Fans with long memories remember the 1997 incident where he collided with Jacques Villeneuve in an attempt to run him out of the race, when Schumacher needed to outscore Villeneuve by two points to win the Driver’s Championship. It didn’t work (Schumacher had to retire, Villeneuve finished in the points) but Schumacher was still disqualified from the entire Driver’s Championship that year.
To my mind that tarnishes the legend. He’s indisputably in the top five F1 drivers ever, and arguably the best. Even at 40, I think he’ll be able to compete. His ability to outthink his rivals may well land him a couple of wins.
Eh? I’ve got no can to carry for Schumacher, but Alonso is a whiny little prick who rarely misses a chance to blame his woes on someone else (including his own team). I think your Webbers, Vettels and Massas are far better examples of the guys on the grid who would actually be pleasant to be around.
But yeah, Schumacher thoroughly tarnished his reputation, not with his off-track behaviour, but with his cynical manoeuvres on it.
I find Alonso to be pretty humble considering his two world championships. He’s never struck me as a whiny little prick. But I agree with you that MW, SV, FM also seem to be pretty decent guys.
I dont’ really care for him personally, but am real excited about the prospect of him getting “plopped” in a current car, in the middle of a championship, and seeing if he can still kick major ass, just on driver skill alone, and shut down all the discussion of “diffussers”, wing/aero shit, tires and whatnot. I want to see if he actually is the best driver after all. I have my opinion already. But I wanna see what he can do in this scenario.
Can you imagine another situation like this? Dropping Clark into a “modern” GP McLaren? G. Villeneuve into something that wouldn’t have killed him had the skirts not been broken? Arnoux in something that he was allowed to win in?
This is the dream season, my friends! The “Babe Ruth vs. Hank Aaron”, if you will!
Thanks for the thoughts on Schumacher. I have to say I’m pleased I’ll have a chance to see him drive - even without being an F1 fan until this year I’d heard of Michael Schumacher. Now that all the cars are becoming more competitive it ought to be really fun to watch. Damn this long break anyway!
I hope he does race, for as much of a prick that he could be, both in and out the car, I respect the hell out if his competitiveness. If nothing else, he’ll make it that much harder for anyone else to win.
Yes that’s why I mention it, apparently he was fast too. The rumour of him having a go at F1 surfaces every now and then, but he’s committed to MotoGP until the end of 2010 and I think by then he’ll be getting too old to be starting a career in F1. Also I think it is pure fantasy to think he could possibly be as good in F1 as he is on motorbikes.
I suppose most here have heard the news from other sources, but it’s not gonna happen.
Too bad. Although I’ve never been a fan of his, Schumacher is obviously one of the greatest drivers ever, and it certainly would have been exciting to see him dropped into this season, to see how he did against the current top runners.
Button and Brawn have clinched the 2009 World Championships. This race weekend was pretty exciting, what with all the rain during qualifying and the crazy start of the race itself, not to mention watching the cars of Barichello, Button, and Vettel move around the field like they did.
I did feel pretty bad for Rubens - he seemed to be doing okay before something went wrong with his car. When the race started and he actually got the BGP-001 moving when the lights went out, I figured that was a good sign. Since he didn’t keep the fight for the championship going to Abu Dhabi, I guess he’ll be around somewhere next season. 17th time is the charm, as they say.
As things head into the end of my first season as an F1 fan, I can’t say I’m disappointed. I’ve enjoyed all the on-track action. The cars and drivers are fantastic, and the ups and downs of each team through the season have had me pulling for every team in at least one race somehow. I’m definitely going to follow through the off-season and be back next year.
Things I’m interested in seeing in 2010: USF1, no refueling, no KERS, and possibly a GP in Canada. I do like races that broadcast in reasonable time slots for Left Coast Yanks.
