Ferrari to discuss Schumacher's future

ms was kept on by ferrari in order NOT to allow him to drive for another team. they knew that he was like a spnsorship magnet - if he went to another team, it would have made it that much more diffifcult for them to get the spnsors AND win. and the other problem is that were he to have gone to another team AND won, then they would have not been able to say it was the car - it would have obviosuly been the driver....another bad marketing move. so, they just kept him on - it was cheaper and smarter.

NOW they may have ideas about cutting costs, but i am pretty sure his time in F1 is not over.

 

With the world economic picture being what it is, no better time than now for posturing for a better deal. I suspect much of the comments that are being bantered about all over F1 are a result of that. Afterall, if things ARE that bad, then obviously deals will have to be renegotiated(downward). Great time to take advantage of the current perceptions, real or otherwise. Regards, Mike

 

I don't believe that's true. Just a conspiracy theory with no way of being proved right or wrong.

 

Don't forget Fittipaldi. What a disaster that one was.

 

If things are as bad as we think it may be, it might be worth it to discuss with both Massa and Kimi about their salary...Yes, they'll get lets say 5 million euro each to drive, and can earn up to their current salary based on their performance (excluding engine faults 3 laps from the end, offcourse...).

 

genau (exactly)

 

Michael has turned down the offer from Todt, to run the racing team.
He knew, this would have been nothing but a big headache.

wolfman

 

The one benefit they got from him was that extra setting on the F430 manettino that combines soft shocks with the racing mode. And they milked that cow to the nth degree. His input for the F1 team is getting smaller and smaller as the cars develop away from his experience and era.

I don't think Ferrari is in financial trouble, but there is only so much benefit you can get out of a retired F1 driver. Particularly if his interests are more in crashing motor cycles.

 

One has to believe that it wasn't mere coincidence that Michael won multiple championships with 2 different teams. He is widely considered to be the best development driver of this generation, rivaled only by Fred Alonso. Having MS involved with your team means he will insist that everyone from the broom jockeys in the factory to the CEO is laser focused on the only important goal in racing - winning. While he is certainly still capable of brilliance behind the wheel IMO his real value at this stage in his life could be transferring the single-mindedness to a team (BMW? Toyota?) to date seemingly incapable of taking that last step to the top of the ladder. Ferrari would be wise to allocate some portion of their so far apparently limitless resource pool to prevent him attempting the only challenge left to him in his career to the possible detriment of the Scuderia i.e. showing another team lost in the F1 hinterlands how to win! Yr Fthfl svt, Jim

 

There is a huge difference between winning a championship as a top notch driver or winning it as a team manager. Just ask former champions like Fittipaldi or Prost.

I'm pretty sure Schumacher as a team manager would be a failure.

 

What happens if Honda folds and they ask some teams to run three cars to help fill out the grid.......

Don't you think that Ferrari would want him back?.... Think of the sponsorship potential...

 

Quote: There is a huge difference between winning a championship as a top notch driver or winning it as a team manager. Just ask former champions like Fittipaldi or Prost.

You don't think that Schui at least in part didn't assume duties generally associated with a traditional "team manager"? By all accounts he involved himself in the team much more pervasively than other drivers thereby exerting more profound influence. Rather successfully... With 2 different teams, both of which were floundering pre his presence. Senna, in a different but equally successful way would be the only comparison. Both were often & righteously accused of a unique sort of ruthlessness that would likely stand them in good stead as a team principal, LOL. J

 

MS built the team around himself as a driver. He "managed" to get the right people around him to get the job done. He also motivated people and helped develop the car, that's all true. Still I think there is a big step to running a team. Particularly with the politics of Ferrari and without the help of his close friends Todt and Brawn.

 

No, having three drivers that are possibles of winning the championship would be a disaster; especially if the one winning the championship was a retiree. Not to mention im sure kimi and massa would feel like it was a slap in the face.

 

Agreed. IMO the team missed Todt and Brawn more than they missed MS. And I'm a huge Schumi fan.

 

Greetings Tifosi. I would hope that Schumi stays retired. NFL football fans saw this year what happens when an old lion reverses the retirement decision with Brett Favre and his return to throw the pigskin around in New York. Not what the faithful had hoped to see with a former great. MS has always been very astute and knows how to read the landscape. He will stay where he is an even possibly take a little cut in pay to help send the message about helping to reduce the operating expenses of F1 teams in survival mode.

Cheers-Colin Firth-Ontario Canada

 

maybe Ferrari is gonna clean out MS's locker stall prior to Alonso coming into the fold...that way,
no overlap, no tense situations, etc.

 

Definitely. The ship doesn't run as tightly as it did before they left.

 

I Think Michael will stay at Ferrari after 2009, Ferrari still profits greatley on his experience.
And if Michael likes his job, wish it very much looks like, i am sure that he will be ok with a pay cut.
Today the man himself turns 40.
The best F1 driver in the World
FORZA MICHAEL

 

In what way exactly?

 

IMHO Ferrari should keep Schumi around as an ambassador and worlds best test driver!...he revived the team from nothing to super stardom worldwide...5 titles straight..come on!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

helping Kimi to set up his car

 

For those last ten laps of the race?
=)

 

Kimi struggled with the tires all year long. This year we will have slicks. So this is yet again another area where F1 moved on from what Schumacher used to drive on (yes, he drove slicks on his Benetton, but those cars were radically different from todays).

There isn't anything Schumacher could teach the current Ferrari drivers. The cars he drove were very different from the 2009 cars.

Ferrari could keep him around as "test driver" for their road cars and milk his name, but even that gets old eventually. If I'd buy a new Ferrari, I much rather have a plaque that says "Kimi tested" on the dash than one from the Shue.