Hypothetical driver to replace Kimi/Massa for '08?

hahahaha..classic!

 

For 7 times the money, you would think he might be ahead of his team mate in championship points. If I were Ferrari, I might be thinking that I want a refund!

I might be able to underperform for even less than Massa's $8 mil. I'll even sign autographs!

 

I would guess Massa/Rossi for SFM.

 

Dale Earnheart Jr and Montoya.

 

Nico, or Keke?

 

Are we assuming that's Kimi, and not just one of any numerous spiky-haired idiots drunk on a boat somewhere in the world?

 

Kimi is thanking his lucky stars that Michael retired, if Massa can drive him into the ground then Michael would have destroyed his faith.

I have been saying it for years do not expect to much from Kimi he not the real deal.

 

yes...actually i was wondering, what'll happen to a MS/Kimi pairing this season?

 

Just as Michael Collins said above. If Massa can outpace him, what do you think Michael would have done? It would have been a serious massacre. All of those who said Michael was running away from Kimi would have eaten their words badly. So Michael would have won at Melbourne, wouldn't have been held up by Lewis at Sepang, and would have probably finished second to Fernando, He would have won at Bahrain, same at Barcelona, and probably would have had a podium if not better at Moncao. So withholding any mechanical failures, Michael would have won when Massa has this season, and taken advantage of opportunities that he couldn't. Kimi would have looked worse than Irvine was against Michael, so far.

 

very true. lets just hope Kimi will get his act back together. the team needs him.

 

The only reason your scenario has not come to pass is the fact that Schumacher retired rather than drive alongside Kimi. On that basis, he did run away from Kimi.

 

Exactly.

Yes, MS would have massacred Kimi, but he didn't dare to find out.

What irony. One can only imagine how he must be kicking himself.

 

Then he remembers that he's a 7 time world champion and considered by many, the best of all time. As is stands now, Michael is at the top of the history books, while Kimi is starting to look like a JPM. If this keeps up, the idea of Michael retiring to avoid Kimi will be completely thrown out the window. Michael probably had a better idea of what he could do, his first year at Ferrari, than any of us lol.

 

I'm surprised you even question that.

Montezemolo wanted Kimi as the future star and MS in his entire career never wanted to have a strong #2.

1+1=...

 

I was with someone last week who is very close to Ferrari and the F1 team.
He told me that he knows for a fact that MS was forced into retirement by LD. Otherwise, it would have been MS and Masa this year, and Kimi would not be in the picture.

 

LD meaning Luca Di Montezemolo?

 

Bingo

 

Wow that's credible, i'll alert the media!

 

Premature by a year or so, but I'd like to see Marco Andretti in a competitive F1 car before IRL ruins him.

Jack

 

+1

However he is not ready yet. He needs another year or two in a lower formula before he will be ready for F1, I think.

 

IMHO, i think MS did not run away from Kimi. in the past, i think since teh year 2000-2001, when the media questions his retirement intentions, he always says the same thing : that he'll hang up his helmet when a faster, younger competitor comes along.

and i think, that faster, younger, more hungrier and more motivated rival is none other than Fred. i think, MS should know he could have trashed Kimi in Kimi's 1st year at Ferrari. he had the massive upperhand, more knowledge about the car, the tyres, the development of the car, etc. i'm pretty sure he realised all that.

but, MS didn't wanna look like an old man around the circuit. he was beaten twice by Fred, and in that 2 years, he made more mistakes on the track i think then he ever was when he was at his prime.

he was pushing the car and himself to the limit, yes, but he was also getting older, and u need ultra fast reflex to drive at that limit. his brains must have still been ultra fast, but not his hands and feet, IMO.

plus, the 2005 season really swept his motivation to the drain. even i shudder when i think about the 2005 season, or the F2005. for Schumi, motivation has always been the part of the game ( ask Kimi ).

so, i still think he could won all the races this year, should he still be racing, but at the end of the day, he must have thought to himself, is it worth it?

edit : i'm leaving the Luca factor outta this, of cos

 

Bingo.

Read the faces and reactions of MS, Todt, and Luca at MS's last race, not the "Official press release".

 

Everything I have heard and read suggests that Luca gave Schumacher a choice, drive alongside Kimi or retire. I don't think he was "forced" to retire nor do I think he made an independant decision to hang up his helmet because he felt he was no longer competitive. I think he refused to drive alongside Kimi and his only alternative then was to quit, given Kuca's ultimatum.

 

Precisely.

 

+1000