What if Schumacher had never retired?

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by Bononi

I think he doesn't give a **** !





Oh, that's Kimi saying

That is a good thing, it's about time we had a driver like Kimi or Michael back in action who could care less about what people have to say..

They do not have to prove a thing to anybody...

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Born Racer

I don't know if Luca dropped Michael, but I agree Kimi would not have signed to be a number 2 and Michael also knew this.

Rumour has it that Luca signed Kimi to basiclly reassert balance within the Ferrari camp. He was worried that Todt and Schu had too much power. Signing Kimi was something that Luca knew Michael would never agree to and forced him into a decision about his own future.

Ferrari handing out press releases stating that Michael was retiring, just before he was about to make a statement made sure that the job was done.

[Knowlesy]

I think if TGF had stayed on then there was perhaps a title or two in him for sure, but undeniably his powers were on the wane anyways. Alonso was superior in 2006 after all and a lot of mistakes were creeping into his driving. I think 2006 was the point in his career where he started to need a car advantage, especially with the relentless Alonso to compete with.

So had he been in the 2007 Ferrari he would possibly have got a title and the 2008 car was so superior he could, potentially, have that title. But that is assuming everyone approached the season the same way and got the exact same results. Chances are, things would have played out totally differently in many ways. For example, maybe Kimi would have been in the 2007 McLaren and revelled in it, without the politics that got between Hamilton and Alonso. But then maybe Alonso would have had more focus and completely trounced Kimi taking him to his third crown in a row.

I guess, really, it isn't worth thinking about!

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Mr V

Rumour has it that Luca signed Kimi to basiclly reassert balance within the Ferrari camp. He was worried that Todt and Schu had too much power. Signing Kimi was something that Luca knew Michael would never agree to and forced him into a decision about his own future.

Ferrari handing out press releases stating that Michael was retiring, just before he was about to make a statement made sure that the job was done.

That's the thing about all of this. It's pure conjecture. There's no evidence whatsoever for any of it. It's just as likely, probably more so, that having won everything possible, Michael Schumacher got bored and decided to take a break to do something else... which is actually what he did.

[Bononi]

TGF got bored, but now he says he's just having fun, so what's the problem ? Let him have his fun...

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Bononi

TGF got bored, but now he says he's just having fun, so what's the problem ? Let him have his fun...

Exactly !

[Born Racer]

People say money can't buy you happiness. Another thing is money can't buy your way out of boredom, so it's normal that Schumacher would want to use his talent in F1.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by davyboy

That's the thing about all of this. It's pure conjecture. There's no evidence whatsoever for any of it. It's just as likely, probably more so, that having won everything possible, Michael Schumacher got bored and decided to take a break to do something else... which is actually what he did.

So why did the Ferrari press officer hand out the statement pre-empting Michaels own statement?

Do love a bit of conjecture though, its what keeps this forum going!

[Frans]

Crazy thing is, normally if a driver is so old, mostly people say "give the youngsters a chance" but with Michael it's not the case. People somehow still have hope he will recover or something and get on the podium or so?

But what most forget is that he is not even the fastest German in the sport anymore and it's very hard for him to get there, if it's possible at all. Forced out of the sport by Ferrari or not, in the end it doesn't matter. He is not even the shadow of what he seems to be in the past, he has a teammate what beats him most of the time (Rosberg is younger too) and I think the "forces" what brought him the title's in the past are not having his back anymore. Without this, he'll end like Trulli. Being to long in F1, tarnishing his overall statistics and image. Not that I complain, not at all.

In the end it's only money what drove him to go driving again for Mercedes. And as a matter of fact, at the end of 2012 he will make the balance up. If he ends behind his younger teammate Rosberg again so often, he will finally end it himself and call it a day. I don't think he wants to be remembered as the one "who tried but couldn't make it" after all.

OR Mercedes will have to come up and say "we need a faster driver" in that car, because Michael isn't showing our Mercedes' real speed. Now that would be harsh. But I think they are way making to much money with Michael in they're team for them to say something like that in the open.
Can't wait for the season to start, bring it on!

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Mr V

So why did the Ferrari press officer hand out the statement pre-empting Michaels own statement?

This is Ferrari you're talking about it... Ferrari in Italy by the way (!) Orchestrating something like this was bound to be a cock up... and it was. But excepting some mischief makers in the British press, nobody seemed to care... certainly not Schumacher or Ferrari. This is evidenced by the absence of a series of 'setting the record straight' releases from either side.

There's an infinite number of conspiracy theories and political permutations that could be conjured up to explain Schumacher's retirement, but in the elapsed time since, inert and uninteresting as it may be, there's no evidence to suggest that it's anything other than 'he was tired of it and decided to stop'.

[Born Racer]

Originally Posted by Frans

In the end it's only money what drove him to go driving again for Mercedes.

You make a reference to monetary value for Mercedes later in your post. Is that what you're referring to here? Because surely you can't mean Schumacher just came back to earn money.

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by Frans

In the end it's only money what drove him to go driving again for Mercedes. And as a matter of fact, at the end of 2012 he will make the balance up. If he ends behind his younger teammate Rosberg again so often, he will finally end it himself and call it a day.

If it's only for the money then why quit ?


You must love TGF !

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by Frans

Crazy thing is, normally if a driver is so old, mostly people say "give the youngsters a chance" but with Michael it's not the case. People somehow still have hope he will recover or something and get on the podium or so?

But what most forget is that he is not even the fastest German in the sport anymore and it's very hard for him to get there, if it's possible at all. Forced out of the sport by Ferrari or not, in the end it doesn't matter. He is not even the shadow of what he seems to be in the past, he has a teammate what beats him most of the time (Rosberg is younger too) and I think the "forces" what brought him the title's in the past are not having his back anymore. Without this, he'll end like Trulli. Being to long in F1, tarnishing his overall statistics and image. Not that I complain, not at all.

In the end it's only money what drove him to go driving again for Mercedes. And as a matter of fact, at the end of 2012 he will make the balance up. If he ends behind his younger teammate Rosberg again so often, he will finally end it himself and call it a day. I don't think he wants to be remembered as the one "who tried but couldn't make it" after all.

OR Mercedes will have to come up and say "we need a faster driver" in that car, because Michael isn't showing our Mercedes' real speed. Now that would be harsh. But I think they are way making to much money with Michael in they're team for them to say something like that in the open.
Can't wait for the season to start, bring it on!

What a bunch of cobblers.. Go and stand in the corner..

[Mr V]

There are obviously 2 train of thoughts to this. 1 is Michaels fans view, that he can't possibly have been moved on, the we have the other view, that it was possible.

One thing i would say, which i think even Michaels fans can't (but probably will!) deny is, there is no way that Ferrari would have brought in a team mate of Kimi's calibre in the late '90's to early '00's, Michael wouldn't have allowed it. I'll just carry on believing what i think is true.

[Frans]

Because surely you can't mean Schumacher just came back to earn money.

Yes but that is excacly what I mean. The merchandise he sells (with the help of his new manager) is almost all for him, this is a couple of million per year, much more than he would earn while not being in F1.

He somehow counted on the old-Brawn GP what became the Mercedes GP would be just as strong as when it was Brawn GP. Luckily he was wrong and even with team-orders being legal, he is not getting his way like he would have gotten back at the Ferrari time.

Mercedes GP is a real TEAM, 2 cars and therefor 2 teams within the team. And one of them is working for Rosberg and one for Michael. My guess is that the team what works on Rosbergs car really is doing a great job by ending up kinda higher than Michael both in qualy and races.

Michael does have a new manager since his return. Could it be, this is purely speculation again, but, could it be that this new manager of his does NOT have the political power-reach to give Michael the upper hand on track? I mean, in the past he won a lot, because other driver had to put they're foot on the brake, for some kind of reason.... As a matter of fact, no one in F1 today brakes for Schumacher anymore to let him go past. The past 2 seasons so far, no one had to, no one did and surely this season won't be so much different. Mercedes GP is really a real racing team one could say, with 2 teams within fighting for the best position. I like this very much, and surely these seasons so far have proven that Michael really isn't so much special after all. I mean ... come on, ... beaten by Nico Rosberg so often? The main reason for Michael to still BE in F1, must be money, and nothing else. He still can't say to the fans; "look how great I drove this race" and for a change in his carreer, he now does not have a teammate who is ordered to slow down to let him go past. He had more "power" back at Ferrari with Todt together, where he made this happen all the time.

In 2006 he was already becoming slower and falling back... 2007 would be an eyeopener for the world if he would have stayed at Ferrari. He was smart and called it a day, with the help of Luca of course .

And also one more point, I believe Schumacher in 2007 DID try to sabotage Kimi for not getting the title that season in many way's. Here's an article from that season:

Kimi has a problem with Schu - report

Wednesday, 11 July 2007
Jul.11 (GMM) According to a popular European newspaper, formula one's most frequent winner in 2007, Kimi Raikkonen, "has a problem". Germany's Bild-Zeitung points out that, despite winning three times this year compared with his three title rivals' two triumphs apiece, 27-year-old Raikkonen only ever wins "if Schumi is not there". Kimi's predecessor at Ferrari, seven time world champion Michael Schumacher, retired at the end of 2006 but has attended some grands prix this year as the Maranello team's 'advisor'. Schumacher was, for example, at Magny Cours on the Saturday but had left by the time Raikkonen found full form on Sunday and won for the first time since Melbourne -- when Schumacher was also absent. After Kimi won in Australia, team boss Jean Todt handed him a mobile phone in parc ferme with Schumacher on the other end, but the Finn claimed the line dropped out. Nearly four months later, Schumacher then skipped the British grand prix altogether, preceding another Raikkonen win -- but the 38-year-old German is scheduled to resume his tour at the Nurburgring in two weeks. Bild wonders: "Is Schumi's shadow too large? Does Kimi feel restrained in his presence?"

We know the rest of that season .... Schumacher also didn't wanted for Irvine to become Worldchampion back in 1999, and he took steps in order to prevent that. With succes. But 2007 was lost for him. Kimi still won it.

One should google "Michael Schumacher - The strange story of his retirement" and read that long article to get an little insight on how Schumacher was kinda forced out of Ferrari. Happy reading!

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Mr V

One thing i would say, which i think even Michaels fans can't (but probably will!) deny is, there is no way that Ferrari would have brought in a team mate of Kimi's calibre in the late '90's to early '00's, Michael wouldn't have allowed it. I'll just carry on believing what i think is true.

So the scenario of Schumacher telling Ferrari that he will be leaving at the end of the year and Ferrari hiring a top line replacement isn't possible ? It can only be the other way around ?

... and as for Schumacher returning because he needed the money... that's gotta be the most crazy thing [among many] I've heard about his 'un-retirement'

[beau1]

Originally Posted by Frans

Schumacher also didn't wanted for Irvine to become Worldchampion back in 1999, and he took steps in order to prevent that. With succes.

You mean like breaking his leg and then coming back and helping Irvine lead the championship going into the last race by holding up the McLarens at Malaysia?

Putting together meaningless quotes of Kimi being put off when Schumacher was there in 2007 doesn't mean anything. Schumacher went home on the Sunday for France and Kimi won! Shock horror! Schumacher in mind-control scandal!

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by beau1

You mean like breaking his leg and then coming back and helping Irvine lead the championship going into the last race by holding up the McLarens at Malaysia?

Michael told the team that he wasn't fit enough to drive, when his daughter told Luca that he was putting on his football boots!

Yes, Michael did help Eddie in Malyasia, what else could he do? Other than be seen not to be a team player? But i'm sure he was more than happy when Eddie didn't take the title.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Mr V

Michael told the team that he wasn't fit enough to drive, when his daughter told Luca that he was putting on his football boots!

Yes, Michael did help Eddie in Malyasia, what else could he do? Other than be seen not to be a team player? But i'm sure he was more than happy when Eddie didn't take the title.

[beau1]

Originally Posted by Mr V

Yes, Michael did help Eddie in Malyasia, what else could he do? Other than be seen not to be a team player? But i'm sure he was more than happy when Eddie didn't take the title.

Could say that about any other driver on the grid as they all want to beat their team-mates. . Michael also did enough for Ferrari to secure the WCC that year as DC had been useless at McLaren and only had a couple of more points than Michael despite Michael being out for six races.

The point is more that he didn't try and sabotage or deliberately stop Irvine from having the best chance possible.

[Bononi]

The point is that TGF is not the one everyone think he is...



How hilarious is that !

[Marbot]

He's the most successful driver in F1. No one can take that away from him...at least, not for a little while.

[Bononi]

That little can be longer than one might think...

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by beau1

Could say that about any other driver on the grid as they all want to beat their team-mates. .

Of course, No driver wants their team mate to become WDC.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by davyboy

So someone has a viewpoint that doesn't fit in with your ideals and that's trolling?

I find myself questioning more and more why i actually still bother visiting this forum.