Schumacher to quit if Ferrari doesn't win

[bmagni]

Michael Schumacher says he will only quit F1 when he feels he can't win races and challenge for the title any more. He also revealed that he'd take a decision on his long term F1 future around mid way through the 2006 season.

"If I can't win races and challenge for the title I don't think I'll want to stay around much longer," Schumacher told Der Spiegel in an interview.

Schumacher turned 37 this week and is the oldest driver currently in F1. He won only a single race last season - the controversial US Grand Prix when only six cars participated and he finished third overall in the championship.

[Caplax40]

That's probably a smart move on his part. Always good to go out on top. He's won seven championships and eventually it must come to an end. It's best not to drag his career out and have it muddied (that even a word?) by going to different teams and having dissapointing seasons.

Jerry Rice, anybody? 8)

[racer_f50]

Quite an understandable decision. Hopefully we'll see him win some races so he'll keep on going into future seasons. F1 would be losing about 1/2 its talent if he retires 8)

Also must say I'm not surprised by his "win or i retire" opinion, since he didn't go back to the Race of Champions after he didn't win it.

[SFDMALEX]

/\/\/\Well he couldnt win it anyway since he is not allowed to drive some of the cars there.

[Caplax40]

/\/\/\Well he couldnt win it anyway since he is not allowed to drive some of the cars there.


Why's that?

[racer_f50]

/\/\/\Well he couldnt win it anyway since he is not allowed to drive some of the cars there.


Why's that?He was only allowed to drive the Ferrari 360's they used in the 2004 competition due to his F1 contract, I reckon (most likely only limits him in competetive driving). Since there weren't any Ferraris in the RoC this year, I suppose it makes sense that he wouldn't show up.
Very good point SFDMALEX, I just figured he didn't want to lose again.

[DeMoN]

smart move? Panzy if you ask me... quitting when it becomes challenging.

[ZfrkS62]

well, you can't say he's lost his touch. I'm sure this is just frustration coming through.

Either that or he's going somewhere else.

[yg60m]

Indeed he's got nothing to prove and he certainly don't want to finish his career by loosing several titles. Or maybe he knows Raikkonen signed with Ferrari for 2007 so he prepares his exit :wink:

[Toronto]

he has been saying this for years :wink:

[ae86_16v]

he has been saying this for years :wink:

Exactly. . . he's been saying that for years. I always remember interview of him saying that. Always to the effect of, "if I can't be competitive anymore, then I won't race. And when I am not competitive then I will not have fun."

[DeMoN]

If he quits what will he do? I mean, he has more money than he could ever spend.... I wonder if after so many F1 laps, he now feels really slow while driving around in his hometown.

[ae86_16v]

^ Haha, in a recent interview with Rubens, he said that he usually doesn't speed around town, but he noticed that during the winter break, he'll drive faster and faster until the season starts. Because he misses the speed or something I guess :) .

I noticed that is the same way about me, after a karting session or an autocross, I tend to be relax for a good couple of days, then I feel the need for speed again :D .

[SFDMALEX]

/\/\/\Well he couldnt win it anyway since he is not allowed to drive some of the cars there.


Why's that?

He is not permitted to drive any non fiat group(owned) vehicle.

Thats why he only drove the Challenge cars and one of those buggies because they didnt have a "brand" so to speak.

[5vz-fe]

I really want him to stick with red, but it does hurt last year not seeing him win a single race.

[cooperluke]

I think he has nothing to prove, and he don't needs to risk is life at F1 races, to stay at 2nd or 3rd place, when he has so much money, and so many investments

[nthfinity]

I really want him to stick with red, but it does hurt last year not seeing him win a single race.
well..... technically, he won the 6 car race at the USGP...

and a number of 2nd's that should've been 1rsts... so damn close, i was suprised Alonso could hold him off without spinning.

[5vz-fe]

lol.........I guess subconciously that doesn't count to me

*EDIT* Ferrari seems be in pretty good pace

Jerez* - 10/01/2006
1 . M. Schumacher - Ferrari F2004 V8 - 1:18.020 (+ 0.000 ) - 82 laps
2 . R. Zonta - Toyota TF106 V8 - 1:19.348 (+ 1.328 ) - 66 laps
3 . F. Alonso - Renault R25 V10 - 1:19.866 (+ 1.846 ) - 59 laps
4 . R. Schumacher - Toyota TF106 V8 - 1:19.866 (+ 1.846 ) - 61 laps
5 . L. Badoer - Ferrari F2005 V10 - 1:20.091 (+ 2.071 ) - 63 laps
6 . G. Fisichella - Renault R26 V8 - 1:20.555 (+ 2.535 ) - 39 laps
7 . D. Coulthard - Red Bull Ferrari RB2 - 1:21.986 (+ 3.966 ) - 31 laps.

[Max Power]

is the F2004 the same or does it comply with the new regs?

[esbolico]

if schumacher quits it will never be the same.

[5vz-fe]

is the F2004 the same or does it comply with the new regs?

Prolly not, coz of the aero parts, but the V8 is looking good

[nthfinity]

1.3 seconds faster!! :shock:

... that's a lot of gap - even for a winter session :D
i bet that the other teams are frightened by it too...

well, we'll see about Mercedes, and i wonder about Renault.... since they're still running the restricted v10's

also, the F2006 chassis hasnt been unleashed yet... where the 2004 couldn't hold ground to the top teams new chassis... so im pretty impressed with these current lap times

[Max Power]

is the F2004 the same or does it comply with the new regs?

Prolly not, coz of the aero parts, but the V8 is looking good

so if its the original F2004 with a V8 than its got the 2004 aero so the time is really irrelevant

[5vz-fe]

is the F2004 the same or does it comply with the new regs?

Prolly not, coz of the aero parts, but the V8 is looking good

so if its the original F2004 with a V8 than its got the 2004 aero so the time is really irrelevant

1.3 secs ahead is abit of a gap w/ the new V8 regardless of the aero package. So even tho it doesn't give us an accurate picture, it does give us hope :wink:

[Mattk]

It's a new F1 zeitgeist. He's on the downslide.

[jenkF1]

plus the V10 has much more torque even when restricted to the same HP

[bmagni]

so he says its 99 % sure hes not going anywhere else if Ferrari doesn't win, which means he would go...

[nthfinity]

plus the V10 has much more torque even when restricted to the same HP
not nessiarily...

restrictor plates limit your intake to a cirtain volume of air, except with creating a greater vaccume, or pressure (higher intake velocity/turbocharging) so it may not actually have higher torque

[ae86_16v]

Does anybody know his lap record in the old car? Not that it matters much since the weather was crappy. . .

With the air temperature hovering at the freezing point, Michael Schumacher took the 2.976KM Fiorano test track in the new Ferrari today.

The car, currently dubbed the 657, ran in plain red without its normal sponsorship livery and Schumacher completed 51 laps during the day recording a best time of 59.569s.

Following this initial shakedown run, development testing of the car resumes on Friday at Fiorano. The car will be officially unveiled at Mugello on January 24th.


http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/16012006/13/51-laps-schumacher-fiorano.html

[sameerrao]

Does anybody know his lap record in the old car? Not that it matters much since the weather was crappy. . .

With the air temperature hovering at the freezing point, Michael Schumacher took the 2.976KM Fiorano test track in the new Ferrari today.

The car, currently dubbed the 657, ran in plain red without its normal sponsorship livery and Schumacher completed 51 laps during the day recording a best time of 59.569s.

Following this initial shakedown run, development testing of the car resumes on Friday at Fiorano. The car will be officially unveiled at Mugello on January 24th.

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/16012006/13/51-laps-schumacher-fiorano.html

Here are the Ferrari F1 car lap times

LAP TIMES PISTA DI FIORANO
Ferrari F2004 (2004, MS) 0.55.999
Ferrari F2003-GA (2003, MS) 0.56.33
Ferrari F2005 57.187s
Ferrari F2002 0.57.476
Ferrari F2002 (2002, MS) 0.58.378
Ferrari F1 310B (1997, MS) 0.59.00
Ferrari F1 412T1 (1994, Alesi) 1.00.31

Note: Fiorano circuit was slightly changed in 1995 , it is now a bit faster (shorter) it was changed to suit the new F1 chassis, so any times before 1995 can not be related or compared to the lap times after 95. And also in 2004 the asfalt was redone which also lowered by 1.5 sec the lap time.

Source: Ferrarichat and formula1.com

[ae86_16v]

^ So 3.5 Seconds off. . . seems like a lot.

How many seconds do you guys think is attributed to the lack of power?

[5vz-fe]

^ So 3.5 Seconds off. . . seems like a lot.

How many seconds do you guys think is attributed to the lack of power?

It's a shake down run anyways....so don't look too much into it. But my guess would be ~1.5 seconds

[sameerrao]

^ So 3.5 Seconds off. . . seems like a lot.

How many seconds do you guys think is attributed to the lack of power?

Keep in mind that they are testing the car with Intermediate tires as it is cold in Northern Italy this time - 40F.

http://www.itv-f1.com/ImageLibrary/35637_2.jpg

The times will improve as it heats up and they can get back to dry weather tires and soft compounds