Prediction: MS Not Top 5

Thanks for the links. Very interesting. I so hope you're right.

 

BTW, a friend has seen the new car and tells me it is magnificent, unfortunately he can't share!

 

Ask Vettel what the worst engine is...

 

Of course Michael will be in the top five. No question.

 

I haven't seen it either, but I trust my friends to do a nice job again.

 

Can't help but be ... if his car is any good. As always there is only ever 2 competitive teams, thus 4 drivers ...

Pete

 

MS and RB brough Ferrari back to the front of the pack (from an also ran team). MS was rewarded with multiple back-to-back championships and so was Ferrari.

The lack of clas started when LdM pushed MS out in order to get Kimi (alternately, MS took a breather to allow Massa to continue at Ferrari.) Either way, MS probably would have done another year or two at Ferrari given the opportunity. I see this a LdM's fault. To blame MS is the height of lunacy.

But, the spy scandal was McLaren not necessarily Mercedes, and the current team is the old Honda unit taken over by RB. About the only thing brought forward (from McL) is the engine.

LdM probably knew of MS desire, so to suggest otherwise is folly.
The team MS is going to drive for WON the last WDC and WCC.

The only thing I am sad about is the MS will not be dressed in Red. MS has been brilliant on the track for almost 2 decades.

 

What an interesting read. I think it is between Hamilton and Vettel in 2010. I will root for Vettel but if I were a betting man, I'd have to go for Hamilton. McLaren, Red Bull and Merc will dominate the podiums. Schumi will finish higher than either Ferrari driver, he'll make sure of that. Even if he has to run them off the track time after time. I admire Schumi for his accomplishments and resolve but he is a total scumbag. I think it is personal this time and predict that it will be highly entertaining to watch. LdM and Domesticali will turn on Schumi quicker than a rabbit gets f#&%ed.

And Bernie will love it too, of course.

 

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After they watch Schumi dangle from LdM's Agusta, LdM breaks the silence: I only tell you once. Don't f@%k me, Fernando. Don't you ever try to f@%k me.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself.

I hope Alonso wipes the floor with him (not counting on it though, but it sure would be great fun).

 

1. if mercedes is anywhere near as competitive as the 1998 Ferrari - thats all that Michael needs.... he doesn't need a dominant car to win, unlike button, hamilton, or alonso.

2. of course michaels heart is in it.......can you not tell just from the interviews, his constant participation in go kart races, from what he himself has said its clear he has a massive urge and unfinished business.

3. ....he wouldnt be doing it if his past injuries were going to affect him - he wouldnt want a repeat of this summer, which he himself said was embarassing, and didn't want to repeat. Its quite clear the injury won't be a problem.

FYI he's signed a 3 year deal, not 1. Mercedes wouldn't have signed him if he didn't get the allclear from the doctor either. Schumacher himself has said he can do training on his neck that he couldn't do in the summer. You need to dig up more information and read up a bit more.

4. lack of seat time - this summer he jumped into an f2007 and amazed everyone how quick he was (source: Ted Kravitz in a BBC interview, who quoted from people at Ferrari).
This year he's competed in several go kart races where he's beaten kubica, massa, barichello.
He did race of champions, where he was the only f1 driver to make it to the final, something hes achieved twice.

He isn't a rookie who's never driven an F1 car before... there will be enough testing time before the 1st race - this wont' be an issue in the slightest.

5. Michael at 90% is still good enough to win races. I personally don't see why he'll be slower, infact I believe this will be Michaels best season ever - the Mercedes won't be as dominant as his ferraris from 2001-2004 - he'll have to fight every single race, and its what he wants. He said so himself 'its what i look for'. After 3 years hes come back fresher than ever, you can tell from the amount of enthusiasm he has shown in the recent interviews. He wouldn't be coming back if he didn't think he had what it takes.

At the end of 2006 schumi was probably burnt out, when you come back from 26 points behind, constantly fighting every race, pushing the team and tyre development, it takes its toll. He's clearly been watching f1 the past 3 years, thinking 'i can do better than this'

You'd be foolish not to consider michael a championship contender in 2010.

 

We got a winner! + 1000

 

Really great post! Can't agree more.

Remember when MS broke his leg in 1999, and lots of people wrote him off after that. But that short break kinda recharged his batteries and we all know what happened after that.

Now, since he retired, he's tested some Ferraris, as well as did some bikes and go kart races. And look at his physique during the interviews. He looks fitter than ever.

 

I agree, it will be fun to watch regardless. Personally I think he has a great chance for number 8 WDC. I can hear the chants about cheating, unfair driving and unsportsmanlike conduct already. Maybe the rest just need to get better?

 

Well, i won't run away from the fact he tried to crash JV out. And his parking. That said, Senna once said 'Nice men don't win'. Poor Button

 

I don't know who'll win, but he'll be driving a Brawn (yes...I know) or a Newey.

Jack.

 

geez guys...after the year we just had in F1, I wouldn't be game to predict ANYTHING ever again.

 

IMO one of the reasons he didn't come back to replace Massa, was because the car was a POS, the neck was a plausible get out.

Fair post overall however he needs a good car to begin with, as for the likes of Alonso and maybe Hamilton they are now in that league.

 

Like Federer, MS is a serial winner. He would not return if he didn't believe he can win. His access to certain data will also have been a contributory factor.

 

If the car is good I think MS will fight for the WDC.

 

As I have said before though, it's not necessarily the racing that wears a driver down, it's all the travelling, all the meetings, all the PR commitments, the press conferences, the press intrusion etc.

Yes Schumacher's been there before so he should know what to expect, and he may be one of the best to deal with it all, but it could serve as a reminder to him as to one of the main reasons he decided to retire in the first place.

 

at least there's a few of us on here who agree!!

Happy New Year Brian!!

Carol

 

Low class thing to say.

 

Not really, I'm hoping at least six drivers wipe the floor with him and guess what?, they'll all have Ferrari engines behind them! (I know it's unlikely that it'll happen with all of them, but a man can dream! )