Schumacher to drive for Mercedes

[Galahad]

boga - I do agree that commercially, having him back will be a huge bonus. Particularly for a couple of circuits that have been struggling for numbers - Hockenheim and Spa. But everywhere will see a boost, even Silverstone, I'm sure.

Teams have always come and gone, though. The ones we've lost didn't carry huge numbers of fans with them, I don't think (except in Japan, where there is a real issue). If it had been Ferrari and McLaren leaving, taking Alonso and Hamilton with them, then yes, of course. But I reckon swapping Toyota for USF1 and BMW for Campos may just be substituting one set of fans for another.

Plus, ultimately, F1 has to create new superstars. The excitement hopefully will come from Schumacher battling with the new generation of talent (as Lauda did), rather than him coming back and blowing everyone else away. In my view that really would not be good for F1.

 

[cider_and_toast]

him coming back and blowing everyone else away. In my view that really would not be good for F1.

Absolutely. Could you imagine that? A 41 year old who's been out of the sport for 3 years comes back and shows a clean pair of heels to the current crop of young guns. Very unlikely IMHO but imagine if he did.

 

[snowy]

It's quite likely... only Nico Rosberg stands between us and oblivion!

The key factor is whether or not Ross Brawn is capable of building a duff car?

Answer:
No!

 

[teabagyokel]

To celebrate Schumacher's return to F1, I have decided to write a Michael Schumacher Quiz. Then I realised I'd already done one, some of the stats may be dated (I haven't checked) but well worth a go!

Sometimes Quizmastering is so easy!

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

I wonder how much Bernie, err, his other sponsors are really paying him?

 

[Brogan]

Records held by Michael Schumacher.

[BOX=400]Most world titles: 7 (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)

Most consecutive titles: 5 (2000-04)

Most grand prix wins: 91

Most wins in a single season: 13 (2004)

Most consecutive wins in a single season: 7 (2004)

Most wins at the same race: 8 (French GP)

Most wins with one team: 72 (Ferrari)

Most wins from pole: 40

Most pole positions: 68

Most front-row starts: 115

Most podium finishes: 154

Most second place finishes: 43

Most points finishes: 190

Most points scored: 1,369

Most points in a single season: 148 (from a maximum of 180, in 2004)

Most fastest laps: 76

Most fastest laps in a season: 10 (from a maximum of 18, in 2004)

Most races led: 141

Most laps led: 5,108

Furthest distance led in a season: 2,085 miles (2004)

Fastest race-winning average speed: 153.843mph (2003 Italian GP)

Most consecutive podiums: 19 (USA 2001 to Japan 2002)

Most consecutive points finishes: 24 (Hungary 2001 to Malaysia 2003)

Most consecutive seasons with a win: 15 (1992-2006)

Most consecutive wins from pole (6)

Most ‘clean sweeps’ (pole, win, fastest lap): 22

Largest points gap between champion and runner-up: 67 (2002)

Earliest title winner: 2002 (in July, with 6 of the 17 races remaining)

Longest continuous spell with one team: 11 seasons (Ferrari, 1996-2006)

Most races with same team: 162 (Ferrari)

Most time between first and last race wins: 14 years, 1 month and 1 day

Never outqualified by his team-mate in 1992, 1993 or 1994

Only driver to have finished every race on the podium: 2002

Won all his ‘landmark’ GPs, winning on his 50th, 100th, 150th and 200th GP starts

Only events he failed to win were South African, Mexican and Turkish GPs

His record of 91 GP wins is only one shy of the combined total of the next two most winning drivers, Alain Prost (51) and Ayrton Senna (41)

Scored points in a remarkable 76.6% of all his GP starts

Led 56.9% of all GPs he started

Banned or disqualified from more races than anyone else (banned from two races and disqualified from another in 1994; excluded from 1997 world championship results for collision with Jacques Villeneuve)[/quote]

 

[bogaTYR]

our michael has stated his goal for 2010! 7 minutes of bbc interview

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... 429186.stm

his eight WDC of course

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

Not sure if this has been mentioned already - Mercedes were talking to Michael about driving for them (presumably when they were planning their own team) as long as 6 months ago. The reason for Button leaving after Mercedes bought Brawn starts to become crystal clear if so.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/23122009/ ... onths.html

 

[Brogan]

The reason for Button leaving after Mercedes bought Brawn starts to become crystal clear if so.

Although Ross Brawn has denied it, I did make that comment a while ago.

It's clear to me that Brawn Mercedes did everything possible not to sign Jenson, obviously because they had their sights set elsewhere.

The way they treat both Jenson and Rubens left a lot to be desired and it also makes a mockery of their claim that they didn't want an all German team.

 

[LifeW12]

Schumacher and Brawn back together.....................

Is he only driving for a year and doing a farewell year like Mario Andretti or is this a multi year thing??

 

[bogaTYR]

its a three year deal boys and girls

here is ross on michael http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... 428476.stm

 

[Brogan]

It's a 3 year deal but it's not yet clear if he will be driving for all of those or acting as an advisor for the 2nd and/or 3rd year.

 

[fedupwithuserids]

Bro said :

makes a mockery of their claim that they didn't want an all German team.

Well if Mercedes can't afford (or even court) a World Champion or one of the most experienced guy's in F1 then there's something seriously wrong. I think you've hit the nail on the head.

We've got a near British team, so let the competition commence.

 

[LifeW12]

Its going to be fascinating to see if he's still got what it takes to beat Hamilton, Alonso, Vettel.

He only needs to win once to tie Senna + Prost's total wins

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

Someone else thinks Schumacher was the target and Button surplus to requirements.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/f1/story/0, ... 00,00.html

 

[FB]

Wonderful article from the Gazetta Della Sport on Schumies return describing it as "high treason" from a Ferrari fans perspective:

The German champion's decision is a great coup for Formula 1, but for Ferrari fans it's a big disappointment. And from a personal point of view, it's sad to see that Schumi could not just be Michael - the superstar could not just be a man.

They also blame the Ferrari team & Montezemolo for "rekindling" his desire to race by asking him to come back last year to replace Massa. Well, they didn't have to sign Alonso, did they?

Gazetta

 

[teabagyokel]

Well, they didn't have to sign Alonso, did they?

In fact, there is little doubt that Alonso is a better bet than Schumacher going into the future. Remember he won his two WDCs with Schumacher on track (parking)!

 

[FB]

There's two possible ways to view this TBY. The first, as you quite rightly point out is that Alonso is the future for Ferrari. He is significantly younger, potentially more talented (discuss) and a driver the team can build around for the future; assuming he gets the priority treatment he thinks he deserves.

The second possible view point is that Schumie has seen next years Ferrari car (I presume he could pretty much go where he pleased within Maranello) and knows it is a complete pup making Brawn Mercedes the obvious choice; who will, after all, be building on their success from 2009.

 

[cider_and_toast]

And for the Blairites among us there is a third way which is Brawn / the sponsors are paying Schumacher a bucket load of cash to drive for Merc.

Besides we all know that the Alonso deal was as good as done 12 months ago before any talk of a Schuey return. If it hadn't have been for Springgate then I think Schuey would still be warming his backside on the Ferrari pit wall.

 

[GeoffP]

I'll go with Option 4 - Schui was attracted to Ferrari when they had money and a dog of a car, he got a priority seat and an opportunity to take the team forward.

Schui has now gone to new team, WCC yes, but before the move there was a very short list of those who thought it would stay that way. He built Ferrari with Ross Brawn, I don't think he rates his chances, certainly beyond 2010, as a lead driver, but the challenge to develop the team is there. This is something Ferrari could not offer him, and with Alonso there I can't see there being too much space for big personalities.

One thing when comparing drivers, I keep coming back to the fact that 2010 will only have two WDCs who have got the title in cars that did not win the WCC, Schumacher and Hamilton. I do rate Alonso, but he does not have that tick in his box, and until he gets that level of success with a runner up team...