hmmm...Schumacher...
(6 posts) (5 voices)-
So we all freaked out about Schumachers return. And of course the haters are screaming like chimpanzees throwing feces about how he not only didn't podium but Nico finished ahead of him.
Don't count him out yet. Don't get me wrong I am a Schumacher hater too. But he IS the best of all time in that he has done more than any driver dead or alive. YES Senna was great but he didn't live long enough to wrack up the dominance that Schumacher had.
However I digress...
I still believe that Schumi has the natural talent. He just needs about half a season to get his planets realigned. I don't see him as dominant as he was in his Ferrari days as that fire burned very hard and then burned out from being overworked.
I just don't see him ever wanting to work that hard again. But his passion will drive him to more than one podium this season. That might only be two but I think he will manage at least one if not more but won't be in the championship hunt this season. If he makes a run for WDC it will be next year and not because he has the physical ability to do it but just because he has decided to do it.
What do you think...?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Agree, I'm just not sure how much he really wants it now. He obviously still has the passion and desire to win races but does he really want to work that hard again given he's done it all before?
He's hardly my favourite driver but has to be fully respected for what he has done in the sport and if he could force his way into another championship battle then it would be quite a spectacle!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Patrick
MemberI would agree with you both.
After having three years out of the sport he is obviously out of sync and the sport has moved on.
He has never had seven title rivals who are - dare I say it - better than him now.
However, I believe next year could be his year because a born winner doesn't lose his passion to win over night. It will just take a while to regain it.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Bev Rimmer
MemberHe's just the next overrated 'sensation' if you ask me. He's had his heyday - SEVEN TITLES for goodness' sake! Chasing any more than that is just plain greedy. Personally I think he should donate some of his millions to the poor, struggling teams at the back of the field, or pay for his brother Ralf to have some proper driving lessons!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Craig
MemberHe WAS great, in a team not only extremely well funded, but geared towards him as a driver and no-one else.
Ferrari then had Todt, Brawn, Byrne, plus a unique relationship with Bridgestone that was only matched when Michelin and Renault got in bed together.
Mercedes now has Brawn, is a team that won the championship on a shoestring budget (but with a phenomenal chassis), is undergoing a massive restructure from British to German, and is also facing the limited budget in future seasons.
It's not about Schumacher's ability or fitness, it's solely based on how quickly Mercedes turns from a privateer to a manufacturer team and delivers him a car that matches his driving ability.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Great point Craig. So many people yell and scream about how their favorite driver is the best but it's the whole team. Good old Fred Alonso pushed a recalcitrant Renault to finishes far better than it deserved for the last two years but was never in contention for WDC.
Brawn got lucky on the court decision last year to allow the controversial rear diffuser which was a big part of Jenson's success. That and Honda having spent much of '08 developing their car for '09.
So the question now is will Merc step up to the challenge and put a chassis under Mike that will make him competitive. And Nico for that matter. The first half of last year was great for BGP but after the midpoint the other super powers caught up. BGP couldn't match the development pace of the others. Now everyone is on an even slate.
But I do have to disagree with you on his fitness. F1 is physically and mentally grueling. To train hard and fight for points over a race weekend is one thing. To do it over a season with all the travel and mental exhaustion of such intense focus for 2/3 of the year is another. I don't doubt that he can do it but if he's willing to he may not get it back in one season. All the press appearances, autograph signings, special events, jet lag, oh and racing, take their toll. I can tell you that as an older athlete (Mike is about a year younger than me) it's damn hard to keep up with those twenty something kids. Not impossible, but hard.
Posted 1 year ago #
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