MS Predictions?

Yesss.

And yesss.

I said all along that MS' comeback would not work, simply because he is too old. I would have said the same thing about any other driver (and will say the same thing if e.g. Alonso will try a comeback at that age). And just for the record: I also said, that if anybody had a chance, then it was MS, but I doubted that even he could pull it off.

40 is the cut off age for the modern F1. And looking at the young ages of the new stars (Hami, Vettel) that might even be conservative. Maybe the real glass ceiling is even lower.

 

No one would begrudge Schumacher scoring a podium. Everyone
would love to see it happen. However, the longer this exercise
goes on and the results are lacking, the louder the voices
will become for our once great World Champion to step
aside and let a young talent move up.

Use of the media cuts both ways. Motorsport media
bought into Schumacher's return and even on down to
daily rags which normally would only report F-1 if
a driver gets killed.

The German media (in partcular) were very excited about
Schumacher's return but that was before the emergence
of their new Wunderkind.

BHW

 

Some very good drivers have lost their edge just switching teams.

 

Nobody can be pronounced as 'BACK' if they get a win, or even two wins.
You are pronounced as 'BACK' when you win a couple of races, but moreover, are consistently battling in the top 3 or 4 at every venue, because in the case of MS, being consistently in the battle for the top-10 just doesn't cut it, and neither will the top 6.
Fair or not, that is how he is judged.
Now, if he was NOT a 7-time WDC, he would be judged differently, but it is what it is, his fault or not.

 

If everyone is so willing to accept that he's lost the edge and isn't the same driver he was 10 years ago...then why not leave him alone? There are plenty of drivers over the years whose whole career didn't have a podium. plenty of number 2 drivers who were routinely out driven by their team mate...that's even happening this year. I still just don't see the problem with MS out there. How could his input be anything other than valuable and clearly he's not slow...maybe he's just over cautious. I don't know....all I know is it's ridiculous that people are making such a fuss. I've said before, he's not the worst driver out there.....and that at 42 and after 3 years out of the cockpit is miracle enough.

 

Because he IS Michael.
Because of the way his return was hyped.

 

It was exciting, but I was over it after the first couple of races.
I still hope he does well...hell I hope they ALL do well, but if he stays a mid fielder in F1, well, there are worse things in life.

 

True. As was Vizsla. But there were still plenty of others claiming that he would win it all once he had HIS car and not Buttons etc etc
After he set fastest time at testing in Barca (where I believed Benoit that this was a lap on fumes no matter what the fans said) there were folks proclaiming his 8th title. That is just unrealistic.

I'm a huge Alonso fan but I don't think he will win the WDC this year. To claim so is just not realistic either. Nor is it necessary.

 

Scumacher denies regretting return
Good article

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/19052011/66/schumacher-denies-regretting-return.html

 

Bernie addresses Schumacher situation.

http://www.yallaf1.com/2011/05/19/is-schumacher-still-capable-of-winning-in-f1/?utm_source=bleacherreport.com&utm_medium=referral

BHW

 

Nearly impossible to come back to the pinnacle of a sport and expect to compete at the top. Same with tennis

 

well, he is competing....but I wouldn't say he's at his top.

 

Disagree Pete, was following Thackwell when Mercedes had this "Only German Drivers in German Cars" policy and kicked out everyone who wasn't born in the country. MS wasn't the quickest by any stretch of the imagination.

It is sad that Rosberg is doing so well. Otherwise this could be a "That car is junk, after all no-one could drive it quicker than MS" thread. Hard when you have a competitive team mate, a legal car, with legal launch control, and legal refuelling rig.

The emperor has no clothes.

 

ya gotta be kidding.

 

Never said he was the quickest, just that he was quick, and learnt from Mass.

MS was not the quickest in all the lower formulas, but he learnt the most and adapted best.
Pete

 

7 WDC trophies beg to differ.

 

His Highness used to have great clothes

 

Just out of curiosity, do you guys think that if Vettel was drving the Merc, would he be winning and if MS was driving the RB, would he be winning?

I know his team mate has been faster at times but still no where close to being a regular podium contender.

Personally i just cant say much bad things cause it seems the merc is no where close to being a good car. The other younger regular younger drivers dont seem to be doing so much better than schumi.

 

No.

Yes.

+1

He's not (IMHO ) "disgracing himself" or "tarnishing his legacy" - He's out driving kids half his age in a "questionable" car.

The problem is that damn Nico kid!

Cheers,
Ian

 

IMO the better question is if in each others cars would they be outperforming the other's record in that car.

 

+1

Unfortunately, we'll never know........

Is Seb faster than Nico? Faster than the Master?

Unanswerable IMO.

Cheers,
Ian

 

At times? How about all the time? . Today was the first time he finished ahead of Nico in a looooooong time, and only because his aggressive blocking. In other words, he was holding Nico back, meaning Nico was faster than him, even if he finished behind.

MS is NOT at Vettel's level; not even close. In fact, he NEVER was at Vettel's current level IMO. And he's not up to Lewis or Alonso's level either. And he's clearly not even at his own teammate level, since they drive THE SAME CAR.

As far as the hypothetical question, the clear answer is NO in both cases, but Vettel would bring the difference way closer than what it is now. MS is done. He's history. And it's not bashing; just common physiological sense. Good day gang.

 

This is..... Off to say the least. Schu's car was broken at every race until Turkey and at Turley he was every bit as quick only his mistake at turn 12 with Petrov destroyed his entire race. Schu still had quicker sector times than Nico.

At today's race you will notice Schu was holding onto his tires and minding them the entire race. He did not push snd take daring lines or crazy brake points. Any time Nico was close, Schu turned up the heat and made a gap. Schu blocked Nico's attempt to pass ONCE. Repeat, once.

It's not possible to turn back the clock and see if young michael is better than young vettel, but one thing is for sure and that is there have been many double world champions and a couple triple champions who all looked magnificent in their cars for that year etc. People said the same about Alonso as they are currently saying about Vettel. No one has ever gone and sone it 7 times though. Never. This is what sets Michael apart.

 

To listen to the anti-MS crowd on here, you would think he was getting roasted the way Lewis roasted Heikki or the way Alonso roasts Massa.

But the facts are that there have been 5 races thus far. One, both Mercedes' DNF'ed. Of the remaining 4, Schumi beat Rosberg twice, and Rosberg beat Schumi twice.

 

This thread is as useless as Ferrari's design department.....