Under which circumstances is Michael most likely to retire after 2004?

[BootsOntheSide]

Although he's under contract until 2006, Michael is free to walk away whenever he likes. With the imrpovements showed by the other teams in 2003, coupled with some uncharacteristic mistakes, occasional tactical errors, and some tyre issues.

Really I've got two questions here. The first is, how likely is he to retire, and the second is, which of these situations would make him leave? Obviously there's potential fordetailed discussion here - the poll's just an extra.

[sgw2]

If his wife has a medical problem. Otherwise he'll race.

Oh, he might quit for a minor league soccer contract. Sort of the Michael Jordan Baseball thing.

[garcon]

Interesting poll, Boots. Though I'm unsure how to vote. I watched one of the umpteen videos on Hunt recently, in which he said that before the start of each season he'd make a decision on whether it was worth the risk anymore.

I think Michael will come to a similar decision, and I think his foremost thoughts will be for his family. When he decides he wants to spend more time with his family, or that he can no longer take the risk of leaving his children fatherless, then he'll retire.

Of course, right now he's competitive and enjoying it - if/when he becomes less competitive then family concerns may come to the fore. If he or someone else has a big crash, then the risk element may come to the fore.

Short answer: no-one knows when or why he'll retire, at this point probably not even Michael himself.

[ralf fan]

i think he will continue as long as the hunger to win races is still there.
when he starts to moan at the approach of another GP weekend MS will know that it is the time.

As for the crashes option.. you cant predict those things but i seriopusly hope that MS nor any other driver is not forced to retire due to one

[GP Racer]

Right now, by all accounts, he's still enjoying F1.

Alot of people think that he will retire or leave if he doesn't win again, or Ferrari falters, but theres no way that a competitor like Michael would leave while he's down, he would come back harder and more motivated than ever! He would come back to show that driver or team, that they are simply one year wonder's, not a dynasty like Ferrari, and that he and his team are the true masters of this series and he would win it again.

Then he could move on.

[pirenzo]

i think he'll leave if he or someone else has a big crash. He's got a family now and acheived a heck of a lot. If someone or himself get's injured, he'll call it a day.
More likely that he'll go if he has a big crash though, so that's what i voted. He certainly won't go if someone trounces him.

[Knowlesy]

I think he'll go this year. I sense that Ferrari will be utterly trounced by Williams, McLaren, Raikkonen, JPM and he will leave it at that. He's always said he'll leave if he thinks he's slower than a new guy........what chance of him leaving if the team/tyres fall behind significantly?

[dretceterini]

If he wins the championship again in 2004, I think he will retire...

[pirenzo]

Originally posted by knowlesy
I think he'll go this year. I sense that Ferrari will be utterly trounced by Williams, McLaren, Raikkonen, JPM and he will leave it at that. He's always said he'll leave if he thinks he's slower than a new guy........what chance of him leaving if the team/tyres fall behind significantly?

Wait, wait Knowlesy.

He said if he is slower, not the car

[Redblurr]

He will tell us in 2006 - he will never get trounced

[flexible-flyer]

hakkinen never seemed the same after the 2001 australia crash that he had. he had a crash in 95 which could have killed him but he came back better. schumacher came backbetter after the broken leg bu another one and he will have had enough. if ralf has a big accident he may seem uneasy. if someone else is injured in a crash it wont affect him unless, god forbid, it was fatal. in which case he would only go to the last race of the season if at all.

i think if he loses the championship he will stay on. but if he is beaten by more than 3 drivers including even rubens he will call it a day perhaps.

[Mr V]

I for one hope his retirement, whenever it is isn't due to a big crash.

I thought he'd go at the end of 2003, the way the season started. At Maylasia, for the first time ever, he looked uncomfortable in the car (judging from onboard shots), win or lose, i'm certain that 2004 will be his last.

[mansellmania]

id say hel quit when someone else is faster.
the poll only has kimi or monty but i dont think they can beat him mano a mano.

perhaps ralf beating him will leave a smile on his face and he can be happy it stays in the family.

[Mr V]

Just out of interest, if JPM or Kimi can't beat Michael mano a mano how the heck do you expect Rafe too?

[Wrex]

Hmmm, Good point MrV. I also ask, If Monty can only just get up on Ralf, how could he beat Michael mano a mano?

[Mr V]

But he proberbly would have, had it not been for the dreaded reliability

[RWC]

When,at the end of this season, he finally showed some tardiness and nerves i knew he hadn't much longer to go.
I wnated to vote several ways as there are a few things that could now make him stop.
Accidents,overwhelmed by better cars,starts making mistakes,and yes-if someone else has a serious accident.But that wouldn't make hime stop straight away-he'd likely finnish the year

[BARrouette]

Any escuses will be good for him to leave .But for shure he wont saythat he got betten by a better racer than him.

[Redlake27]

It wouldn't surprise me if he went mid season if things weren't going too well......
....Ferrari seem to have all bases covered with Rubens, Badoer, Burti, Massa, Fisichella all with options to step up if needed!

[Hazza]

When he's so slow his team-mate beats him.

But quickly off topic i'm a bit of a schumi hater sometimes, but i'll admit, I hope theres a fire at the bridgestone factory, because people forget Michael is the best, and watching him with win with an uncompetitive ride is something to behold

[mansellmania]

Originally posted by Mr V
Just out of interest, if JPM or Kimi can't beat Michael mano a mano how the heck do you expect Rafe too?

Err well michael always claimed ralf is potentially faster than him, and he did learn ralf all the tricks.
at the karttrack ralf used to have the better of michael.. so they say.

For me as a fan of racing id like to see michael to get beaten at least once.
imo thats a worthy goodbye of a champ.
lose the championship with your head high and leave.
I thought hill was big man going for arrows but he shouldv quit at the end of 97 too imo.

But im sure shumi will stay a little while longer.
He seems very eager to race and showed this year he can beat anybody, including al the new hyped up guys like montoya and raikonen and alonso.

[BootsOntheSide]

I feel that each of the top 4 teams has one driver who, on certain days with certain circumstances, can beat anyone. Williams appear to have 2, although Ralf is very inconsistant. Michael hasn't won a title with a vastly inferior car before, and I don't think he will in future. 2004 could well be his last year if the new car isn't great.

Like so many of us, Schumacher greatly respected Senna, and the story that Ayrton had a premonition of a disaster after Roland's crash may have stuck with him. Unlike Ayrton, he's a married family man, and may regard them as the most important thing if he starts to question the safety.

[mansellmania]

[i] Michael hasn't won a title with a vastly inferior car before, and I don't think he will in future. 2004 could well be his last year if the new car isn't great.

Like so many of us, Schumacher greatly respected Senna, and the story that Ayrton had a premonition of a disaster after Roland's crash may have stuck with him. Unlike Ayrton, he's a married family man, and may regard them as the most important thing if he starts to question the safety. [/B]

wishfull thinking.
When senna was alive he got beaten by shumi and tracks where real.
nowadays its only mickey mouse tracks with ultra safe cars.
I think shumis married status is what keeps him from being overpressurized.
he takes big long vacation and comes back to drive and is not afraid to work a lot, pushing for new developments.
There are even a lot of people who say it was michael who kept the ferrari raceteam focussed and motivated.

[RWC]

Originally posted by mansellmania
Err well michael always claimed ralf is potentially faster than him, and he did learn ralf all the tricks.
at the karttrack ralf used to have the better of michael.. so they say.

No way! Michael is clearly a WAAAAYYY better driver than pathetic ralf.Michael has a history of being nice to ralf-building up his confidence.

Originally posted by mansellmania
For me as a fan of racing id like to see michael to get beaten at least once.
imo thats a worthy goodbye of a champ.

Nice idea.He'd ahve to get beaten a few times though or everyone would think his car was just slow.In fact i don't think we'll ever have a good comparison of a hotshot driver against michael now.When someone beats him it will be too easy to say he's not trying like he used to

[BootsOntheSide]

Schumacher beat Senna in THREE RACES, that's all. Senna got punted off in one of those, and we'll neve rknow why he crashed at Imola. Besides, the 1994 Williams, bereft of all of its ahrdware (unlike certain other teams tehy had the guts to remove them and run the car legally), was a nightmare to drive.

With all things equal, Senna would've easily won in 1994, even without the penalties imposed on Michael.