Audi Offer Schumacher Le Mans Drive

[Pilgrim]

Rubens Barrichello always struck me as being a pretty decent fella.

And he certainly held on to his dignity when he was pulled over in the Austrian GP to make way for a certain Mr Schumacher to win.

Somehow, I doubt Schumacher would have been as reasonable about it if it were the other way round.

[paultarsey]

So what's all this c**p about "Schumi has no personality", tell me someone who gets to the top of any sport these days who does not play the corporate game.  All this 'flawed genius' rubbish gets my goat.  If Button or Coulthard had even a drop of MS's will to win they could have done it.  Unfortunately we just want to create jolly good sorts who are always at the wrong end of the field. 
Remember that nice guys finish last.  What do you want in a driver, a winner or a personality?  You rarely get both.

(Teddies returned to pram)

from The Old Git

[termietermite]

What do you want in a driver, a winner or a personality? 

(Teddies returned to pram)

from The Old Git

Good point. Winner everytime as long as his bad manners don't show up on the circuit.
However, I have had the good fortune to have had a very brief word one or two guys who are both good drivers and top blokes : Mcnish, Tommy Erdos, Soyul Ayari.  Do you see the common denominator here?

[Andy Zarse]

I'm embarrassed, not to say actually ashamed of myself to admit I actually jumped up and down cheering the shoeperson yesterday. Christ, if every race was like that F1 would be worth watching again. Perhaps it's because we've been starved of good track action for so long but it was great to see nonetheless.

Shoemaker showed why he is one of the best drivers ever with iron determination and unbelievable car control, shades of the Gilles Villeneuves quote -"Stick another f**k*ng wheel on it and send me out again". Well they did, and he got from last place to fourth. It speaks volumes that Button was quite happy to sit behind Alonso for the last few laps and settled for third place, rather than stick his neck out and risk overtaking a car which would have simply gotten out of his way. It proves that Button doesn't have a burning hunger for points. Schumacher was a liar, a cheat and a scoundrel, it's a shame he had to resort to crap like that with all that natural talent.

[Ferrari Spider]

with regard to Button and Rubino, one of the issues may have been making sure their engines lasted because of next years FIA F1 rule changes?

I believe Honda have been working on engine development up and till the last possible moment before submitting there Brasil spec engine and is frozen for the next three years.  All the other teams have submitted their engines, so no probs with them.

[Pilgrim]

with regard to Button and Rubino, one of the issues may have been making sure their engines lasted because of next years FIA F1 rule changes?

I believe Honda have been working on engine development up and till the last possible moment before submitting there Brasil spec engine and is frozen for the next three years.  All the other teams have submitted their engines, so no probs with them.

This was mentioned by Martin Brundle when doing commentary for ITV.

All the other teams had handed in their engines but Honda hadn't, so they were making sure they lasted until the end of the race.

And there's no denying that Schumacher, as much as I dislike him, is an immensely talented driver. It was his willingness to pull strokes that has, IMHO, tarnished his legacy.

[Ferrari Spider]

AND, on itv tonite is a special devoted to the life and times of Comte Schumacher, unfortunately, I have a previous engagement at the local church hall, if anyone watches it can you let us know if it is worth watching.

One place to be later on this month is the annual Ferrari bash

With the close of the F1 season almost upon us, it’s time to look forward once more to Ferrari’s end of year World Finals. This year the venue will be Monza and the dates to join us there are the 27th to the 29th of October.

Book your Hospitality passes on-line now!

Also new on the site is an article on the 250 GT Pinin Farina produced from 1958, and information on dealers now selling a range of accessories from the Ferrari Store selection. 
 

[termietermite]

AND, on itv tonite is a special devoted to the life and times of Comte Schumacher, unfortunately, I have a previous engagement at the local church hall, if anyone watches it can you let us know if it is worth watching.

One place to be later on this month is the annual Ferrari bash

With the close of the F1 season almost upon us, it’s time to look forward once more to Ferrari’s end of year World Finals. This year the venue will be Monza and the dates to join us there are the 27th to the 29th of October.

Book your Hospitality passes on-line now!

Also new on the site is an article on the 250 GT Pinin Farina produced from 1958, and information on dealers now selling a range of accessories from the Ferrari Store selection. 
 

Don't forget to put it on the calendar, FS!

[smokie]

It was a great piece of driving.

But for me Raikkenon stole the show when Brundle interviewed him at the start/finish, before the race. Brundle had been saying that the drivers would all be up the front at a special presentation to Schuey by Pele. Then he found Kimi leaning on the wall by his car. "Kimi, why aren't you up there?". "I was having a sh*t" says Kimi.

Not sure if it was intended as offensive to Mikey but I took it that way.

Classic TV.

[Nordic]

Remember that nice guys finish last.  What do you want in a driver, a winner or a personality?  You rarely get both.

If you don't mind me saying so, that bollocks.

They have been plenty of 'nice guys' as you put it who have won and played the corporate game without the need to push rivals off the track, stop in the middle of the track etc.

As Andy Zarse points out, if Shumacher had driven as cleanly and well as yesterday then we would all have been rooting for him.
I understand that he regrets some of the stunts he has pulled and given the chance would do them diffentally.

[Snoring Rhino]

As Andy Zarse points out, if Shumacher had driven as cleanly and well as yesterday then we would all have been rooting for him.
I understand that he regrets some of the stunts he has pulled and given the chance would do them diffentally.

I totally agree with both you guys, it was a great drive, a great swan song, but as Brundle said, it’s a shame we can’t eradicate the bad spots out of Schumies record. If we could, he would surely be the greatest driver in F1 history.
Its also relevant to note that Ross Brawn is also taking a sabbatical, he was the master mind behind many of Schumies strategic wins, some of them brilliant, some close to the narrow line of fair play, but scary brains in the pit lane.   

[oldtimer]

on itv tonite is a special devoted to the life and times of Comte Schumacher, unfortunately, I have a previous engagement at the local church hall, if anyone watches it can you let us know if it is worth watching.

In short the answer to your question is 'no'.

I am well aware that there are two camps to the (love him or loathe him) Schumi argument but I would be surprised if anybody who watched the programme was anything other than very dissapointed.

It is undeniable that the man has more than a little skill behind the wheel of a racing car (yes, sometimes he abused it by taking out opponents blah, blah) but other than the manouevres from this weekend's race - and some old karting home-movies - there was hardly any footage at all of him overtaking anybody.  I am sure though the 'loathe him' camp will have enjoyed very much the frequent pictures of his crashes...

The whole programme had the feel of one that had been thrown together in a couple of hours.  It would have been far better to wait more than 24 hours after his retirment to put together a considered view of his life and career than this half baked effort. 2/10

[paultarsey]

Whatever you say or think, when all the angst and hype has died down, in many years to come you will tell your grandchildren that you saw Michael Schumacher race. 

[Bob U]

I was not a great fan of Spoonface, but as you say it will be something to tell the grandchildren about.

I was at Stowe corner in 99 when he speared the tyrewall and broke his leg.
In the drivers parade and when he was interviewed on Silverstone TV before the race he was booed by a large majority of the crowd. This was undoubtidly due to the Hill and Villeneuve incidents, various other claims of cheating and the fact that he was an arrogant German Bastard.

 The moment he hit the tyres he ceased to be Schumi the villain and became a driver who could so easily have been killed.

Contrary to what Murray Walker said when I watched the replay later, there was not an "Almighty Cheer" when he went off, there was a gasp and then a sureal silence as we all feared the worse. Even people who had yelled abuse at him in the drivers's parade and the formation lap were looking very worried and were hoping he was OK. When he was eventually carried away on a stretcher and he waved to let everyone know that he was alive and conscious the same people that had booed him, then gave him an "Almighty Cheer"

Love him or hate him, cheat or, I was going to say Angel, but no, you have to admire what he has achieved and how he helped put Ferrari back on winning ways. We all love motor racing or we wouldn't be on this forum and I know it is F1, but,  come on credit where it's due.

[fagey]

Whatever you say or think, when all the angst and hype has died down, in many years to come you will tell your grandchildren that you saw Michael Schumacher race. 

yup.. will do.. but at the greatest race in the world.. le mans!!