Ralf crashed a brand new BMW series 7

[facco]

Then again, he showed his "rainy-day" skills.
Maybe he listened that Montoya was enjoying in Miami driving a Ferrari, and getting billed for high speed at the I-95

[senna12]

But Ralf was not travelling at high speed, as he was saving his engine.

[Nicholas]

Jenson has friends to do that for him

I assume he escaped unscathed...? Probably. Otherwise there would be a big fuss wouldn't there.

[jiggly_puff]

Originally posted by nicholaswhite
Jenson has friends to do that for him

To be fair - there was a mechanical fault with the car his friend crased! whilst on his way to get it sorted at a garage!

[ljakse]

From F1.com:

The young German was on his to way to visit his father, Rolf, in a BMW Series 7 car provided by the motor show organiser. The car had come complete with a driver, but Ralf decided to get behind the wheel himself.

However, the wet and rainy conditions appear to have got the better of him and his fellow drivers, as he was reported to have been involved in a three car pile-up. It is thought the German hit the rear of the car in front of him, which was stationary in a traffic jam. This car then rammed the vehicle in front.

A friend of mine did the same thing couple of days ago. He was drunk.
What's Rlaf's 'excuse'?

[Glen]

What about the glasses business? It seems that Ralf has recently given-in to the need to wear spectacles, but wasn't wearing them on this occassion. As someone who wears specs I can relate to this scenario - it's a long time before you concede and realise that glasses are essential, and in the meantime you can't see nearly as well as you ought.

Does anyone know if he uses glasses or lenses when he's racing? Might explain some of those dubious events at Suzuka!

[ljakse]

Now that you've mentioned it, that friend of mine who crshed his car is also suppose to wear glsses, which he didn't.

[facco]

Originally posted by ljakse
A friend of mine did the same thing couple of days ago. He was drunk.
What's Ralf's 'excuse'?

Saving the engine can be used on this one?

[Number Juan]

he damaged it and drove off, but he got it into a garage but it was $15,000 worth of damage to the car!!! thats like more than our family car costs!!!!!!! disgraceful!

[TimD]

He's rid the world of another 7-series?

Ralf's just gone up in my estimation. Give the man a medal. Now, if someone could just let him loose on a compound full of Fiat Multiplas and Ford KAs....

[BBKing]

Originally posted by facco
Then again, he showed his "rainy-day" skills.

Somehow Ralf's Girl will say that this incident has also something to do with Barrichello crashing into little bro in Brazil....LOL

[Powered by JPM]

Originally posted by senna12
But Ralf was not travelling at high speed, as he was saving his engine.

hahaa beat me to it

"Schumacher had come from the German show after defending himself against comments made by his boss, Sir Frank Williams’ suggesting that over the past two seasons (with Jenson Button and Juan Pablo Montoya as co-pilots) he had been unable to up his game in the latter halves of the championships
Damage to the sponsor’s vehicle was roughly estimated at $15,000.


I cant wait to read about how he "defended" himself.
Will he once again stick his foot in his mouth?:confused:

[Dr. Austin]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Glen

" As someone who wears specs I can relate to this scenario - it's a long time before you concede and realise that glasses are essential, and in the meantime you can't see nearly as well as you ought."

Three Grands prix is a pretty good tally for a blind guy! Really, Ralf deserves a break here. Which one of us hasn't pranged a road car? I have tore up my share, for sure.

Sometime i can tell you guys about the racing school station wagon and the Rosemond police chase game. That was painful AND expensive. And the jail there was really cold. It was a big misunderstanding and the damage really wasn't my fault. Ok, but not ALL the damage was my fault.

If he is having vision problems and STILL winning, God help the rest of the grid if he gets lasix surgery. Or contact lenses. If the kid could actually SEE, then he might just go a little faster.

My lord. I'm defending a Schumacher! Take my temperature! Call the paramedics! Next thing you know, I'll be cheering Michael. Call Dr. Kavorkian!

[Glen]

My point was not that he couldn't see, but that he may not be able to see quite as perfectly as he once did. The decline to shortsightedness can be very very gradual.

[Bononi]

Ralf has vision problems ?

If I'm right, JV has too.

Cora and the baby were there too ?

[Wiki]

It gets worse .... although this is from ITV-F1 and they have a habit of not being a bit loose with the facts

"A BMW spokesman tried to play down the incident earlier this week, but Schumacher has now been charged with careless driving, speeding and causing injury.

The 26-year-old may lose his license for several months if he is convicted.

on top of his earlier speeding ticket this does look like grounds for disqualification ....

Er - this won't affect his Superlicence will it? I seem to vaguely remember Berger or Lauda (k so it was someone Austrian --- or maybe Australian (alan jones?) hehe) being allowed to race but banned from road cars

[facco]

Well, Ralf was banned last year for 6 months... (AFAIK)

[Stephen Green]

I think it was Sir Sterling Moss who lost his license and had to get to circuits on a bicycle?

The driver/passenger of the car Ralph hit, a lady, suffered whiplash in the accident. Ralph could lose his license and receive a heavy fine.

[Wiki]

Originally posted by Bononi
Ralf has vision problems ?

If I'm right, JV has too.

And Rubens ... Ruby and Jax have to wear contact lens when racing - not sure if that's true for ralf too

[facco]

from sports.com

Ralf Schumacher faces the prospect of a driving ban after he was charged with causing a motorway pile-up.

The German is alleged to have smashed his car into a line of traffic that was standing in Cologne.

The incident is bound to have created concern in Schumacher's Williams camp, although BMW have been playing down the event.

At the time Schumacher was driving a BMW lent to him by organisers of a motor show, and crashed into the back of an Audi.

Schumacher has now been charged with careless driving, speeding and causing injury.

If convicted the 26 year old may lose his license for several months, the incident following on from his speeding offence earlier this year.


Schumacher had his good moments in the 2001 season, eventually finishing fourth in the drivers table with 49 points. He won three races, in San Marino, Canada, and his home Grand Prix in Germany.

This one from galeforce

Even though Ralf did not sustain injuries himself, there could be some charges against him by the District Attorney who is investigating this case.

Apparently with the intervention of the States Attorney`s office now in progress and if convicted, he would probably get a huge fine as the punishment.

(According to the report, he was wearing new glasses!)

Will be seeing the first F1 driver in the cockpit using glasses next season?

[Nicholas]

Is it possible to wear glasses whilst racing F1? Doesn't an F3/F3000 driver wear glasses whilst racing?

[Wiki]

Wearing glasses in the cockpit would be ridiculously dangerous -- the g-forces would dig the little nose-rest things into his eyes! ouch. I'm guessing he'd go for contacts like Jacques and Rubens

[Craig]

And another report which appeared in my email box...

Cologne, Germany, Dec. 5 — Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher has worked his way out of some tight situations behind the wheel of his WilliamsBMW F1 car, but could not avoid a collision in a road BMW over the weekend.

The younger brother of World Driving Champion Michael Schumacher, Ralf was driving a BMW Series 7 that he had gotten on loan from the Essen Motor Show, and was reportedly headed to visit his father when he hit a car that had gotten caught in a traffic jam.

Schumacher hit the stopped car in the rear and drove it into another stationary car, but emerged uninjured. The female that was driving the Audi that Schumacher hit was treated for whiplash, but was reportedly not seriously injured. The accident, which came on wet roads, has now resulted in Schumacher being charged with speeding, careless driving and causing injury according to European reports.

Damage to the cars was estimated at around $15,000 according to a German police report. Schumacher, who has taken to wearing eyeglasses recently, was not wearing them when he got out of the car at the accident site.

Ralf was thankfully unhurt, but a female driver was said to have been slightly injured. A BMW spokesperson confirmed that he had been involved in an accident, and stated that the damage to the car was only minor.

Schumacher’s spokesperson downplayed the role that the glasses played in the accident, saying: "The glasses are very weak. Ralf can still see very well. Only in certain situation you actually realize (you might need glasses)." — Eric Mauk, News Bureau Editor, RACER

Silly boy!

[Raven]

Originally posted by nicholaswhite
Is it possible to wear glasses whilst racing F1? Doesn't an F3/F3000 driver wear glasses whilst racing?

Sebastian Bourdias(sp) wears glasses while driving in f3000.

[Dr. Austin]

Masten Gregory............!

Tom Sneva

Jimmy Vasser

Bobby Rahal and Bryan Herta (before Lasix)