[Driver] Michael Schumacher retires

[wolfhound]

It has been anounced that Michael Schumacher is to retire at the end of the season.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/103042

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns24500.html

This will end all the speculation but I think it is probably the right decision eventhough he did not achive what I suspect he wanted to in his comback.

[steve_r]

Which is the right decision. He could go and do DTM or Le Mans if he wants to continue racing.

It's a shame his comeback was underwhelming when compared with his career 1st time around.

[johntt]

I can't see him doing Le Mans - he's said its 'too dangerous' and all the years he's spent in F1 won't help with dealing with the traffic in sportscars.

DTM - it's a possibility but does he want to risk getting beaten by his brother? Many good drivers have gone to DTM and struggled, its a very unique series.

Personally I think he should focus on his son's career.

[wnut]

Huge pity!

A sad day!

[Marbot]

Still one of the greatest drivers ever. No one could deny that. But he couldn't tame the beast that was Mercedes 2010-2012. Perhaps someone else will do better?

[Knowlesy]

Bye then.

Don't remember him even coming out of retirement.

[Nicholosophy]

People suggested that coming back would tarnish his reputation. I think in the end he showed he was competitive in a car that was underwhelming. Not up to his form of his earlier career of course, but that's not surprising.

[bella]

i don't think it tarnished his reputation, but it didn't exactly enhance it either. it reinforced the historical failures in his driving style and lack of ability to man up and admit an error for example, but it also showed he's still able to get pace out of a car and race competitively.

[Marbot]

A couple of podiums in the remaining races would do his reputation no harm at all.

[VIVA GT]

Well, I must admit that my opinions of the man during his career have ebbed & flowed.
I really liked his attitude during his early (Jordan & initial Benneton) days. He was the only person who looked as if he was enjoying himself, a beaming smile when he was on the podium.
Then, as his apparent arrogance & win at all costs methods (OK, I took it personally when he did what he did to 'Our Damon') started to show, I started to detest him, and was quite happy when he retired (good riddance to bad rubbish was my take on it at the time).
Over the past couple of years however (apart from the odd copy-book blotting situation) I have really warmed to the guy, even to the extent of cheering when he's had a good result as he seemed to be totally enjoying what he was doing again and to have the fire in his belly to do what he's done, at his age I think is impressive.
Personally I think it's a shame he's not taken up Peter Saubers offer and done just one more season before hanging up his helmet for good. Not only would that have rounded things off nicely for him (as he first came to most people's attention driving the Sauber Group C car), but the odd time that the Sauber car works at certain circuits could (just could) have given Michael the opportunity to score just one last Grand Prix win!
(My only hope now is that he doesn't try to come back out of retirement again in a few years time, that would really tarnish his reputation!)

[Marbot]

Greatest driver of the century?

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/103051

[FAS33]

the most successful GP Pilot of all time, my bet he'll go to DTM, GT racing or ALMS (or whatever they end up naming it) next year. but not without a podium finish in his last days in F1.

[F1Pete]

I took it personally when he did what he did to 'Our JV'. I still detest him.

[wnut]

But "our David" trying to kill Schumacher at Spa in 1998 was just fine ...

[F1Pete]

I think you got it backwards. It was Schumacher trying to kill 'Our David' after the incident.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by F1Pete

I think you got it backwards. It was Schumacher trying to kill 'Our David' after the incident.

With very good reason we may add.

[sweetchuk]

I do not believe for one moment that he came out of retirement to rule the racing world again, or that he even believed that would happen again - despite the fact that it would've been nice.

He certainly re-ignited an interest in F1 at that time however, and he did it more to test himself than anyone else.
Michael Jordan did a similar thing when he came back in basketball - he did it for himself ... not to make anyone believe he was as good as he was at his best, but moreso to have fun this time around and to gauge himself against the best of the next generation.

Schuey, despite his detractors, has definitely shown some superb pace at various times in the last 3 years - good enough even to set fastest quali lap at Monaco - a circuit that relies, more than any other, on fast reflexes and talent to extract the best out of man & machine.

I do not believe there's much doubt that if the Merc was more reliable and a genuine front runner since MS came back, that it would've seen Michael not only up on the podium more times, but on the top step.

I am happy he came back, happy to have had the chance to see him again, and happy he seems content with his decision this time around and I wish him all the best in his retirement for his health, happiness for the fact that he got out of the sport uninjured and intact.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by sweetchuk

I do not believe for one moment that he came out of retirement to rule the racing world again, or that he even believed that would happen again - despite the fact that it would've been nice.

He certainly re-ignited an interest in F1 at that time however, and he did it more to test himself than anyone else.
Michael Jordan did a similar thing when he came back in basketball - he did it for himself ... not to make anyone believe he was as good as he was at his best, but moreso to have fun this time around and to gauge himself against the best of the next generation.

Schuey, despite his detractors, has definitely shown some superb pace at various times in the last 3 years - good enough even to set fastest quali lap at Monaco - a circuit that relies, more than any other, on fast reflexes and talent to extract the best out of man & machine.

I do not believe there's much doubt that if the Merc was more reliable and a genuine front runner since MS came back, that it would've seen Michael not only up on the podium more times, but on the top step.

I am happy he came back, happy to have had the chance to see him again, and happy he seems content with his decision this time around and I wish him all the best in his retirement for his health, happiness for the fact that he got out of the sport uninjured and intact.

You've pretty much said it all there.

By any measure, Michael Schumacher is the greatest Formula One driver there's ever been and it will be some time... if happens at all... before anyone gets close to his legacy. I count myself privileged to have been alive and witnessed in the flesh many of his great performances. His retirement, even from his second career, will be a loss to Formula One... as Vettel concurs here.

[BSchneiderFan]

I'm sad to see the old fellow go, as I have always been a huge fan. But, reluctantly, I have to conclude it's the right decision. The comeback hasn't delivered what he wanted or might have hoped for, though he's had flashes of the old speed, and I think a final year plugging around in a Sauber wouldn't been much fun or done much for his reputation. I doubt we'll see him at Le Mans, for reasons which have been explained, much though I'd like it. Maybe GT sprint races? A Mercedes SLS? Who knows?

[davyboy]

He'll be back racing karts again for Tonykart... that's his first love.

[b1ackcr0w]

He's still got two more championships than Fangio, and as long as he doesn't start his own F1 team, more money in the bank than most banks do.

I wouldn't be that surprised if he did a smaller scale Bill Gates philanthropist foundation type thing.

[Bononi]

I think it was the right decision, and it was a good timing for doing that. Maybe he didn't achieve what he wanted but still he's one of the greatest and statistically the greatest of all, so there was no harm in his second venture into F1.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by b1ackcr0w

I wouldn't be that surprised if he did a smaller scale Bill Gates philanthropist foundation type thing.

It's possible... He does donate an eye watering amount of money to charity at the moment but is very secretive about it.

[Aysedasi]

Can't say I was ever a fan. The greatest shame was that we were robbed of Senna v. Schumacher. I respect what he achieved, but IMO he should never have come back. I don't believe he achieved anything at all other than adding a few more Euros to his bank balance.

[chillibowl]

for me he leaves with his reputation intact and perhaps even enhanced a little by a few years of struggling and humbling results. i suppose you can say it makes him seem more relatable which i like even if it comes at the expense of demystifying the legend.

i would like to see him find a smaller team next year maybe even come in as an owner driver but if not it will be fun to watch him close out the season.

now if someone could just make sure kimi knows that there will be a retirement photo coming up!