Schumi Lite's future.

[JohnSSC]

An interesting comment was made by David Hobbes during the Speed Channel coverage of Malaysia here in the States. He noted that Williams have given Schumi Lite (Ralf) until Bahrain to let them know if he is staying or leaving at the end of the season.

What do you all think? It is not like Williams to be this agressive in negotiations during the season. Now is as good a time as any to start the silly season!

[jj2728]

if i were frank williams and patrick head, i'd show him the door now and don't let it hit you on the a$$ on the way out....none of this bodes well for the morale within the williams team...."schumi lite"...i like that....

[JohnSSC]

jj2728, I tend to agree with you - Schumi Lite has basically busied himself with slagging off JPM. JPM has not risen to the bait - you would think JPM is the one who is staying and S. Lite leaving as Ralf is happily burning the bridge while he is still on it while JPM pays him little mind. Of course why should he have in Malaysia as Schumi Lite was some distance back...

[dangeradam]

Schumi lite, its pure gold. Looks a bit like the real thing, thinks its the real thing but is far from it. He talks the talk or his manager does and at the same time he keeps turning in ordinary performances and throwing poo at anyone he thinks it'll stick to, it only seems to be sticking to him. I think any team that pays what ralf is asking needs serious help.

[Speed]

Where´s "Ralf´s Fan" these days ?

[Mr V]

I'm surprised that they've even given him the option as opposed to telling him that he is no longer wanted.

[Led ZeppF1]

Originally posted by Speed
Where´s "Ralf´s Fan" these days ?

You think Ralf just has one fan?

[JohnSSC]

But why Bahrain as a deadline?

Is a mid-season or earlier switch in the offing? Everyone else is under contract so for Frank to talk to another driver now could be considered poaching.

Methinks Sir Frank has something cooking!

[BSchneiderFan]

Perhaps Sir Frank intends to show Schuey Minor the door and bring in Gene or Pizzonia before the end of the season? I'd be surprised, as Williams tend not to make mid-season switches, but Bahrain is a very early end-date for negotiations.

[dcp2685]

Originally posted by BSchneiderFan
Perhaps Sir Frank intends to show Schuey Minor the door and bring in Gene or Pizzonia before the end of the season? I'd be surprised, as Williams tend not to make mid-season switches, but Bahrain is a very early end-date for negotiations.

Interesting. There are still 16 races left....that's a lot of time. It is still williams though, and as mentioned before it would be very unlike them to do that. Personally i think either Pizzonia or Gene would perform just as well w/out the baggage that Ralf is brining. I also think both of them would be better team players considering they're likely not going anywhere. If it does happen and one of them drives in Ralf's place, that person would likely be fighting for a seat next year. I think Pizzonia would fit the bill. Act as a support role to help JPM. Could we have another Webber/Pizzonia duel next year?

[ASCII Man]

I'm sure that Sir Frank just wants to get this over with as quickly as possible to ensure stability and restore some order in the team for the rest of the season.

If Schumi Lite doesn't want to stay, then i hope Sir Frank kicks him out before mid-season.

[Knowlesy]

I wonder whether Ralf wants to be in Formula 1 at all, the way he acts. Childish moron.

Sadly, Toyota will give him a seat for next year and prolong the agony.

[dcp2685]

Originally posted by knowlesy
I wonder whether Ralf wants to be in Formula 1 at all, the way he acts. Childish moron.

Sadly, Toyota will give him a seat for next year and prolong the agony.

If that does happen. I'll enjoy watching him get wasted by CDM. If he can't drive a very good but baddly setup williams car, how does he expect to perform w/ a badly designed Toyota that's setup very badly?

[Knowlesy]

To be fair though, the Toyota should be good next year with Gascoyne behind it.

And Ralf wasting its potential.

[dcp2685]

Originally posted by knowlesy
To be fair though, the Toyota should be good next year with Gascoyne behind it.

And Ralf wasting its potential.

[Spudgun]

Originally posted by dcp2685
If that does happen. I'll enjoy watching him get wasted by CDM. If he can't drive a very good but baddly setup williams car, how does he expect to perform w/ a badly designed Toyota that's setup very badly?

That is spot on IMO. He's either on it or nowhere at all.

If Toyota want him, I implore Frank to just let him go. Get someone who actually wants to drive rather than hold out on salary demands. There wouldn't be a lot of difference. Instead of having a mediocre race in the top 10, he'll be having a mediocre race outside the top 10.

At the moment, he is wasting the potential of what is quite a good car. As a fan of the Williams team for 19 years, it pains me to see one side of the team throwing the WCC away. One example off the top of my head is Monaco 2003. JPM won, but where was Ralf? The two cars need to up there if they have any chance of nicking the WCC off Ferrari.

Since his whinging began in Australia I've had enough of it. I've snapped. I just hope and pray he's not in the car in 2005.

[Knowlesy]

Where was Ralf after Magny Cours last year?

Williams should have run away with the WCC last year, and it was Ralfs poor 2nd half form that dragged them down.

[006_007]

Originally posted by JohnSSC
But why Bahrain as a deadline?

Is a mid-season or earlier switch in the offing? Everyone else is under contract so for Frank to talk to another driver now could be considered poaching.

Methinks Sir Frank has something cooking!

OK, pure speculation here on my part, but perhaps Frank is looking to dump Ralf after the 3rd race of the season, but the only way to do that without having to deal with his existing contract would be to get him into another ride.

Enter Toyota, I can not imagine they are overly pleased with Mr. Panis after his gestures to the team......

[OVERSTEER]

I reckon Williams should show him the door now, then he'll have a reason to b!tch!

[Spudgun]

Ralf won't get dumped early, but I think Frank is definately on the lookout for someone else (I hope). He tends to plan quite a way ahead.

From what I can tell he knows maybe up to a year before-hand if another driver is going to drive for him in the future. I'm very interested to see what comes out of this.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by BSchneiderFan
Perhaps Sir Frank intends to show Schuey Minor the door and bring in Gene or Pizzonia before the end of the season?

To be perfectly honest, i don't think either Gene or Pizzonia is likely to do any better 'a' job than Rafe, although that might play the #2 to JPM role better [/joke]

The other thing is, i can't see Sir Frank wanting to pay Rafe $12 mill to sit on the sidelines.

[EERO]

And note that Today Weber is saying Ralf will sign for less money and performance related rewards. It seems as though ralfie and his manager went too far and are backpedaling desperately.

I admit to having been a Ralf fan once, but really, Ralf, "You hef grown tiresome. Auf Weidersein."



I think that there is real logic in getting Gene in the race seat before the season is out, but it is unlikely as Ralfie has a contract, and has been pointed out to me before, that Sir Frank would pay a driver no to drive.

Still, I'd love to see them fire the guy and put a driver with guts in the seat, ie. Heidfeld.

[Dan Fielden]

I don't think Schumi lite deserves what williams gives him. I think what defined that was at the beggining of the year where montoya said.
" If the car is good enough to come fifth i'll try and come fifth and if the car can get third i'll go out for third, youv'e just gotta do the best you can with the package you've got, and get on with the job and thats what ralf needs to remember, but if he finishes behind me in a practice session he rants and raves at his mechanics... its just sad realy"

That can't be good for the morale of the team can it.

[Bononi]

Originally posted by EERO
I admit to having been a Ralf fan once, but really, Ralf, "You hef grown tiresome. Auf Weidersein."

Uhn... Just because Ralf's girl isn't still around...

[Dan Fielden]

Wher has Cora gone did she get bored of his moaning aswell