Formula 1 is just not the same anymore...

MS is the best driver of all time and it is OK to mourn his retirement. But F1 is better than ever, largely because the playing field has been leveled with a spec tire. Look for at least two teams and four drivers contending for the championship.

Scott

 

Same feelings here, I also grew up as an MS fan and it feels weird not being able to cheer for him anymore.
At this moment I'm trying to find a new 'hero', Hamilton performs very well at this moment and he is not such a prick as Alonso, but I'll always be a ferari fan also.
If only Hamilton could drive for Ferrari......:=)

 

I though I would never say this but I am so sick and tired of reading "MS come back" threads. Get over it. He is gone. Sorry, I know I could just skip them but they are just within every single thread in this forum and it gets really old.

 

I also grew up with Schumacher, and i must admit i supported Schumacher over Ferrari a lot of the time, which is why i dont like F1 as much as i used to now. I have no vested interest, all i want is certain drivers not to win and im happy. Its a shame he doesn't race, he was still head and shoulders above many people in this sport. He isnt going to come back though and thats why i am watching and getting involved in F1 less and less now because its too hard for me to watch without my hero. Thats what Schumi is to me and i dont care what everyone else thinks. Some people like soccer players, others Footballers, Basketball players whatever. My hero was Schumacher. People still like Senna, theres nothing wrong with that, so there is nothing wrong with me still liking Schumacher. I usually have problems with people over still liking him, thats why i put the above.

 

i miss Schumi! i understand time brings change but come on, this Massa is a joke. and i agree, i don't wait until 1:30 am or get up at 6 am to watch these guys. in one its sad to say but maybe Michael needed to leave for everyone, including Ferrari to truly appreciate his inputs and talents.

 

All in time. I have a feeling on this one........

 

See, now I'm getting bummed because you guys are making me feel old. It's natural to miss the days of past, but when you are able to actually go back and watch the races they weren't always as special as we remember. Keep in mind that we tend to store memories as highlight reels rather than moment-by-moment annals. Case in point: I was thinking back to the early 90's and how full the fields were, and the cast of drivers seemed so deep. But then Speed started airing "F1 Decade" a few years ago and it reminded me that each race basically featured 3-5 worthwhile cars, and all the others were s*it.

 

Sure, I miss seeing Michael on the grid for qualifying and the races, but my interest in F1 hasn't declined in the least. The only difference is I'm now rooting for Ferrari in general, as opposed to just one of their drivers in particular.

 

Agreed, I'm still a Ferrari fan, and becoming a quick Lewis Hamilton fan even if he is driving for the wrong team.

 

This is what I thought when Stewart retired. This is what I thought when Andretti retired. This is what I thought when Lauda and Hunt retired, etc. Despite some disappointment, I was able to accept Michael's retirement. I have heard he is quite happy to have retired, that's cool.

This is kind of like breaking up with a really great girlfriend. Somehow, the next girlfriend is actually better and you wonder why you felt bad at the last breakup. There are so many new faces in F1, someone will come along and be your next favorite. No, they may not be the extreme of a Michael Schumacher, but they will have their own qualities.

And no, I do not believe for one second that Michael Schumacher will return to F1. And absolutely no way that Lewis Hamilton will ever drive for Ferrari. Ron Dennis has him by the balls of his soul, so Hamilton will drive a McLaren forever. Ron Dennis hates everything Ferrari, so I can not imagine for any amount of money that Dennis will release Hamilton to Ferrari. And since I do not like Ron Dennis, I doubt if Lewis Hamilton will have anything more than my respect.

 

MS fan here too. I also feel his absence. Kimi is good and he does show some promise. Massa is not good enough, IMHO, to help Ferrari get a championship. They need to show him the door at the end of the season and woo over Robert Kubica. Noone could ever replace MS, but he is a technically superior driver to Massa, and he would be fast out of the box.
Raikkonen and Kubica would whoop ass!

 

The king is dead!

Long live the king!

 

Well i am a Ferrari fan and
*I didn't like MS when he got Thackwell thrown out of the Sauber Grp C because Thackwell was always faster but he wasn't German
*Didn't like MS in the early days when he knew the team was cheating it's ass off with the fuel stops and software anomoilies at Benetton
*Didn't like MS in the early days of Ferrari when he happily took out his competitors and showed that sportsmanship takes a back seat to winning at all costs
* Didn't like him in the later days when he won by miles in a car that a muppet could have driven to take the chequered flag (apologes to Rubens) and made the sport about as exciting as watching paint dry
*Nearly forgot, didn't like MS when he took the p*ss out of the italian national anthem either. 60 years of racing, some amazing drivers associated with Ferrari and he thinks they all take a back seat to him and his paycheck. Arrogant sob

I read about a zillion threads on here saying that with MS gone Ferrari were doomed and guess what, they still seem to be putting up a good fight. And though Massa was a bit hot headed, the duel with Hamilton in the early part of the race was more interesting than MS's last 3 seasons put together. Massa doesn't deserve half of the flaming he has got on the forum and next time he just might pull the pass off.

So roll on 2007, looks like it's going to be a great year for actual racing. Go Ferrari.

 

i liked watching lewis

 

S**t...... lets all get the frigging tissues out shall we........

He's retired, let it go.

 

MS made me start watching F1 LoL...
it's really sad to see him go. it's funny how my cousins, and aunts, ( who of cos is not a die hard F1 fan like me ) all gave up watching F1 after Schumi retired.

 

Well, if you believe the Italian papers (typed with a chuckle), MS was spotted in a Ferrari driving suit at Monza. The papers have him back in the seat as early as Spain if things don't right themselves in the next race.

You need a certain degree of ruthlessness to be great, and MS had it, just like Senna. Do you think he would have allowed Alonso into the first corner in Malaysia without one chop across? Massa may be a good test driver, but he reminds me of Damon Hill, Rubens Barichello: when he's in front everything's fine, but if he has to fight for a position the cracks start to show...

 

I don't feel on-the-job learning is appropriate for F1.

Massa deserves every last bit of criticism he is getting.

 

MS is an old hack who's way past his sell by date. Stick with the new blood he's way more fun and save the zillions they paid MS to live in his ivory tower. They could use the spare money for R&D or a Le Mans project instead. Or to nurture new talent the way Mclaren have.

 

I don't think putting MS back in the car is the right move, assuming he's even interested. It is clear to me who Ferrari should be backing as the team's #1. I find it ironic that KR wasted so much time at McLaren, leaves, and now they seem to have their act together. FA would not have won two championships if KR had won the races he lost due to poor reliability.

 

Not necessarily saying he will drive for Ferrari one day, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Hamilton with another team somewhere along the way. Ron Dennis has been his surrogate father in F1, and all men eventually need to leave their fathers and establish an identity on their own. Dennis gets credit for being there when Lewis was ten, but he will be left at the alter at some point.

 

Nice avatar, ricksb.

 

I seriously dont watch F1 the same way as before.

I dont care about Qualis...and i dont mind falling asleep during a race. I know that nothing will happen if it doesnt rain or Sato doesnt take out half the grid.