Schumacher announces retirement

[glasgowwestie]

According to Jake Humphrey tweet Michael Schumacher has retired. Maybe he just had nowhere to go.

So will there be any other 'musical chairs'? Sauber at least need to replace Perez.

I would personally get rid of Massa, but Ferrari seem to favour one (expensive) top driver and another (cheaper one) just to make up the numbers and do 'race testing'? Alonso has a 2013 contract but Massa doesn't (yet) so a seat there is still possibly available? Di Resta doesn't seem like a bad option.

Lotus is happy with Kimi and Grosjean, although the latter hasn't apparently signed the deal yet, but it seems likely.

Senna has to be vulnerable at Williams? With lots of rumours about Valtteri Bottas being faster... But then again fast as he can be, I wouldn't want Maldonado in my team.

Petrov is rumoured to be out of money to pay for his drive at Caterham and but Charles Pic still brings money for his seat and seems likely replacement? But the Frenchman's management have apparently also been talking to Sauber. They have to replace Perez, and presumably want some continuity so will likely sign Kobayashi? - who is sometimes exciting to watch.

There are reportedly no confirmed contracts yet at Force India, Toro Rosso, Caterham and Marussia. HRT have only confirmed De La Rosa.

[ryallm]

The only sensible thing for Schumacher to do really. I reckon Kovalainen has earned a better seat - would be good to see him at Sauber. Massa surely has to go - he has been sh*t for the majority of the last 3 seasons, and our boy Di Resta would make a fine replacement

[jason]

My guess is Hulkenberg to Ferrari (cos that's what all the gossip is saying) and Massa to return to Sauber (maybe). Or Kovaleinen to Sauber.

[Dominic]

So, I think Schumi's return to F1 has only been detrimental to his reputation as an "all time great". I have never liked him, but do think he had some very talented moments (in between all the dirty cheats). But his return has only served to lower my opinion of him. I'm sure he has earned some strong money in the past few years, so, from that point of view, I can understand his return to the sport. Am I the only one who thinks he has damaged his reputation by returning? I won't be sad to see him go.

[Corranga]

I don't know if it's damaged his reputation, I mean he still has lots of poles, wins, fastest laps and championships. No one can deny he is still an all time great.
In a way, I see it as a bit of an indicator on the way the sport has gone. I wonder if they were allowed to test and test and test some more if Schumacher would be better, and if they were actually properly racing (as in not conservatively driving to preserve tyres, and not on heavy fuel load etc as he was used to..) if he'd be better still.

I was a big fan, and respect him for giving it another go, but agree the time has come.

As for the shuffling drivers around, I really don't see Ferrari ditching Massa (much as I want them to), everything points to him being there next year.
Hulkenberg vs. Di Resta is much of a muchness, I suppose Hulkenberg has been around longer, so has more experience. Paul has had some good races, but nothing to really prove he's worth opting for.
They really should take a punt on someone cheaper though..

Kovaleinen would be a good should for a better drive as I think he regularly out performs the Caterham, he's probably a better shout than the two force india drivers for Ferrari, but I don't see that happening either.

[Lazydonkey]

Can i remind you he's driven into the back to two drivers recently.

No amount of testing would have prevented that IMHO.

[j2 lot]

Stuff

Bizarelly I found I liked him more after his return and was rooting for him on a number of occassions, but his return only damaged his reputation as a racer. Great things were expected and his return was so over hyped - all for him to be an also ran that crashed more than he won.

[Corranga]

Can i remind you he's driven into the back to two drivers recently.

No amount of testing would have prevented that IMHO.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending him or his mistakes, and I have no doubt that a lot of his ability is gone, all I'm saying is that it was different back then. Drivers had to be out and out racers, not like now with the tyre lottery. You might be talking about 2 out of the past 24 races, I'm looking at the other 22!

I get the feeling that he was loving the thrill of driving an F1 car again, and not really caring about not winning. He always seemed to be happier than I remember, with more of a "that's racing" attitude (maybe why some found him more likable 2nd time around).
Maybe he should have just bought an old Fezza F1 and visited Fiorano or Mugello every other weekend

Chris

[tut]

Bottom line, seven times world champion.

Like Senna he has a winner by any means mentality, along with a very strong aggression, which is why they were both number one for years, as opposed to two and below.

The fact that we are talking about him with different opinions means that you need that type to make the racing interesting, especially nowadays. As we know Senna would take someone out deliberately to ensure that he won the championship, he would probably have also parked his car on a corner to protect his front row position if it had come about.

It is time that he retired though now before he drops any further down from what he once had, the problem is that though the rest of the world realise that, he will be the last one to have to acknowledge it.

tut

[dirkpitt]

So the old red baron hangs up his iron cross and goes home to his ludwig castle eating meat in the morning with his favourite German Shepard.

Judging by that , you can tell I was never a big fan of his……okay I am a bit biased, when I was younger and usually supported a British driver….although I did admire senna for his intensity and charismatic style and this strikingly rugged features that kind of depicted a racing driver like no other. …..but, instead I was a mansell fan ….tash and all!
Brundle with lotus used to keep me interested and as a brit I always liked the underdog…..

What really stuck in my thought with the baron was the all eventful Australian GP with Damon hill when he quiet blatantly took him out.
I remember being so furious with his smug smile and heartbroken for hill with his face of utter decimation that I never forgave him ever since...... I have a memory of an elephant as they say….

Although 7 world championships to his name, I still wouldn’t swap them for mansells win at Silverstone!! Call me a sentimental old patriotic prat and I would say …..cheers.

On the subject of massa….well I’m thinking no one in his right mind wants to take on alonso at his own game at fezzer….anyone with a bit of pride would shy away…..it sounds like they need someone who is happy to play second fiddle and isn’t going to out shine Alonso……..humm let me think oh yeah …Massa…

[GregR]

So the old red baron hangs up his iron cross and goes home to his ludwig castle eating meat in the morning with his favourite German Shepard.

Excellent, a racial stereotype and a World War reference Not getting the last bit mixed up with the 1976 World Champion?

[campbell]

Can i remind you he's driven into the back to two drivers recently.

No amount of testing would have prevented that IMHO.

Maybe needs to take his IAM test.

[PhilA]

i kept hoping he would be ace again... but he did show that he still had "it", just missing the edge and was time was always against him - folk always looking to him being far ahead of anyone else.
Thing is, the cars are closer, and hes not in the leading one.
Monaco was ace this year for him - the rear enders not so - but maybe that shows some of his other accidents earlier in his careers might well have been pure accidents?

shame hes gone - but its good to have a shake up now and again

[jimbo]

Gutted he is retiring. I am a huge schumi fan (sat in middle of Club corner at Silverstone with Schumacher jacket on, surrounded by a sea of Jenson & Lewis fans) nobody can take away from what he has achieved in F1.

If Mercedes had given him a car capable of scrapping it out for podiums, even if he isn't quite what he once was, it would've been a fitting end to an almost unmatched illustrious career. The fact that they couldn't, coupled with some mistakes but also some appalling luck, has allowed some to say it has damaged his reputation. Not to me it hasn't, and I dare say not to those who really know F1.

My only wish leading up to todays announcement was that Ferrari ditched Massa & signed Michael for one season. Back at the scuderia where he made his name? Now that really would've been a fitting end!

Sent from my TITAN X310e using Board Express

[campbell]

Quite a balanced article by Andrew Benson at the Beeb

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson ... humac.html