Alonso: "I would chose Michael Schumacher"

AND I AM THIRSTY.

 

And, how old was Fangio when he won his last championship?

Of course, generally, you're correct. But, there are always exceptions to the rule...

CW

 

Some "F1 greats" like Massa and Kovalainen have won the ROC. It is utterly meaningless.

 

There never was one with me. Talk is cheap.

 

Modern F1 is a very different game. MWR4440 is right, at 40 you're over the hill for winning at the F1 game. Participating yes, winning no.

 

Sure, it's out of the ordinary, but I disagree that it's entirely out of the realm of the possible.

CW

 

Ok, not entirely impossible. After all guys like Herbert and Panis have won.

 

Season starts in March 2012. 20 races.


The Schummi dreamers only have to Win, Place or Show in JUST ONE Race.

I have to get a 4th or worse in 20 Races.


[smacks lips]

I think I'll have a Warsteiner in NOV 12, Danke.


You guys can send it ANYTIME though. The longer you wait the more it will hurt.






Like an Austin GP in 2012 (or 2013), this loser (the Schummi bet) is also a "No Brainer."

 

I'll take that bet.

I'll always support my man Schumi.

He's still got "it" and if the Benz is a good car next year, he is going to be a contender for the WDC.

Frankly, a lot of his problems this year was because he is the ultimate competitor. He doesn't give up whether he's in last place or first... so he got into a lot of tangles this year. If the Benz is good in '12, I expect him to strut and I will go to as many races as I can to watch him do just that

 

You can't really place those restrictions on it though.

If MS was in the Red Bull this year and his teammate was Massa - would Schumi be WDC? I think he would be.

There isn't an age limit where you can't win. It's indisputable that reaction times drop with age... I don't think Schumi today is just as good as he was at his prime... but it's like taking a Wendy's Baconator and leaving off one strip of bacon. It's not AS good, but it's still really good, and a lot better than a Tofu burger (aka Massa)

 

Michael's great for F1. When he retires, it will be a sad day. He's a racing icon and ambassador.

 

shimmi is a legand in my view and will always will be.......
nico to join alonso not kubica

 

The first thing I'm going to say on this one is: This is F1 and you can never guarantee anything!

I read this statement:

and My first thought was:

mwr4440: Would you have bet on Olivier Panis winning the '96 Monaco GP from 14th on the grid?

I guarantee you would not have, and yet with circumstances conspiring against others, he managed it.



How about Jenson Button winning the WDC in the Brawn?, would you have predicted that one before any of the cars had even touched tarmac prior to the start of the season?, I'm guessing: No!, you would have written him off as an also ran, probably with a statement along the lines of:

"There's no way the defunct Honda team can even consider competing against the might of Ferrari, McLaren, BMW and Red Bull, especially when they don't even have an engine deal sorted out yet!"





As for all the talk of Schumacher's age, I'll bet he's one of the fittest drivers on track to this day!

In the majority of sports, injuries and wear and tear take a massive toll on the body, basically sportsmen wear their bodies out until they can no longer physically do the sport competitively anymore, this is most definitely not the case with Schumacher.

Another major factor in over 40 year olds becoming "washed up" is because they grow tired of all the travelling and the way of life required to be successful, they end up being mentally worn out, again, this is not the case for Schumacher.



I am 100% Tifosi for life and longer, no other team will ever take the place of Ferrari for Me but if Schumacher does get a podium next season or does somehow manage to win a race, by luck or whatever, I'll feel as happy for him as I would if it were a Ferrari driver, not only because he will have shown that being over 40 doesn't mean you're a write off, but also because you will have lost your bet!

And you know what?, he might just do it too because: This is F1 and you can never guarantee anything!

 

No disagreement there. MS isn't as good anymore, but he still knows how to drive a F1 car. The question is more, how good is he still?

Interesting scenario since you picked useless Massa as his team mate. Kinda clever, but there are a few problems with that:
- no top team would give MS the #1 seat and put a hapless Massa in the other seat
- not sure RB is THAT dominant, I think a big part of it is down to Vettel, look how poorly Webber did with the car
- you'd still have Vettel, Hamilton, Alonso and Button in other cars, which aren't that far off either

That's why I think MS still wouldn't be WDC. Can't say who would, but it'd be one of the other 4.

 

Even as a "youngster" I will disagree with this. Although there are many successful top tier atheletes over 40 that are still great, the career of Randy Coture comes to mind. Especially considering the sport he lives and breathes.

I think success at that age is muddied by the fact that professional retirement is always right around the corner at that performance level. Schu still has a great chance!

 

That's what the Internet is for, my friend!

I think the RB is more dominant than many might think... of course that makes Webber look really bad, and it's no secret I think Webber is as useless at teats on a bull, so perhaps my natural bias against Mark makes me think this way - who knows. I think the next 2-3 years will be very interesting in F1.

I've said before I think many F1 fans forget recent history too quickly. Remember last year (actually 2 years ago now, since we're in '12) when Vettel was bashed and eviscerated all over the Internet and in the press for the crash and brought him and Webber together? He was too young, too inexperienced, too hot-headed, not nearly as good as he thought he was, etc, etc, etc.

Now he's the greatest driver in the history of the universe

Fortunes (and opinions) change very fast in F1. If Vettel doesn't remain on top in 2012, and I don't think he will, I predict a Lewis Hamilton experience for him. And if, being the lion-hearted competitor he is, he fights back, it could get ugly*.



*where ugly is a euphemism for "really exciting to watch!"

 

I just hope MS doesn't continue skipping Q3 in order to preserve tyres for the race. Thats when all the tangles happen.