Michael Schumacher

The Vettel thread surprised me as such that when I searched for a Schumacher thread, I could not find one. So I propose this thread for Schumacher because regardless of your opinion whether his return is succesful or not, I think we can all agree that there's always something to talk about whether he's had a good or bad race.
Historical Discussion may be allowed on the thread as long as it's on topic.
Enjoy!

 

[Jos the Boss]

He has been allowed to keep his Mercedes from Brazil

 

[Slyboogy]

Don't see why he would want such a shit-box.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Who's Michael Schumacher?

 

[sushifiesta]

It's a shame that Schumacher's reliability issues and the ever worsening performance of Mercedes as the season went on have overshadowed his actual performance level this season. All being even and apart from a couple of clumsy errors, I think he would have beaten Rosberg this year.

I'm pleased that he seems to be retiring from F1 happy and content with what he's achieved. It may have not been a great success in terms of race wins etc., but I think he left F1 unhappy and mentally exhausted the first time round and coming back has let him say goodbye properly.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Who's Michael Schumacher?

Ralf's brother....

 

[Olivier]

Who's Michael Schumacher?

That's the same thing Mansell asked whne he saw him testing the Jordan the first time. I think he said "Who is this shoe maker?" (probably looking down on the German, even though that's exactly the meaning of his last name).

 

[The Pits]

I thought he would be allowed to keep his Mercedes from Singapore, he could get it in the hand luggage.

 

[teabagyokel]

The tributes to Schumacher need not be forthcoming. They came in 2006, when he previously retired. Then he retired with a magnificent back-to-front in Brazil, and with his brilliant 91st in Shanghai fresh in the mind, and on a top class title chase.

Yet again, Alonso finished 2nd in Brazil as his German title rival recovered to the points. But the rival was not Schumi. The last three years have been an imposition, a failure ruining the greatest stats of all time. No odd numbers made us think he was a Number One. He was left in the dust by Nico Rosberg, though the car wasn't good enough.

So let him have the accolades he was rightly granted in 2006, because he's added no more, and would be better off pretending it was Ralf.

 

[Mephistopheles]

I take more of a Kimi Raikkonen view on his retirement, and I to was having a shit.....

 

[Slyboogy]

Came across this pole lap from The Maestro, just have a look at the steering input in the latter half of the lap, amazing. Can't remember if this car had traction control at this point of the season or not.

Anyway here it is, enjoy:

 

[Tacitus]

http://www.autoevolution.com/news/m...or-2013-first-images-photo-gallery-54517.html

 

[Bill Boddy]

Nice to know that in future karters will suffer from Tilkodromes as well.

 

[Jos the Boss]

I want Schumi back on the grid!

 

[Jen]

Dear God, has he no shame?!

 

[Jos the Boss]

 

[F1ang-o]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/107044?source=mostpopular

 

[Jos the Boss]

This could be another lap record to add to his collection

 

[Mephistopheles]

I think Nick Heidfeld did a lap there years ago in a BMW F1 car but he wasn't allowed to go flat out and the time wasn't that great...

The surface is to bumpy for a modern F1 car so I wouldn't expect anything under 7 minutes...

Edit

And if they are using Pirelli's I don't think they will hold out for a complete lap...

 

[Mephistopheles]

did I get that right?

 

[Fenderman]

Yup. Heidfeld did three demo laps in April 2007 as part of the festivites at a VLN* series GT car meeting.

During practice for the 1974 German GP, Niki Lauda clocked a lap of 6"58.2' in his Ferrari 312B3 setting the fastest ever lap of an F1 car on the old Nürburgring.

The official fastest lap is Stefan Bellof's pole position qualy' lap of 6"11.13' in a Porsche 956, for the 1983 1000km Sports Car race.

Nick Heidfeld's 2007 lap times, set under a number of restrictions imposed on the BMW Suaber F1 car (including set-up and speed limiting) are a matter of debate. His three demo' laps were over the entire GT circuit made up of the Nordschleiffe and the grand prix track. BMW Sauber's "official" figures have the fastest lap recorded as 8min 34sec's.

Various people have tried to extrapolate a Nordschlieffe only lap time from various observations and analysis of corner speeds and god knows what. Although figures suggest a sub 6 minute lap for Heidfeld, the bottom line is that that is speculation.

Anyway, there you have Schumi's target for his mission, should he chose to accept it.

*Note: VLN stands for "Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstreckenpokal Nürburgring" . That's "Association of Nürburgring Endurance Cup Organisers" in English