What do you think of Michael Schumacher’s season so far? Compare the answer to your reaction when he came back from retirement to join the Silver Arrows. Do you still think that it was wise of him to come back to the sport where he has won it all? Well, Sir Jackie Stewart, who retired in 1973 as a triple world champion, clearly thinks that Schumi’s comeback was a mistake.
When asked by Cologne Express if the seven-time world champion can keep up with young hotshots like Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton, the Scot said: “He cannot even keep up with his teammate. He (Nico Rosberg) is usually faster and has not won a grand prix. I would have preferred to have seen Michael not come back. Why did he do it? He had achieved everything and could only lose.”
The cheeky publication then probed if Stewart thinks Schumacher can improve in 2011. “The first question should be ‘will he do another year?’ I believe he will stop after this season,” came the reply. On talks that the German is aiming to be next year’s champion, Stewart said: “What does his heart say? I will believe it only when I see him on the starting grid in March.”
At last weekend’s British GP, Schumacher finished ninth while Rosberg got on the podium. He also qualified eight tenths behind Nico. The younger German has 90 points so far, more than his 41-year-old compatriot’s 36 points.
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just wait for his progress next year then we will know his true talent after 3 years absence in f1…i dont judge him for this year because of his late arrival at the merc camp..so just wait for him fully collaborate for the development of the car for next yr..so then we will know either he is still competitive or not..i still have faith on him..
his car is rubbish actually , and the time between he retired and when he came back so many things changed in the car and rules and regulations surly he needs time to adjust , bt then again hes not exactly young either…jury stil out,giv him another year and a better car…
NO, he will not; if he will, he will not coming bk! He will give his best for another 2 more years!
The Rain-meister retires and the Iceman replaces him?
It’s unfair to write him off, since he jumped back into a different F1 from what he left behind in 06. Plus the Mercedes isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, so I hope Brawn can pull out his magic touch to get the car working.
Totally agree with Sir Jackie’s comment.
Michael should have come back as an advisor with perhaps stints in testing the car’s set up during practice sessions.
No doubts Michael also advises the team & share his vast experience but all these are not reported & is overshadowed by his failure on track.
Shame his legacy has to end this way.
Well, he came back for an obvious reason: $$$.
Everybody knows he has nothing else to prove, just losing, and what if he’s winning? Obviously more $$$ right?
But the fact is he has nothing else better to do and F1 racing could buy him back what he might have lost (financially) and only himself knows that (on whatever economy slump, investment lost, etc.). May it be a hobby, may it be money, he has a stronger choice than any of us. Whatever he earned in his lifetime so far, will take N+1 lifetimes of ours to even work-damn-F-hard to know about it…
Huh $$$??? I think you are just ignorant. He is already super rich, whats the point of coming back for money. He is a racer and he feels motivated to be back and try to win again. For me thats the only reason. He is struggling this year no doubt but give this guy the tool and he will be kicking ass again.
You think rich guys stays rich? They have a bigger financial problem than you and me!
True. Rich guys never stay rich. But if you have followed F1 news since like mid nineties, probably you can estimate whats Schumacher is worth and his fortunes are a huge pile probably last him at least 2 generations with lavish and luxurious expenditures. Mercedes isn’t paying him that much that attracts him. Why do you think Button left? In his case, its definitely $$$, nit Schumacher. I strongly belief its because of passion and his patriotism of completing an all new and total German lineup. After all, Mercedes has ceased their partnership with Maclaren, so indirectly means that that Woking based outfit will no longer be a partner to Mercedes and in return Mercedes will only supply them engine and nothing else. No technology or other works are involved. The more than decades of partnership ended, and I belief now they are moving to Brawn GP for an alliance and turn it into a full German team just for the initial. This year, is just a maiden year and to start it with an all German lineup will definitely benefit Petronas Mercedes Team. Afterall, ever wonder what can Schumacher be other than a racer? You guys probably never see the marketing values he carries. So its easier to attract sponsors….got it? They are definitely a force not to be excluded. Honestly, if you say Schumacher is always out beaten by the team mate on paper, it remains a data fact. But what underlines it is still beyond our imagination. I don’t belief in two identical car in F1, there is somehow along the way, something is not working in the correct manner or order. Switch their car, then you can probably see Schumacher running faster. If you ask me, I think Rosberg isn’t up to the level yet too….not only Schumacher. Try fitting Kimi Rakonnen in to the team, you can then see a major different, i belief….
If he does retire before 2011, that will bring more shame to the once mighty Schumacher. Now his got beaten a num of times not only by his own younger teammate (not sure if Rosberg is no 2 driver on this case) but also numerous younger drivers from other teams. Not good for once the unstoppable legend.
It might attract critics but dont forget Ross Brawn may have his own reasons. Read F1 mag (incorporated inside autocar asean magazine) and it revealed that they brought Schumacher so that to bring his knowledge and experience to develop the Mercedes F1 car. His feedback was claimed to be very technical that no test driver has provided such detailed feedback. Well to be honest most test drivers in F1 lacked of proper F1 experience.
Schumacher may not like he used to be on race day but give it some time and u never know by 2011 or 2012 Mercedes F1 will have a winning car all thanks to the data provided by Schumacher. Therefore I hope he wont be pressured to leave at 2011.
F1 is a very expensive sports, stake are rocket high, Schumacher should leave! Unless Petronas just need a Primadona..
I think he shouldn’t quit until end of next year. Give him one more year for him to prove his worth 7 times world champion. Better finish with pride
this dude think he still can compete with the young generation..LOL…
if he dint come back..he would have left a better name for himself in F1…
MS would have made the biggest mistake is he joined Lotus.
At Mercedes he is still racking in points unlike the
other back marker with lots of to say but so far still
has a fat ZERO point.
get Kimi in there
kimi is slow… rubbish!
it is a pity.he should have left his image,reputation and legacy intact, everyone looked up to him as the greatest F1 driver of all time and now we shall have to remember his lacklustre comeback performance.I am sure he already has more than enough money for a few lifetimes!
Doubt you watched F1 when we was with Benetton. That was when I admired this guy for the raw talent he had competing with Senna and Mansell. Give him the benefit of the doubt and he will be back with a vengeance. Schumi won’t be back if he thinks he can’t win again.
he is like our beloved mahatir
should retired and dont sibuk current matter
but no… ke po chi here n there
learn from lee kuan yew lah!
There is a big difference between politics and sports. I’d say give him the chance and see what he can do against the young guns. Look at Alonso, he is struggling too at Ferrari. Give them the car and they will win again.
Oh yeah your comment doesn’t hold water as Dr.M is still poking his nose in politics…so who is the kay po chi?? Retire with grace lah mamakthir!!
How you know Lee Kuan Yew didn’t kepochi? In fact, what you mean he didn’t kepochi? He became Mentor Minister what! At least Mahathir speaks in a capacity as a private citizen!
I still have faith in Schumi..well 7 times world champ in F1…who else can do it even if he sucks this year after absence for a while…
Well Sir Jackie Stewart is just jealous because he is too old to make a come back…hahaha…
Everyone can be a critic these days. Try asking Hakkinen or Prost to come back to F1 and I bet they cant perform like how they used to be.
Despite not a Schumi fan, I still root for him to succeed in this year’s campaign for Mercedes. Well in the next 2 years he may not win any races, but u never know his data and knowledge on developing the car will benefit Nico Rosberg. That dude is a good contender for future F1 championship.
Its better to get a veteran, even better if he a former champion, to develop ur car rather than asking winners of GP2, or formula renault to develop n test ur future cars.
just give he seat to heildfield…
Heidfeld…….hmm wasn’t outperformed by Kubica???
well, sir jackie have a point. i still think shumi is not a force he once was. people got old bro…
So you are saying old ppl cannot contribute anymore? Dei everyone will get old sooner or later…just watch the race and have fun seeing him race with the young guns lah. Brawn will eventually do something with the car…just wait and see!!
Time can proved everything, just give him some time and who knows mercedes might dominating in the coming years…
he is a legend, why would he comes out again to get himself beaten……sigh….
My point of view is he cannot retire in 2011, he still need to assist the mercedes team in the future, he experience is unvalueable, something the money can’t buy, this year is a difficults year for him after three years off in F1 business, even the mercedes boss Ross Brawn & Norbert Haug also say it may take sometimes for Micheal to suit the total new machine & new regulations, sometimes is difficult to judge the result, we may need to see overall situation such as car machinal problems and solutions, for the first few races, the team was facing a technical problems, now is become better and better, we can see the europe gp, if not for the red light turn on in the pit lane, micheal should get a better result for Europe GP, Micheal should know what is the next step of his future, now is the most challenge for 7 times world champion.
i think age doesnt play a factor here..
we can’t doubt his love & passion for F1..
cheers..
Schumi coming back to F1 was more out of boredom and his zest for racing still than anything else. He’s got all the riches a man could possibly have and want, so what to do next? Open a pizzaria? Not Schumi, so when the chance came to reunite with Ross Brawn he jumped at it, the man who brought him 5x WC’s ain’t gonna let him down now innit? See the thing is Brawn was upfront, the car needed much work and Schumi was pivotal from that point of view, he’s the most technically gifted driver in the current generation, he knows the mechanics of the car and how it should and will perform. Why do you think Ferrari hired him as consultant for 2-3 years? His feedback.
True so far this season he has failed to live up to the hype, but who started the hype? It wasn’t him, it was the media. Before he started testing they were predicting the 8th WC. All he said was we’ll have to see how things go but I’m confident. I am a Schumi fan, I went to Sepang 7 yrs in a row to watch him thus is sad to see his reputation somewhat tarnished by a car that isn’t up to standards.
If I were Schumi, I’d wait for the season to end and then decide. After all he’s already won all the sport can provide and he can put his comeback down to a mid-life crisis and perhaps open that pizzeria :)
Actually, Brawn gave him ALL his championship. Don’t forget, Brawn was in Benetton in 94 & 95 too!
Yeah my bad, an oversight that one. Brawn’s been with him all the way.
brawn and todt to be precise..hehe
its obviously premature for steward to say as such. schumacher return to formula1 is for 3years prog. not just one off, do or die season.
brawn GP was restructured after honda pull off from formula one. once manufacture team became small independent team. which of course lead to smaller operation and resources; money and talents.
then they pour everything they have into winning 2009 championship. same thing happen to ferrari and mclaren and renault slump after they put so much resource on championship fight and not focus on next season development.
as for now mercedes backed the brawn with unlimited resource, schumacher task for 1/3 of his contract is to redevelop the winning car.
next season he will be regular front runner and podium and few wining, if lucky enough fight for championship.
only on 2012 he will be totaly ready to fight for championship and the return of shumacher the conquerer againt.
even alonso, lewis, button, kimi, vettel, webber can’t win in non winning cars.
I’m also not Schumi’s fan,but give him the benefit of doubt. He is starting all over again in a new environment and new machine and he wants to race, his reputation does not just go down the drain because he is not winning races anymore. He has more than proved himself and he has nothing else to prove and I believe whatever reason for him to come back to race is personal.
Mercedes GP as an employer has chosen to hire someone whom they think is an experienced race driver (employee) and Schumi is a paid by them. Whether it is for experience or for winning races its up to them and I don’t think any of us are qualified to comment on their decision.
Give him RBR exhaust diffuser than he will win a consolation Grand Prix. Believe me.
Problem now is that MS is already in the sport.
If he leaves now, leaves a bad mark to his superb legacy
Continue on, there may be a chance of winning a podioum place
I think he should continue another year just to get his bearings even better. You have to remember, that even though underachieving, its not like the Ferrar test drive who replaced massa after the crash. That guy is consistently slow.
PS Paul: Llike the new comment system with like dislike function. You will see a trend that the comments higher up get more feedback and people are just bored of reading all the comments down the list. LOL
heidfeld!… heidfeld!… heidfeld!
get heidfeld!
Here we go again… I think whoever wrote this article is a complete idiot just trying to get a rise out Schumacher, hoping he will read this…Guess what? I don’t think Schumi gives a damn rat what you think.. or Moss and Ecclestone…of all people, Ecclestone should be kissing Schumacher’s ass for bringing back the interest in Formula 1… If Schumacher didn’t come back, the viewings would be a third of what they’ve been up till now.
I’ve followed him from his first race in F1…. I can assure you he’s still the best out there, if he were in a Red Bull he would be winning constantly…
The real problem is the car…you see, last year, Brawn GP received the data from the FIA for the 2010 regulations, this data wasn’t correct.. and therefore they built a car which is just completely wrong. Rosberg has been in F1 every year, and is therefore better prepared…he’s had the same engineer too…Schumacher has come out of retirement, with an engineer who is completely useless if you ask me…Brawn should be his engineer like he used to be at Benetton and Ferrari……….even though he’s the also the team boss.
Apart from that you’re not even worth the time it took me to write this.
Maybe you should also be a commentator for children go-karting at the mall.
People who are trying to push Schumacher over the limit are very dangerous..because they could ush him to drive over the limit of the car, thus putting his life in danger…
Shame on you bastards!
Fucking pathetic journalists; you’re all like vultures.
@ TRAV
I agree..Schumacher is gathering vital data for next years’car……
That’s the way he works…he’s a genius in his own right…he is capable to help build winning cars…soemthing none of the current F1 drivers are capable to do……
A lot of people are going to shut their mouths in 2011..
3 years leave from F1 is a long time since massive development and rule changes have taken place. One thing for sure is that Schumi is not in F1 again just for the money, but genuine passion for the sports and maybe he feels that he owes Ross a favour. They go back a long time together.
Anyway during the time while he was at Ferrari, he got such a superior car with unlimited budget, that no other car can keep up with them. The race becomes boring and predictable, and fans are running away from the tube, which is vital for advertising money and brand visibility. In my opinion, as far as talent and capability between F1 drivers, the difference between the top 10 would be just 5%, at most. If Schumi we driving for Minardi or Jordan at that time, he would have gotten nowhere.
When the rules are revised to make it a more playing field, the cars are getting closer, where the top 10 positions are just separated by 1 second in qualifying. In Schumi’s time it was about 2-3 second at times. And when he came back he had to be contented with racing with ambitious talented young drivers like Hamilton, Vettel, Nico, Kubica, Alonso, and even Kobayashi. The other young drivers like Buemi and Agesuari are also giving him a hard time.
Maybe, just maybe he made a bad decision to come back?
I’d like to see Schumi stay on another year. In fact he should do a 3 year stint then judge him worthy of F1 or not. F1 is not a magical sport. No one jumps in an starts winning right away. Schumi in fact has not done any single seater for 3 years. For him to come from 3 years of nothing and be where he is now is something and there could be more from him. He is not exactly in the bottom half of the grid. Lets see how he fares next year after a season’s worth of return experience.
Remember that he did not join Ferrari and immediately win races.
Having said that, though I asked for 3 years I do feel he should hang up his helmet for good after that, even if he wins another WDC. There are a lot of young talents coming up who could use his seat.
Lets rename the title to “We love Michael Schumacher & all those who disagree can bloody well F*&% off”
Qualyf: Nico 10 – 2 Schu
Points: Nico 90 – 36 Shcu
Podium: Nico 2 – 0 Schu
Laps: Nico 547 – 500 Schu
Laps leads: Nico 16 – 0 Schu
Nico….Nico….Nico……..
D. Coulthard latest comments on RedBull “You can either go the Ferrari-Schumacher route, with one driver openly backed over the other, or you can go for an equal partnership. The first is the most effective way of winning a championship but morally dubious. The second is the fairer system but is incredibly volatile and difficult to put into practice.”
Schu had winning 7 with the first one… with damn good cars (finished most 1-2)… so, his not the legend…LOL
if you didnt follow his carrier since the 1st day he was in f1..please shout your mouth
I did followed his carrier… that why I know bos… haah..haha..LOL… give the car to Montoya..
Lets not forget that Schumi joined Ferrari when the entire team was not competitive. He then turned Ferrari around by forming his ‘dream team’ and inspiring every team member to give their 110%. How many drivers are willing to do that? For that, he is legendary.
Senna also had similar traits and he tried to do that in the struggling Williams in ’94 which unfortunately cost him his life
Most drivers only want to join an existing front running team so they can with the WDC for themselves.
in my opinion, schumi will continue his race on the next season. it’s forgiven for his poor performance for this come back. but remember, he was retired on 2006 and a lot of changes in the formula 1’s car. the most problem is…. the technichen in the mercedes team. during 2009 season, they perform well during half of the season. on the first seven races of grand prix. but, they were unstable performance for the remaining races. the defuse system also was not allowed on this season. so, its the one of the contribution for the low performance of mercedes and schumi can’t race with the red bull team which have a lot of improvement on their cars.
let we see the remaining performance in the races for schumi in this season and lets waiting his really come back on next season.
give the car to me! …. huh!