replaced with a F3000 car. I went to Zandvoort to see the Jordan 191 but SADLY that didn’t happen. Anyway it was nice to hear those v10s again. I also went to see the 1993 Ferrari and especially the V12 engine. Again Sadly the owner replaced the V12 with a Judd 3.5 V10. Why? the V12 is simply to expensive. On saturday the guy was going so slow around the track, clearly afraid to damage the car. I don’t blame him though.
BasCB (@bascb)
15th August 2011, 7:07
Must have been a great experience! Was it a support event to another race, or a stand alone event?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
15th August 2011, 8:20
It was the F3 Masters there this weekend. Looks like it had a pretty poor turnout: just 16 cars.
BasCB (@bascb)
15th August 2011, 10:09
But at least they had full grandstands.
Mlracing (@mlracing)
15th August 2011, 11:05
yeah there were 20 cars in total, only problem was some broke down before the race even started and some like the Leyton and jaguar broke down after just a few laps.
But yeah they have to find 4 or 5 more f1 car owners willing to participate imo. Also have some guests drivers, like Jan Lammers (ex F1) and Tom Coronel (almost made it to F1) were this weekend.
The sunday was packed, the saturday was not.
Daniel Ricciardo was also present giving an Nascar (RedBull) demo and judging a kart event.
SoLiDG (@solidg)
15th August 2011, 13:45
Tought the yellow car around 30seconds looked like a simtek :)
Could be a Minardi or something? :)
The Ferrari drove at Zolder a few weeks back without a backcover even. It’s a shame it doesn’t have the original V12.
Mlracing (@mlracing)
15th August 2011, 16:17
the yellow one is the Jordan 194.
About the V12 you are totally right. I heard he would drive with a V12, but as stated that didn’t happen :( .
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
15th August 2011, 8:19
More from Zandvoort – Jos Verstappen lapping in the last Tyrrell F1 car:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkbGbS7QhlI
Mike
16th August 2011, 5:33
Brilliant.
TommyB (@tommyb89)
15th August 2011, 0:16
Look at that Arrows. Beautiful.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
15th August 2011, 0:28
Just saw this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPiF0l-JO1o
It’s a common criticism that new Grands Prix suffer from poor attendance figures. Indycar, however, have it worse. Even the most-populated stands in this video are almost completely empty.
David-A (@david-a)
15th August 2011, 1:10
And yet this was hyped up to be their first race at New Hampshire in many years. Oh dear.
BasCB (@bascb)
15th August 2011, 6:56
I guess the rain did not help to keep people in the stands, maybe it even contributed to the ill given desicion to “go green” for the last few laps.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
15th August 2011, 7:20
From what I gather, the race has been unaffected by rain until that point.
But I could be wrong.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
15th August 2011, 8:21
There were several laps under yellow in the middle of the race as well.
A real shame about the mess at the end, up to that point it had been a pretty good race. Love those one-mile ovals, Milwaukee was a good race too. Hope it doesn’t stop them returning to New Hampshire.
ajokay (@)
15th August 2011, 11:16
Its a shame to hear they’ve delayed the Indy aero kits until the year after next, but I guess it’s a logical step to have a year with everyone in the same machinery, especially when it’s a completely new car. That’ll give everyone a year of testing, in qualifying and race setups, on ovals, road, and street courses, and everyone will know where they stand.
Then they can start bringing the aero kits in the season after and really start to mix things up.
I think it’s a really good idea, this ‘Aero Kit’ concept. Leaves the design and building of the car to a company that doesn nothing but make racing cars, but then allows teams to customise that car, eithe by researching and building their own, or allowing a manufacturer to spend much less on motor racing, whilst still having some input and getting their name out there. Plus it then moves Indycar away from being a 100% spec series, and the cars will all start to look slightly different.
At least they have the 3 different engines starting next year. Are any other manufacturers interested in building engines from 2013 onwards?
BasCB (@bascb)
15th August 2011, 11:34
Agree with you ajokay on the IndyCar body kits, they are a good Idea to allow some car developments by the teams.
It would have been great to have them sooner, but as you say it makes sense to get some practice with the new cars before bringing fany bits.
TimG (@timg)
15th August 2011, 11:35
I didn’t see yesterday’s race but the discussion of it brings back memories.
In 1993 I managed to divert a family holiday to the USA to go via New Hampshire to see the CART race. Being used to British circuits, trying to follow a race on a one mile oval was something else. We sat opposite the pit straight (where Mario Andretti crashed out coming out of Turn 4) – memories of the smell of the ethanol and the old 2.65l turbo engines are still strong. Nigel Mansell beat the faster Penskes of Emerson Fittipaldi and Paul Tracy (Mansell named the race as being in his top ten performances in his autobiography). Steve Robertson, who went on to manage Jenson Button and Kimi Raikkonen, won the Indy Lights race after Bryan Herta (owner of the car that won the last Indy 500) crashed out in Turn 2.
The other major race I went to that season was the European GP at Donnington Park… That was an amazing year.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
15th August 2011, 11:38
OK I’m now crippled with jealousy.
TimG (@timg)
15th August 2011, 12:29
I forgot to mention that Jacques Villeneuve won the Formula Atlantic race, too.
hohum
15th August 2011, 13:41
I caught the highlights coverage and it appears to me that they did not have any wet tyres, the track was only damp, not visibly wet, I guess the tracks camber combined with cold tyres from lapping behind the “safety car” made the multiple spin-outs inevitable. Thank goodness F1 has not followed this kind of idiocy in the name of “safety above all else”
Also rain showers at Watkins Glen, where “real men” used to race F1 cars, caused the cancellation until today of the scheduled NASCAR race.
Q85
15th August 2011, 17:04
thought they werent meant to race full stop on ovals in the rain?
i saw the incident on youtube this morning and will powers reaction lol
tho i am well out of touch with indycars since CART left eurosport.
joey-poey
15th August 2011, 17:11
They don’t bring rain tires to ovals because they don’t race in wet weather on ovals. It’s simply too dangerous.
SoLiDG (@solidg)
15th August 2011, 19:56
Racing in the rain on ovals is just plain dumb. It’s not done.
Why nascar doesn’t drive on a wet road course is something else.
Could have been a hell of a race :)
Mike-e
15th August 2011, 2:05
Re: Pirelli qualifying tyres
Who cares if f1 is meant to be cutting costs? it wont cost the teams any more money…
The really good news if they do is we will get to see absolute raw ultimate pace from the cars (if the FIA let them run qualifying setups too and removed some of the parc ferme restrictions)
I can only see it as a good thing for motorsport fans. Unfortunately most of us wont get to see it cause its going onto sky, and there is no way in hell i’m paying for that.
Pionir
17th August 2011, 12:43
I don’t really see a need for quali tyres because the super-softs are really only good for a lap anyway.
However, I’m all for bringing them back. Why? For the simple reason Keith mentioned, so we can get rid of the pointless tyre rule.
Maybe they can ditch the “must use two compounds” rule too and give them free choice of all 4 compounds.
TED BELL
15th August 2011, 2:52
Hopefully common sense will come to Schumacher if Mercedes doesn’t get the job done. My guess is that his driving skills are still good enough to win. I think the will and desire are there but the car isn’t and until Mercedes makes significant changes MS will continue to damage his reputation.
Rosberg has barely proven himself and until he wins he will remain a second driver on a so far less than great team.
Wouldn’t it be nice to see MS have a final run at a title in a car worthy of his talent?
Meander
15th August 2011, 3:21
How can you say Schumacher is still at winning level and dismiss Rosberg as second tier when he’s making Schumacher look silly at every race this year bar one or maybe two?!
Mgn
15th August 2011, 8:08
Nico Not really making Schu looks silly at every race this year, his race pace has been better than Nico even in his 40s in couple of races and the show in Canada proved he still have it and if given a right car he would deliver.
Fixy (@)
15th August 2011, 18:40
Most seem to think Schumacher’s ability has remained the same – this just increases the value of Rosberg’s performances. He deserves a winning car.
Alonso Fan
17th August 2011, 9:17
Schumi still good and fantastic to watch! Given the right car he will surely win… Maybe another title!!
David-A (@david-a)
15th August 2011, 6:50
Even as a Schumacher fan, I haven’t seen enough (at least in terms of consistency) in the last 30 races to prove he’s still at a winning level.
Rosberg is a very talented driver, and it would be interesting to see what he can do in a more competitive car. But until that happens, I can’t judge whether he’s as good as the four more recent champions on the grid.
DVC
15th August 2011, 8:12
I agree Schumacher’s consistency hasn’t been good enough, but I can’t see that getting worse, you can only get more consistent with more driving. My concern is with his qualifying. His race pace is good compared to Rosberg, but he needs to figure out qualifying if he wants to win when the car is capable of it.
Robbie
15th August 2011, 13:28
Regarding MS…no surprise at all…always thought he would see it through, especially as he as struggled with the car and these things take time to evolve.
But I do think MS is going to be lucky to podium again in his career…it still remains that he has a genuine competing teammate that he now has to concern himself with, which up until his return he never had…and said teammate still holds his own against MS, even if MS has closed the gap…and that’s the point…the best MS can hope for is a better car, which will mean NR also will have better tools to compete, and going by the last season and a half, should only help him stay ahead of MS…at best for MS the car will improve such that he and NR can have a genuine see-saw battle rather than seeing MS mildly dominated.
And now that the FIA seem a little less tolerant of MS’s continued contact with other drivers, seeing him more competetive in a better car (if it happens) will invite some interesting interactions with the other drivers who no longer consider him a threat and won’t be simply moving out of his way.
Bottom line, it’s quite an uphill battle for MS, and ultimately we will see him not win again other than by some weather related fluke, and he will bottom line his return with ‘I just love to compete’ or ‘I love the challenge’ to make it seem like he never expected to be a WDC again and just wanted to contribute to his friend’s team.
Q85
15th August 2011, 17:09
similar ish to graham hills later years. It must be so frustrating for a driver in that situation. Talent doesnt just vanish. you dont forget how to do what you once did, so why cant you anymore?
must hard for michael to get his head round.
i still think there is one more great performance in him
DVC
16th August 2011, 7:44
I think there is more than one.
Cluffy_Wedge
15th August 2011, 15:54
I would like to see a full wet race that doesn’t spend a matter of hours behind the Safety car.
TommyC
15th August 2011, 3:35
“He retired after 20 laps with handling problems.”
Sounds like Jarno Trulli…
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
15th August 2011, 4:08
Seems like that Schumi isn’t going anywhere without having his 8th WC.
Todfod (@todfod)
15th August 2011, 8:29
I think he would settle for another podium finish before he retires.
Robbie
15th August 2011, 16:14
First, like all WDC’s including all of MS’s, he’ll need the best car on the grid, or a very strong second place car…anybody really think the Merc next year is going to overcome the current top 3? That’ll take a huge leap in performance, which carries slim odds.
Second, MS has proved to need a non-competing teammate for his previous numbers compilation. He no longer has that and the numbers reveal the results of that.
Third, if the car is that much improved that we can even talk about a Merc in the WCC fight, it is NR that has proved to be the go-to guy on the team over the last season and a half. He’ll likely still be one step ahead of MS next year, unless they somehow manage to completely make the next car to MS’s liking and away from NR’s, yet NR has said anything they do to help MS will help him, and it seems to be the case.
Bottom line, odds are very very slim of MS getting an 8th WDC. The conditions are simply night and day different to how he compiled his numbers in the past. Those conditions were night and day different and for an unprecedented length of time than any other driver in the history of F1.
DVC
16th August 2011, 3:10
Everybody keeps saying MS has never had a team mate that competed with him, and was allowed to beat him. That assessment is unfair on Martin Brundle, who whilst always qualifying behind him did out race him on a number of occassions in the season they had as team mates at Benetton.
Briatore later told Brundle “I never should have fired you, we just didn’t realise how good Michael actually was.’
Mgn
16th August 2011, 8:08
Or Michael will match or even one step ahead of Nico judging from his race pace matching or better than Nico in some races even in his 40s, i agree with @DVC comment above the concern since his come back is his qualifying…Nico is a good driver but making the car to Michael liking or Nico liking wouldn’t change the fact that Michael in his prime/younger is much better than Nico, already proved by lots of his super drive where Nico so far in his 20s haven’t really put a wow stunning race like young Schumacher did even comparing Nico with his generation the like of Vettel, Hamilton, Alonso he looks ordinary quoting you simply night and day
Robbie
16th August 2011, 16:07
DVC…you are talking about the year 1992, and Martin Brundle, according to Wikipedia, was the only driver to match MS until MS’s return in 2010…it also says that the F1 paddock was shocked when MB was replace at Benetton for 93…gee…why would they replace such a good driver I wonder? I’m guessing by the way the rest of MS’s career went, that he insisted on no challenge from a teammate in order to ‘succeed’ because after 92 he figured out it is far easier to have a contracted bootlicker for a teammate or the next closest thing to it than an actual challenger…Johnny Herbert claimed he was treated like a second class citizen on the team. Had to give his data to MS but MS didn’t have to return the favour.
As to Briatore’s quote…let’s just say I wouldn’t trust anything FB says, and he’s saying it after the fact anyway.
Mgn…comparing NR to MS in his youth is folly because NR has never been on the most established team in F1 with a designer car and the will of the governing body to see him end a team’s WDC drought. Comparing him to SV, LH, and FA is folly because they have already all had way better cars than NR has had so far.
Right now NR is doing a better job of what everyone has always said MS would be so good at, that being taking a not so winning level car to as high a level as possible, and right now he takes it higher than MS does. MS having poor quali showings is not an excuse for why he still has fewer points than NR after a season and a half. He simply isn’t doing the job if as a 7 time WDC all he can do is show glimmers of light that he might be maybe matching NR or sometimes during a race outpacing him only to find said pace means he can’t control the car.
Mgn
16th August 2011, 18:34
Michael being treated as you so call No.1 because he deserved it, from his hardwork and dedication
it’s not folly comparing young Schuamcher and Nico it’s fact in his first year with Jordan Michael has put world class drive, Nico like i said before it’s a good driver but i think i can’t see him put in Legend list like Senna, Schumacher etc. Vettel, Alonso, Hamilton ddn’t always has better car, Vettel show in 2007-08, Hamilton 2009, Alonso in some of his Renault years that they put promising drives to wow or win, it’s some of your comments that folly one that only based on hatred without seeing the marvelous side in Schumacher career
DVC
17th August 2011, 5:02
@Robbie: And you figure that MS had the star power at the end of ’92 to be able to demand whatever he wanted? I don’t buy that. He wasn’t WC then, didn’t come close to it in ’92.
Also, don’t believe everything you read on Wikipedia. /sage advice
Robbie
17th August 2011, 14:18
Mgn…yes for sure I do not see what is marvelous in having illegal cars, by ‘winning’ by whacking drivers, and by having non-competing teammates. MS’s style has never been for me. Not honourable imho.
DVC, I actually have gone on Wikipedia on perhaps 4 occasions in my life, and since I just needed a quick reference to Martin Brundle’s career I went to it. I agree with you that it is the very basics of information you are getting and it’s sources aren’t always known.
Nowhere did I say MS already had the star power as you call it to demand ‘whatever he wanted’…that is you trying to exagerate my wording to make my argument sound less credible. Perhaps it was a way they chose to go because at some point MS made a comment that life would be easier without a competing teammate…by all accounts signs of his single-minded arrogance were already present…who knows…the bottom line is that they let go of a driver that was competition for MS ie. the following year and the remaining years of his career until NR in 2010 he was not challenged like the fans deserve to see a driver challenged.
This from F1:The Autobiography…firstly they point out that the Jordan in 91 was an excellent car, so that certainly helped MS to shine. For 92 he was poached from Jordan by FB and Tom Walkinshaw.
James Hunt: “Schumacher’s being poached by Benetton from Jordan I find quite deplorable. It has much more to do with big business, vested interests and pure greed than motor racing. Particularly distasteful to me is the horse trading, the tearing up of contracts and generally ammoral behaviour which saw decisions being made with scant regard given to the welfare of the drivers involved.”
I take an opinion like that and extend it to extraordinary measures they were going to take to help MS. To me it all reeks of not giving MS’s teammates a fair shot, not giving the fans true racing between two teammates in what is supposed to be the pinnacle of racing.
Mgn
17th August 2011, 15:54
Wow lol so all Michael cars in his entire career were/are illegal and his winning all by whacking drivers without mentioning his amazing drives yeah you are exaggerating thus make your comments less credible , yes he made some mistakes so did the great Senna and even many of Formula 1 drivers past and today overall they are just human being. Michael was just better than his teammates and he got better chances to win. some experts agree on that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk2p2nRK-p4 , do you seriously think with all the respect Brundle, Rubens, Irvine are better in term of completeness than Schumacher but considering your nonsense hatred against Schu i will assume your answer is yes. Jordan not the best cars. would like to quote a site :”Schumacher was plucked from comparative obscurity to make his grand prix bow with Jordan at Spa on 25 August, 1991, and he immediately served notice that he was something rather special indeed by qualifying a superb seventh in the striking Jordan-Ford 191 – four places further up the grid than infinitely more experienced team-mate Andrea de Cesaris.”
James Hunt was a great driver and it’s his opinion but i found it a little sour grape, he haven’t sign the contract during that Michael able to shut the controversy by driving impressively.
I couldn’t care less it is in for you or not, he already recognized as a legend by many experts and fans just want to stated some of your nonsense comments based on hatred.
Robbie
18th August 2011, 13:25
Mgn…I never said all his cars were illegal or that or all he did was whack drivers.
So MS started strongly with Jordan…that’s fine…he already by that time had run-ins with Mika Hakkinen in F3.
MS has always been a bully on the track…the suspected and actual illegalities with his Benetton in 94 was well documented as is of course his whack on DH for the ‘win’…with all the controversy in 94, as one example, why would I pick out some brilliant performance by MS? He had an illegal car, likely had traction control after it had been made illegal.
Then the same mega team that was cheating at Benetton moved with MS to Ferrari in an unprecedented Mega deal that included contracted subservient drivers for MS and therefore a designer car and eventually tires…why would I respect some brilliant drive by MS when he had more advantages hand over fist more than his teammates and than any other driver in the history of F1? And he still felt the need to be a bully on the track…heck I know how to drive a car into somebody or move them off the track…that doesn’t take genius.
Anyway, the incidents go on and on and so I find it impossible to respect him and have always felt it was always apples to oranges in terms of how the team and the FIA treated MS because they wanted him to end the Ferrari WDC drought…and if it took them taking the racing out of F1 by letting MS have a contracted subservient, the ultimate team order, then I find nothing to respect in that. Then MS sealed the deal for me with his parking of the car in Monaco quali 06.
You go ahead a find brilliant drives all you want. I find it all tainted. But that is the other side of the coin. I chose not to be sucked into the mega machine of compilation of numbers that the FIA desired, and prefer to see my WDC’s challenged by top quality teammates, and not winning by dirty tactics that are so frequent that they are predictable.
Mgn
18th August 2011, 15:08
“Mgn…yes for sure I do not see what is marvelous in having illegal cars, by ‘winning’ by whacking drivers, and by having non-competing teammates. MS’s style has never been for me”
That seem pointed out by you.
Like i said before most drivers made mistakes including the great Senna i never said it’s right but sometimes the great drivers just put much to the limit that’s somehow make them making mistakes even a good driver can’t run from that as well, they just human after all but Michael able to shut the controversy by some of his genius driving.
94 Benetton not the only team that been surrounding by that controversy, Mclaren as well. But in 1995 again Michael able to shut the controversy by winning the WDC convincingly.
Schumacher moved to Ferrari mostly because he wanted to find new challenge by helping Ferrari transform into such a domination team Jackie Stewart even Stirling Moss whom very critical to Schu acknowledge it and won WDC which Ferrari havn’t since decades and that’s because of his dedication, hardwork, determination, raw speed, team leader + the dream team that’s made Ferrari respected him and i don’t see with all the respect any of his Ferrari teammates have the same level as Michael contrast to what you said.
There was no rule stated that in 2002 teams order is illegal even other teams implemented it as well in or before 2002 just because it was Schumacher and Ferrari the controversy pop out higher and eventually they got punished and the team order been banned so FIA not treated Michael as what you stated, like it or not team order back in 2011 again, FIA even changed the 2005 rule just to stop the Michael Ferrari domination but in 2006 they bounced back and Schumacher performance especially at the end of the season acknowledged by many as brilliant, heroic and breath taking even his more sense hater have to admit that
Again like i said before whocaresss you want to respect that man or not, many already considering him as a legend that’s the important one just want to stated some of your nonsense comments based on obsessive hate against Schumacher.
Robbie
18th August 2011, 15:56
Mgn…we’ll just have to agree to disagree.
Pointing out that Mac had controversy in 94 does not change the massive controversy at Benetton…pointing out that Senna wasn’t perfect doesn’t clear MS of his bad behaviour over a much longer time period…by 95 there was no reason to believe Benetton was not using illegal tc still. You bring up 2002 and that was the most disgusting display, being Austria when RB let MS go for the ‘win’ with metres to go in the race…the fans left the stands in disgust…so I’m not alone…
Let’s leave it at that because I could just go on and on, as could you, and you aren’t going to convince me and I am not going to convince you of my opinion.
Your ability to come up with excuses for MS is as great as my ability to come up with reasons to not respect the man or the MS era.
And I bottom line it with MS’s return…no most established team…no top 3 car…no non-competing teammate…and the result? He is being bested by his teammate. And his bullying behaviour has not gone away. Last year moving RB toward the wall at top speed being one of the glaring examples. This year frequently overdriving and hitting other cars and needing to come in for a new wing.
When MS was at his prime everyone including probably you said he could take a dog of a car and win with it…well they have been proven wrong…what else are they wrong about?
Robbie
18th August 2011, 16:12
Btw…you defenders of MS love to make the romantic case that MS went to Ferrari for the challenge…he actually had one more year on his contract with Benetton but Max and Bernie and Weber wanted MS moved from those controversial days with that team, and Senna had died so F1 felt it needed a new icon…MS did not initially want to go to ‘those red cars I keep passing in my Benetton’ and Weber was also looking at a deal with Williams, but it came down to better money through commercial merchandising at Ferrari, not to mention the mega money, the opportunity of moving of staff from Benetton to accompany MS at Ferrari, hence my suspicion that Ferrari started right off the bat with illegal tc for MS, and then there’s the contracted subservients for teammates…EI admitted there was a contract, and the team’s actions proved it…RB also admitted a contract…unprecedented before and since in F1. Not an apples to apples comparison…many drivers in MS’s shoes with all the advantages handed to him and the FIA’s desire to create a new chapter post-Senna would have achieved the same numbers, only they wouldn’t have felt the need to be brutish bullys on the track too.
Mgn
18th August 2011, 17:14
I didn’t say to clear that out just stated most of F1 drivers make mistake as well they just human even great Senna but many around the world still praised Senna as the greatest simply, besides some of his controversial behavior there were so many stunning performances and charisma which makes many fan respected him high.
yeah some fans disgust about that and keep talking and talking but i think just because it’s Michael and Ferrari where Mika(he is great driver and respect him) and Couldhard trading place at the end of the race, the hype was not that big. Overall it didn’t breach the rule like i said before so it’s just some personal thing with some fans.
Geeezzz I never said i wanted to convince you to like or whatever with Michael just want to state some of your nonsense Comments(said couple times already.) Not realy bested by his teammate(Britney) last year he just returned from his absence since 3 years and i think he or at least havn’t drive like in his prime and he is in his 40s but afterall he able to outraced his younger teammate in couple of races. overdriving for you, i call it racing with such a passion to outdrive the car to the limit, even Hamilton rammed a lot of cars this year but still he is one of the most fun to watch in F1.
Like i said before Michael is not in his prime at Merc.
It’s not just because of you so call romantic way it’s just fact rather than your nonsense dream, wow before that FIA treated Michael now Bernie Max, you really living in your hate dream against Schu aren’t you, i wonder next would be Lamborghini want to move Michael to GT.
Ferrari wanted Michael because he is just that great and he proved it by helping them turned into most successful years in their history if they sign Yamamoto and paid tons of money than you got to make the speculation, He just that great that he deserved that amount of money same with other top F1 drivers or other sports the like of Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Ronaldo you named it.
EI sometimes talk sourgrape once time he said he surprised with Michael driving style how Schu can drive a stunning lap which he couldn’t the next he talk bad about Schumacher, same with with all the respect RB without realizing Michael just better and more complete than him.
FIA create new chapter???? wow you really watch to much romance drama :D.
Robbie
18th August 2011, 17:44
Lol…let’s just agree to disagree.
In general I believe that any driver who is as great as you seem to think MS is shouldn’t need to have contracts in place that their teammate is not to compete against him, in the pinnacle of racing, nor if he is that great should he time and time again commit unethical acts on the track…both things rob we the fans of true racing. At Ferrari it was preordained that MS would win, in the boardroom. It wasn’t a matter of EI or RB having a fair shot at the WDC against MS. A contract ensured that MS uniquely did not have a teammate to worry about. I contrast that with Senna/Prost in which not only did then have an equal chance on the track, they also had a viscious mental rivalry on and off the track that played a mental game on their minds 24/7. MS was always sheltered from that which is just one of the huge advantages he had. And I don’t believe that belongs in the pinnacle of racing.
So disagree with me as you do, but understand I take my position from the standpoint of wanting to not see the MS/Ferrari era repeated. I stand for more transparent and true racing than that. I stand for an F1 that gives the fans what they paid for, not manipulation by contract.
Mgn
18th August 2011, 18:43
Most of my comments were agree-disagree it’s just some of your nonsense comments that’s triggered it out.
Michael really already put a great show in pinnacle of racing, stunning racing against Mika, Alonso etc even with his Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari teammmates, you just too noticed the 2002 or whatever assuming he never raced his teammate. Rubens in one of his interview stated that no contract tell him to be no.2 driver. According to Prost in his last year with Mclaren said that Mclaren was more prioritizing Senna thus made him to live Mclaren. Every drivers in F1 and any other motorsport have their own ego that is just their nature, what Michael and Senna able to show is true racng with many exceptional drives that’s what make them great in F1 history.
Lol stating all Michael race manipulation by contract just making your comment less credible.
Robbie
19th August 2011, 18:16
Please refer to RB’s comments to the world after Austria 02 and tell me that doesn’t confirm what I am talking about…RB: “I thought I should obey my contract” or words to that effect…I’m sure you could find it on You Tube or something…I hardly lose credibility when I am just referring to facts.
Mgn
21st August 2011, 10:13
pls.. read it again, I’m referring to your comment about Schumacher never competed with his teammate.
But in his recent interview he stated that there was no contract telling him to be No.2 driver so hard to take RB comment especially he has been much sourgrape with Michael
Stating only based on some of your fiction/hate against Schu.. FIA create new chapter, how they just helping Michael etc without seeing his other own brilliant side, yeah it makes some of your comments loosing the credibility.
Robbie
21st August 2011, 12:24
So you refer to an interview, I refer to something he said to the world in the post-race interview Austria 02…what are we to believe? You said yourself, sour grapes…why the sour grapes if it wasn’t because he had to give it up for MS? If my reaction is so wrong, why did the fans leave the stands in disgust?
The only thing MS proved, that you think is so brilliant, is what an F1 driver can do when given more advantages than any other driver in the history of F1 over both his teammates, for a decade, from race one of each season, no chance for them to compete, while in a designer car, while being a bully on the track.
Not my cup of tea. He compiled numbers, just not honourable. Don’t look to me to honour his ‘brilliance.’ It was tainted and can’t be trusted. Ferrari got an extra 100 mill just because they were Ferrari. In MS’s hayday they had 3 votes on the board to other team’s one vote. It goes on and on. And the numbers reflect that. And now that that is all gone for him, so are the numbers.
Mgn
22nd August 2011, 9:41
I said it before team order wasn’t illegal that time, other teams used it too before 2002, and the controversy wasn’t as high as Ferrari, more or less i think it’s just some fans personal thing.
And where is the proved he always given advantages over his teammates in his entire career??(ths one of that make some of your comments less credible), his past teammates as i know also praised Schumacher not only talk sourgrape(not all) even Brundle and Irvine their self(check out F1 racing tribute to Schumacher) and one of his closest competitor Damon Hill as well.
Ferrari got priviledge they never used it. One of the reason of Ferrari domination era was because Schumacher( Jackie Stewart agreed with that) Michael dedication, hardwork,passion, dream tea etc that make it happen, he just more complete as a driver than his teammates. He contributed lots to the sport wheter you like it or not that make him gain more fans that can see his brilliant side rather than ust his mistakes which other drivers have it as well.
It’s your cup of tea or not i couldn’t care less, like i said again and again just want to point out some of your bias against Schumacher.
pitt layne
15th August 2011, 4:21
“Conquering myself until, I see another hurdle approaching.” Make it stop. The Schu is worn. No more talk about the second coming. It isn’t happening. He can’t even stay out of trouble on the track. Not a hater, just a realist. “Couldn’t cut the, m-m-mustard!”
BasCB (@bascb)
15th August 2011, 6:49
Here you can here the complete interview from the man himself (video) http://www.formula1blog.com/2011/08/15/video-michael-schumacher-qa/
You will have to endure him at least another 18 months.
F1Yankee
15th August 2011, 4:49
i would really like to see schumacher score a win before he re-retires.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
15th August 2011, 8:22
I bet 99% of people would agree with you. It would be terrific for the sport.
TED BELL
15th August 2011, 16:41
You are absoluetly correct. Good for Formula One, good for the fans and most important good for the man who has done so much for our sport. Maybe in 2012…
Q85
15th August 2011, 17:15
a wet korea would be a good bet
joey-poey
15th August 2011, 17:25
Done so much for it? I thought the viewing numbers went down during his dominant years…
Macca77
15th August 2011, 19:07
He got back the Ferrari name to the top spot, that helped F1 a lot, in addition most of the “new” rules we have today were implemented to stop Schumacher dominance (some ppl would say a lot of them have not improved the sport, and I’d have to agree with them, but the fact this actual F1 was influenced by Schumi is undeniable) and his comeback has made the viewing numbers grow again, I’m one of the returning viewers. Without MS I wouldn’t wake up early in the morning to watch the races (I live in America).
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
15th August 2011, 23:50
Yea Macca77 makes a good point. For right or for wrong Schumacher has done a lot for the sport. Honestly, I used to find it boring when he dominated, but it’s the sort of domination you can respect and look at through rose tinted glasses.
Mgn
16th August 2011, 8:11
Agree with @Macca77
@Joey-poey not boasting but till now naming Formula 1 around the world even to person that not really following F1, Schumacher name still on top list like Rossi in Motobike. And the most F1 diecats model one is Schumacher one and even till today the price still high: http://www.gpworld.nl/news/archief/118_schumacher_hotwheels/118_schumacher.htm (not to mention other brands). And his comeback last year really made headline in many countries and the hype in F1 community still running high
BasCB (@bascb)
15th August 2011, 7:21
That backgroung story on the Indian track, and what the money being injected like that into local communities did to them is very interesting.
A real shame the developper did not put more effort into buiding a bit of surrounding infrastructure to actually build up these people to secure a high quality staff for their own future. That is a big opportunity missed.
Todfod (@todfod)
15th August 2011, 8:26
Well the inhabitants of that village were primarily farmers, and its questionable they would have the skill set for being employed in a sports facility. I do hope they find some sort of employment soon though.
BasCB (@bascb)
15th August 2011, 10:11
but their kids now seem to be spoilt with money and sort of cut off from school so even they won’t be likely to improve their lives.
forcef1 (@forcef1)
15th August 2011, 17:45
the developer will do very little for the villagers..and the money they receive for their land is too less to get spoilt..not enough to even buy a house after becoming landless..
BasCB (@bascb)
16th August 2011, 21:42
From what is written in that article Keith linked to, it seems they had enough money to buy houses and cars.
And not knowing anything else then farming without the land to do so, but having enough money to last their lives, its pretty easy to just leave it at that and not work at all.
Dave Blanc
15th August 2011, 8:15
Amazing story about the bionic hand. Well done Mercedes and Ross Brawn.
US_Peter (@us_peter)
15th August 2011, 8:24
Yeah, I was really happy to see that the kid got his hand. I remember reading about that after Ross Brawn had agreed to help him earlier in the year. Very cool to see that it worked out.
BasCB (@bascb)
15th August 2011, 10:11
I remember that as well, great it worked out.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
15th August 2011, 8:16
I’m with Tom on his COTD.I see no benefit with having qualifying tyres, at all.
Remco H.
15th August 2011, 8:16
How awesome was Jos The Boss’ demorun in the Tyrell 026…..the good old days!
http://www.verstappen.nl/nieuws/7818.html (dutch)
Todfod (@todfod)
15th August 2011, 8:17
With Schumacher staying on for another year, I’m wondering how many rookies will enter the sport next season. I think there is a high chance of D’Ambrosio and Trulli being replaced, and Heidfeld is on his way out as well. But with Hulkenberg, Kubica and Chandhok on the sidelines, we might have a season with no rookies next season.
wasiF1
15th August 2011, 13:59
I doubt that anyone will want Chandhok unless he bring money in the team.
Icemangrins
16th August 2011, 1:55
get over it
Icthyes (@icthyes)
15th August 2011, 9:04
There’s no reason for us to have motor racing at all, but it’s fun. There’s no reason to have 700+ hp and it’s not very cost-saving to pour millions into inapplicable aerodynamics, but we do it so the cars can go faster than others.
Tyre changes also eat into the tyre supplier’s budget, but then we’d have nothing to spice up boring races and it forces tough choices in the exciting ones.
I didn’t have to write this or any comment, but I still did ;)
But if you were to say to me that we were to have this special format of a time-trial competition in which the cars had the least fuel possible, run on the highest engine mode, it would seem to me antithetical to then ask them to go out on tyres designed for a different mode of competition and what’s more, one that encourages them to not go for it in this one so they can have an advantage for the other.
Mike
15th August 2011, 9:33
… So hypothetically, we scrap the top ten tyre rule. Done, gone….
Now why should we have qually tyres? I don’t see a reason, other than the cars go massively faster… And if that’s the goal there are a lot cheaper to remove restrictions you could scrap instead.
I doubt the FIA wants them going too fast in qually anyway.
Icthyes (@icthyes)
15th August 2011, 9:45
Even if we got rid of the top ten rule, there’d still be an incentive to save a set of tyres.
The point of them is to make qualifying about qualifying, not to make them go faster.
BasCB (@bascb)
15th August 2011, 10:15
Took me a while to get that last paragraph, but I Agree.
I like seeing the drivers really find the edge of the possible in qualifying, so yes give them special tyres do do so.
BasCB (@bascb)
15th August 2011, 10:08
That article about Matthew James getting Mercedes GP to help him get a super hand is very nice. Great job by them and the Touch Bionics company for doing this.
And a shout out to this determined F1 fan James to make it work.
Although the final sentence from Ross is a bit, hm …
Cyclops_PL (@cyclops_pl)
15th August 2011, 10:28
So Tony’s buying into QPR. Wonder how Hammers’ fans feel about Tony “loyal West Ham fan” Fernandes now ;)
Beware Team Lotus fans, you might be next on the list of naive Britons to get screwed over.
Alfie (@alfie)
15th August 2011, 12:42
Didn’t Bernie have/still has ownership of QPR? Buying his way into the good books Tony is..
Unless Bernie didn’t. Then ignore me :D
Pionir
18th August 2011, 19:17
Team Loftus?
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
15th August 2011, 10:54
I know I complain about the quality of commentary a lot, but I’d just like to show you something.
This is the BBC commentary team:
http://i.thisislondon.co.uk/i/pix/2011/01/Coulthard_Brundle_415.jpg
And this is the Ten/OneHD commentary team:
http://www.rightpulse.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Untitled.jpg
Now you all know why I can’t stand it.
HounslowBusGarage (@hounslowbusgarage)
15th August 2011, 15:21
Not sure if I’m following you or not, PM.
I have no idea who any of the Ten/One HD blokes are, but they do look a bit daft in their matching shirts and logo’d mugs pointing exactly towards the camera. Who are they?
Mind you, I’m not raving happy with the colour of Brundle’s shirt . . .
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
16th August 2011, 1:24
From left to right, they’re Craig Baird (sports car driver), Darryl Beattie (former Superbike rider) and Greg Rust (talking head). But who they are is not the issue here – the point is that the picture shows them to be particularly unprofessional-looking. Which they are.
BasCB (@bascb)
15th August 2011, 13:07
Here is a great opportunity (via @ScarbsF1) to get involved in the Automotive industry including 57 thousend GBP prize money and a 5 months automotive work experience at McLaren Automotive http://www.newspress.co.uk/public/ViewPressRelease.aspx?pr=30775&pr_ref=5857
daykind (@)
15th August 2011, 19:51
Schumi will be good next season, I’m sure. But I really wish I hadn’t tipped him for this years title…
BBT (@bbt)
15th August 2011, 20:49
Michael Schumacher says he will be driving for Mercedes next year, saying “I’ll certainly be making up the numbers again racing next year, that is definite”.
Fixed.
kowalsky
15th August 2011, 23:58
what a track zelveg was before some brain in the name of safety destroyed it.
Those days f1 was dangerous, maybe too much, but that stoped people like barichello and yes schumacher keep driving when the were well past their prime.
I rather have the past f1, but i am sure if you ask those drivers, they have a different opinion. But what is f1 for? the fans or the drivers?
DVC
17th August 2011, 5:06
Your complaining about a lack of driver deaths.
pause
Just thought you might need that spelled out for you.
Pionir
17th August 2011, 12:35
Fernandes buying QPR? Will that make them Team Loftus Road?