I think he will drive in F1 until 2006 or so, but what do you think he will do when he retires? Just a few things pop into my head if I try to put myself in his shoes: 1. Be on the BOD for Fiat and Ferrari, essentially a celebrity figurehead which would be an ambassador for Ferrari. 2. Head Ferraris serious return to prototypes at LeMans as a driver or team owner. 3. Become a team manager/coach within Ferrari F1, mentoring his replacement. 4. Own his own F1 team as with Prost, only better-funded and using Ferrari engines, of course. 5. Race another series for fun such as IRL, ALMS, Nascar, or WRC. 6. Retire quietly, ski, jet-set around, ride Harleys across the US, safe in the knowledge that his records (8 or 9 driver's championships, 100 wins?) will never be touched. 7. Become the F-chat racing section moderator.
Why talk about his retirement now? This is all premature. He has a good 4 to 5 years of F1 ahead of him. More victories and more championships. All this talk about braking records is over. Let's just enjoy seeing the worlds greatest F1 racer ever win more for the deserving Scuderia Ferrari.
4-5 years? I love your enthusiasm but some of your comments are just not very realistic. 2006 has been the year that has come up over and over again for the whole team. So say that he is going to be around for 4-5 years after that seems a to be a bit too much of wishful thinking.
I pray for #2. He's got endurance experience, and he has said he would love to race LeMans. The Maser could be the testbead. BUT, I fear this would be just too good to happen.
Don't see a Harley, though. Ducati! He's stated other types of racing don't attract him much. He also strikes me as a careful considered investor, so no worries there.
He already owns or leases a Harley and DOES ride across the States. He enjoys the fact that he is not recognised in the USA as much and thus can relax. MS is heavily involved with other things that the FIA do, such as road safety stuff. I believe that is where he will move ... Pete
I think he's more of a lurker. He told me after he retires that he wants to come over and bbq with me and speedy 308. Says that he wants to bless speedy's other 308. that would be cool.
All true. I had the unique pleasure of talking to the guy who rents the Harley's in Las Vegas and got the inside scoop on Michael's rent in 2003. Quite interesting. MS is e.g. the ambassador of good will from San Marino. I see him work more in that direction. Leisure time will probably spent playing soccer and watch his kids grow up. Nice life.
i dont see him racing anything after f1, except maybe some years later when he feels the need for speed. he has enough to not have to work at anything for the paycheck. therefore its most likely that he will end up on the political side of either racing or running something. my 2cts
Convince Luca to have Ferrari build a Push rod V-8 and go NECKCAR racing and blow away the inbreds by 5 seconds a lap Seriously. He can do what he wants to do. He has lived a gifted life and done more than any of us have, so he deserves a break.
Well, there's always the family karting track. ("Beat the N-time World Champ, and win a T-shirt" ) Then there's the refrigerator disposal business ...
I see (and hope for) either #2 or #3. Michael is FAR too driven, energetic and COMPETITIVE to just waste away on permanent vacation and eventually die. He still has much to give to the world of motorsports, just in a different arena. I see him being like Mario Andretti and racing well into the later years, although F1 is not an old man's game of course. The prototypes would be perfect. Or he is probably popular enough to become Chancellor of Germany LOL......
I think he will become ambassador for Ferrari, but on a minimal scale. In motorsports, he has nothing else to prove. Why risk his life/fortune in prototype racing or funding his own race team??? He will probably retire with his beautiful wife and kids, and enjoy life to the fullest.
He should launch a car company under his name that would be an instant success just like Carroll Shelby did. or Bruce Mc Laren. among other F1 legends
I get the feeling racing IS Michael's life, he may feel like a shell of his former self if he just fades away, with no purpose in life. I do think he will at least be a team owner or involved in some way, a person of his type can't just sit idle!! I mean, how many games of golf can you play??! Even Mika Hakkinnen, who retired largely due to wanting to be with his family, has expressed some desire to return, although that may not happen. But Michael is much more serious and deep into F1 than Mika ever was anyway.
Well, his kids are, what, five and seven, now? I suspect all the travel is starting to get a bit old. But I wonder what Schumi's reaction would be, if his kids show an interest in racing. (Has "grandpa" gotten them into karts, yet?)
Hi, I am new here ... I think Michael is likely to take a year or two off and be with his family full-time - go see the world. He has made more than enough money to survive comfortably for 6 future generations - so that is not a worry. I think he will get into some investments - I believe he is already vested in a real estate development in Spain along with Willi Webber. Also he might be a brand ambassador for Ferrari. As far as F1 racing goes i think he will make a clean break - he might just do karting for the fun of it. As far as alternative racing such as CART, etc - he has not really shown any interest - IRL - too dangerous in his opinion CART - when you have conquered F1 what's the thrill here NASCAR - Surely you must be joking WRC - Now here there is a possibilty - he may just try a couple of races or do a recce just for the fun of it....
Actually there was a story (2003 I believe) that MS was at Texas Motor Speedway and was going to try the Richard Petty Experience just for fun. I don't remember the details, maybe someone who does could correct me if I'm wrong. Supposedly MS likes the US because he can move around more easily than in most countries because of his fame, if he started racing Nascar he would REALLY be famous here, LOL. Anyway, I agree it wouldn't happen, he'd probably be F-chat moderator first.