The story behind Michael Schumacher's retirement | Page 2 | FerrariChat

The story behind Michael Schumacher's retirement

Discussion in 'F1' started by Admiral Thrawn, Nov 21, 2006.

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  1. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

    Oct 17, 2004
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    Luis
    Very intersting story, but it's no suprise. Everyone knew that MS would not drive with Kimi as a teammate. What was surprising was Luca pushing him out if he wouldn't. Typical of Ferrari through thier history. One year's rooster is the next year's feather duster.
     
  2. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

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    Actually David Robertson was really quoted in F1 magazine as saying that neither MS or KR had any problem driving on the same team. I would believe him before I believe any of this other crap.

    As TCT said in an earlier post, the only people that really know the truth are those directly involved. For that reason, when I read articles like this without direct quotes, I put then in the trash bin.
     
  3. Wolfgang5150

    Wolfgang5150 F1 Rookie

    Oct 31, 2003
    4,706
    Admiral:
    Does your friend have the november issue? There is a follow up article about Michael's fortune etc.........
     
  4. francisn

    francisn Formula 3

    Apr 18, 2004
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    francis newman
    Oh why oh why do you all fall for this story?

    If you check out the link I posted earlier you will see that Business F1 has a very strong track record of fabricating stories. Don't fall for it.
     
  5. Tifoso1

    Tifoso1 F1 Rookie

    Nov 18, 2003
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    Same thing can be said about Frank William or to some extend, Ron Dennis as well. Being the boss is never easy, regardless which occupation field one is in.
     
  6. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

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    Ron,
    The whole story could be crap but it's not like MS ever showed any desire to drive with Kimi. It also could be said that he didn't really want to retire either. So what's your theory then, the one in the story makes sense to me and a few other people.

    Luis
     
  7. Wolfgang5150

    Wolfgang5150 F1 Rookie

    Oct 31, 2003
    4,706
    It may be crap - I know Rubython's history - but there are some INTERESTING facts, and timelines, that I don't think are fabricated. Starting with how Ferrari sent out the A4 sized press release before Michael made the announcement.
    I was not aware of that.........
     
  8. CarCrazy

    CarCrazy Karting

    Oct 2, 2004
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    Bob
    Nice post ... Thanks for posting entire article. I had been saying this all along to friends etc no one would believe me.
     
  9. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

    Feb 9, 2005
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    Nothing in this story. Luis, the only one that makes sense is the one that has real quotes, not some National Enquirer style writing with no direct quotes like this article. When you start seeing wording like "sources close to the situation", it is time to move on. How can you put any reliability on one persons supposition? Who "in the business" did he quote to support his comments? How can you believe comments without supporting quotes by the parties discussed, especially from someone that has a credibility problem as does the author of this story?

    I would suggest that those who wish to believe an undocumented story do so as an extension of their personal feelings about Schumacher, not because of fact. Because, so far, there is no fact to any of this article. It may in fact be true, or partially true, but reality seems to point in another direction. I would love to see factual answers to the questions I asked in my first post to this thread, not just guesses, but facts. When I see quotes by those involved in this story, that support these theories, then I will believe them. Especially about retainers where we all know contracts forbid any discussion.

    For example, David Robertson, Kimi's manager, discussed in this article, IS QUOTED in F1 magazine stating that neither Kimi nor Michael had any problem with being on the same team. Michael's decision came months after Kimi signed a contract. That is what I believe, real quotes, by real people involved in the situation. Schumacher's decision to retire was as much his family's as it was his. Where he was forced by Montezemelo was to make a decision as to retirement by Monza, when MS wanted to wait until the end of the season. I would have done the same if I were Montezemelo.

    Do anyone really think Todt, Schumacher's close friend, supposedly at extreme odds with Montezemelo, would be staying at Ferrari if much of this tripe was true? How many people know that Ross Brawn has been ill? Does anyone really think that someone as anal as Ron Dennis would allow retainer information to be made public?

    So to answer your question Luis, I do not buy most of this article as there is no credibility at this time. As soon as all the players involved confirm, then I will believe.
     
  10. classic308

    classic308 F1 Veteran

    Jan 9, 2004
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    Great post Ron.

    This Tom Rubython seems a bit shady.....
     
  11. LightGuy

    LightGuy Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Fascinating read.
    Somewhere between this and the official press releases, the truth may lie.

    Michael needs to drive for Renault this year ( Still time for another knife twist ) to complete the circle of deception.

    Others state this is the dark side of F1, I think its part of the Formula.
     
  12. Strasse

    Strasse Formula Junior

    Apr 12, 2004
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    Perth, Australia
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    Phil
    Thanks for sharing this; fact, fiction, or somewhere in between, it nonetheless made for one of the most engrossing reads I've had all year. It had all the classic elements of good business pulp: a triumvirate power struggle; shrewd and scheming geniuses; double dealing operators; inconvenient phone calls that get picked up by overly revealing children; big cash figures; oh, and let's not forget, the Italian bon-vivant who uses his busty wife to schmooze some business viper on a yacht off the coast of Monte Carlo.

    I almost feel sorry for Briatore, who was, according to this, on the very bottom rung of the puppetry strings.
     
  13. The K Reloaded

    The K Reloaded Formula Junior
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    Oct 28, 2004
    570
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    I'm sure this will be revisited again and again. Eventually, maybe 5-10 years down the road we'll get actual quotes from real sources. Then we'll be able to size up all the egos properly.
     
  14. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

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    Agreed for the most part, but as far as Robertson's quote, it's his own view from what he heard people say, he didn't know for sure either. F1 Racing mag didn't quote Kimi or Michael directly so i don't buy into that quote too much either. Kimi has been quoted saying he didn't care and acted as if he didn't care who his teammate was going to be. It was reported that he didn't take it well when JPM was announced for the second McLaren in 04 but he dealt with it and beat him. MS, on the other hand, always said he didn't care, but history and Ferrari's 2nd driver choices suggested otherwise.
     
  15. Admiral Thrawn

    Admiral Thrawn F1 Rookie

    Jul 2, 2003
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    Saw that too. If I get it I'll post it.
     
  16. francisn

    francisn Formula 3

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    It was also reported at the time that MS told his team on the car to pit radio that he was retiring on the slow down lap, before the press release was issued. Whether or not that is true I have no idea but it was reported as such and if true would scotch much of Rubython's theory.

    Also, in Rubython's world, why exactly was Todt subsequently promoted to Ferrari MD?
     
  17. yzee

    yzee F1 Veteran
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    I don't have it recorded, but go back and watch the body language of all with 10 laps to go at Imola. Montezemolo looked like a cat in the control booth. And it's was hard to tell if he was a cat stalking, or a cat being stalked. He was never in the booth before. It was like he did not know what MS was going to say.
     
  18. francisn

    francisn Formula 3

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    Oh come on Yzee - the whole weekend our TV commentators in the UK were telling us Michael was going to announce his retirement. It was hardly a secret and didn't need Montezemelo to be there to enforce it. This is all just a load of bull.
     
  19. racerx3317

    racerx3317 F1 Veteran

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    Did anyone else, other than the people in the article, actually catch Luca go to Kim's car and give Kimi a thumbs up?
     
  20. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

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    I heard the same thing, thought it was common knowledge.
     
  21. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

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    Did you mean Monza? And maybe he knew what Michael would say, and that all the Italian tifosi were anxiously waiting to hear Ferrari's future?

    I think too much is being read into the situation, and all this BS article has done is fuel the fire. Until I hear it from the horse's mouth, er, cavallino's mouth, none of this makes any sense. Its like people are looking for a story where none exists to bring some life to a boring winter.
     
  22. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Either the article is well researched with so much insider information, or it's equal to the Weekly World News reports of Batboy and Mermaids.
     
  23. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

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    Footnotes, where are the footnotes?
     
  24. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
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    LOL... I kept thinking, "how would he *know* that? Or prove it?" Especially when detailing the emotions of the people, in two person conversations at the Ferrari factory. Unless Jean Todt himself was the source.
     
  25. Wolfgang5150

    Wolfgang5150 F1 Rookie

    Oct 31, 2003
    4,706
    Honestly - if you were an innocenet bystander and didn't know any of the background info - if you watched the parc ferme after situation after the Monza race, you would have noticed something was up. Monty's act of jumping over the barrier to hug Michael, and the looks on Todt's face and Michael's during that sequence was very bizarre. He looked a little TOO happy about the win - like it was an act. In the US the SpeedTV announcers picked up on this BIG TIME...
    This was not a straight-forward retirement scenario. We may never know the truth but, after re-reading this article, there are alot of intertwining stories that led to this decision. The McLaren side of it makes tremendous sense. As an astute follower of the sport, they timed the market right for signing Vodafone & Alonso, the fly in their ointment was the fact that the 2006 car was a stinker......
    I distinctley remember reading about the 1999 phone call when Michael was playing football outside, and how pissed Monty was......
    This article has made for a good winter's read....Rubynthol may be a lot of things, but don't kid yourselves that our beloved Scuderia is as straightforward as we would like. It has always been a ruthless organization.....
    Anyhow, it would be nice to keep this thread alive for a while.
    Kevin S.
    Orchard Park, NY
    29 degrees right now.
     

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