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| Lauda wants Michael Schumacher in Massa's car; will this guy say anthing for coverage? | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 26 2009, 02:27 PM (1,195 Views) | |
| Steelstallions | Jul 26 2009, 02:27 PM Post #1 |
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/jul/2...da-felipe-massa
Lauda must know better than any of us that after two years away from competitive F1 and with a racing reputation as big as his to keep, MS WILL NEVER RETURN to the track. He has all to lose and nothing to gain. Its not as though the Ferrari is the dominant vehicle that will make up for his lack of practice |
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| Red Andy | Jul 26 2009, 02:33 PM Post #2 |
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At the moment I'd guess Gene will take the seat to replace Massa. But Michael? Not a chance. More likely that Loudmouth himself would take Massa's place. Isn't there a plane somewhere you should be flying, Niki? |
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| Pasta | Jul 26 2009, 02:35 PM Post #3 |
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Chief Engineer
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I agree that Michael will not return, but honestly he was the best, and could do well particularly next year. I don't see him coming back for the balance of this year unless he wants to come back next year as well. After all Ferrari are set to stop development of their car this year and focus on 2010. So why would he do it? Having said that, Boy interest in F1 would skyrocket. Lauda is right. 20% or more increase in revenues I bet. |
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| Red Andy | Jul 26 2009, 02:40 PM Post #4 |
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Sure, but by next year MS will be the wrong side of 40. I doubt he's kept his fitness to the kind of levels he did during his career, and given that he was already long past his best when he retired (he would never have been beaten by a rival in an inferior car in the late '90s-early 2000s), a comeback at this stage, while commercially good for the sport, could just be downright embarrassing for Michael. In addition, many people feel that the reason Schumacher retired was because he didn't want to drive with Kimi as a teammate. Kimi's proven in the last year and a half not to be the driver we thought he was, but it would nonetheless still be a worry for Schumi. |
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| Steelstallions | Jul 26 2009, 02:55 PM Post #5 |
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I think Massa proved the point that an in form MS would have wiped the floor with Kimi. That said considering he stepped up to the mark and dumped the ice cream to earn his inflated wages today I don't want to rag on Kimi too much. But like most people I cannot see a retired MS coming back and beating what would have been inferior drivers to him at this stage of his life. Unlike boxing I think MS knew when to retire. Good enough to make you think he had at least another two years in him. |
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| Pasta | Jul 26 2009, 02:59 PM Post #6 |
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I don't think that is it. Michael just lost the edge - he said that. He knew to be the best you had to be committed and he wasn't anymore. I am sure he is as fit as ever. Sure looks good. He won't come back only because he doesn't want to do it anymore. Why should he? He is incredibly wealthy and has other things he wants to do with his life including charitable work. His last race was the best I ever saw. Murray Walker said so too. Before that he was racing for titles and points. The last race he was mathematically out. No chance. So he just drove like the Flying Dutchman. His swansong. He can still drive as well as anyone, and I doubt his fitness is an issue. I just think he won't do it. What for? Unless he wants to drive next season. Our only hope. |
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| Jack | Jul 26 2009, 03:37 PM Post #7 |
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As Red Andy said, MS has many things to lose and nothing to win. Perhaps good for the F1 in terms of interest, but a bad idea for Michael. If I were him I'd spend my days and my money in my honourable retirement with the satisfaction of being the best F1 driver ever. |
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| Pasta | Jul 26 2009, 04:05 PM Post #8 |
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Amen. |
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| Brave_Lee_Flea | Jul 26 2009, 05:23 PM Post #9 |
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Maybe he would enjoy driving without the pressure of a world championship. If he isn't as quick as he was it doesn't matter; he and everyone else would know that he'd retired, it's no-lose situation for him. I absolutely cannot agree that his last race was his best ever. He was driving a car that was about 2 seconds a lap faster than anything else. Massa's performance that day was also awesome. Schumacher's best races, imo, came not when he was in a dominant car but when he had to fashion a win against an opponent in a faster car. And yes, I too think he'd have beaten Kimi in Kimi's championship season. |
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| Hissing Sid | Jul 26 2009, 06:48 PM Post #10 |
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Michael Schumacher has nothing to prove to anybody ....... Why should he take as risk , he got out of F1 after 15 years unscathed & his friend Felippe lies in a coma... |
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| Norbert | Jul 26 2009, 07:36 PM Post #11 |
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Last year, maybe. This year, no way. I wouldn't mind seeing it, but what would Michael prefer - finishing his career almost winning an 8th WDC, or running two seconds off of the pace filling in for Massa? Not much of a choice, is it? |
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| Rob | Jul 26 2009, 10:49 PM Post #12 |
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He's been out of the car for two years, and while I have no doubt he'd do well in quali, I think the full race distance would be a bit more that his fitness level could cope with. |
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| PiquetFan | Jul 27 2009, 06:27 AM Post #13 |
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I have mixed feelings on Schumi filling in for Massa. It would be interesting to see how he would fare, and I believe that he would be near the sharp end of the grid. On the other and, it would be a shame to see him struggle if his body was not up to the task. Will he? I don't believe so. I reckon that there's more chance of Nando getting a transfer to Ferrari following the Renault ban. |
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| ELUSIVEJIM | Jul 27 2009, 01:13 PM Post #14 |
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I just want Massa in Massa's car |
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| RJHSaints | Jul 27 2009, 02:33 PM Post #15 |
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We all do, but it seems clear that he will be out for a good while, maybe even permanently, though obviously I and everyone else hopes fervently that will not be the case. Speculation about who will drive the #3 Ferrari in the coming races is fair enough, I think. Certainly, no-one means any disrespect towards Massa. I don't think Schumacher would come back at this point, and Renault wouldn't allow Alonso to race for a rival. That leaves us with Gene and Badoer, or an unattached driver. Bruno Senna, for example. He would seem to tick the correct boxes - he is talented and a potential future prospect. We know he can be competitive in an F1 car, since he was reasonably quick in the Honda in pre-season. If Felipe isn't able to be back for the rest of the season, as seems possible, then I would like to see Badoer get at least one race. I recall a few years back during Montoya's 'tennis-related' absence, De La Rosa and Wurz each got a race. So maybe Badoer and Gene should get a race each as thanks for their loyalty, and then Ferrari could look at other drivers. |
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12:41 AM Jul 11