please log in to view this image There wasn't a record he didn't touch, there wasn't a race he didn't win. 7 world titles 91 Grand Prix victories. That's 40 more than Prost and 50 more than Senna. He is the most successful Formula 1 Driver of all time and arguably the Greatest of All Time. He made his name at Benetton. In only his third full season he had become world champion. Won 8 races in the 1994 when he went toe to toe with Damon Hill. The race for the title went to Australia. Schumacher was leading. Hit the wall Damon came down the inside, Schumacher turned in and there was contact. Malice?? Ruthlessness??? No, a drive to win. The result stood, but many say he became World Champion by Default. There were no such problems in 95. Retaining his title by a comfortable 33 points again with Damon Hill coming second. By now he was Hot Property and was snapped up by Ferrari, taking Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne with him. He got 3 wins in his first season including a brilliant drive at Spain in the wet. In 1997 he once more too the race to the title down to the wire. Villeneuve again (Like Hill)went down the inside of Michael who turned in and there was contact, he needed Villeneuve not to finish and for him to win to become World Champion again. But that didn't happen he was out and Villeneuve was World Champion. This time he didn't get away with it, disqualified from the championship in 1997. Two hard season came in 98 and 99 when McLaren stroke back and got titles with Mika Hakkinen. In 98 they fought hard but Mika had the edge. In 99 it was even closer but Schumacher had a horrible accident at Silverstone and broke his leg. Salo took his place, while Irvine chased hard Mika, but it was not to be again for Ferrari missing out by 2 points. But after 5 years of toil and hard work and sweat and tears, they got he deal done in 2000 at Suzuka. You could see the emotion on Schumacher's face when he took his helmet off in front of the watching world. He was a triple world champion. please log in to view this image This started a period of Ferrari Domination and Michael Success. 2001 was a dominant year winning by 58 points and 2002 was again the same with an even bigger margin 68 points to his teammate Rubens Barrichello. But there was controversy. Rubens let Michael through to win in Austria in the last metres to the disgust of the fans. Team Orders where banned following this. Schumacher did it again in 2003, but this time he was pushed by McLaren and Williams. He was 16 points behind Kimi Raikkonen at one stage but got the deal done again in Suzuka, but this time only by 2 points. In 2004 they were back on track with there bg margin, Schumacher ahead of Barrichello by 34 points and taking 13 wins out of 18. He was now a 7 time World Champion. In 2005 rule changes to tyres were brought in to make the championship a battle like it was in 2003. It did just so with Fernando Alonso and Renault reigning supreme. They were challenged by McLaren, not by Schumacher as Ferrari. Was this a shift in power and an end to Ferrari dominance for a while? No, In 2006 Ferrari got there tyre issues sorted out and Schumacher was determined more than ever to get his 8th World Title. He fought it out with Fernando for most of the year and was in prime position until his engine let him down in Suzuka, a place that gave him good luck. He was gutted. He had already announced his retirement at Monza where he won in front of the Tifosi. He was 10 points behind Alonso going into Brazil his last race. He needed to win and Alonso not to score any points to become the world champion for the 8th time. He already had a mountain to climb as he started 10th due to a fuel pressure problem. He drove the drive of his life. He got a puncture and was dead last effectively but he drove like a legend. He got 4th place as Alonso came 2nd and Massa came first. It was not the fairytale ending, as he stepped out of the cockpit for the last time, at leats he knew he gave everything in his final race of his career... please log in to view this image No, it was not. To the shock of the fans and people of the world he came back with Mercedes GP in 2010 and with Ross Brawn at the helm could he add race wins to his 91?? Could he even challenge for his 8th World Championship???. No the car was not good enough. He fighted and fighted all season, buthe didn't get a win or even a poduim. 4th was his best. "You've had to treat the back of Michael Schumacher's Car like the back end of a Donkey today" Said Martin Brundle at the end of The Canadian Grand Prix. He was also damned and critized for the move on Barrichello at Hungary. Some said he should have been black flagged, some said banned for the rest of the year. please log in to view this image People said he had gone back to the days were he was ruthless with Hill. Others said he was just depressed due to not having a good car. But with new Pirelli tyres in 2011 and a new car people expected a better year from Schumacher, that hasn't really happened and he got oh so close to a podium in Canada, by far his best race since his comeback in 2010. But once again the car hasn't been good enough and he is still a bit off the pace of Nico Rosberg. But what could 2012 hold? You never know with Michael Schumacher such is the legend he is. Will he win a race before he retires again? please log in to view this image
No, because he hasn't got a car capable of winning, and I can't see him getting one before he retires.
Expecting Manny any moment...there will be anger and rage but praise as well Mercedes hasn't gotten a car capable of getting podiums this year, let alone a win. As for next year who knows, he may get the odd podium but I doubt a win.
You never know. He might win one by luck or the car is much much improved next year and him and Mercedes dominate. But a podium before he retires is more likely I have to say.
I am sorry I cannot enter into your poll, but my answer is similar to Forza, not this year ... not in the car he is in now. But I am sure with his team building skills and a talented teammate in Rosberg he may be able to produce top 3 results next year by producing a faster car capable of catching the front 3 teams at the moment.. I have been bashed for bumming him but hopefully this comment seems sensible. We can only wait for wins ... we yet have to wait for a podium finish.
Indeed, fairly sensible comment, not the reaction I expected at all. As you say we can only wait to find out what development with next year's car progresses. However, not this year. The only top 3 conference either Michael or Nico have been in this year was Nico's qualifying at Istanbul.
He's not going to move to a better team, which means if he's going to win another race before he retires, it'll be with Mercedes. Sorry but I can't see Mercedes winning in the near future. They stopped development early in 2010 to focus on 2011 and look where they are now. I can imagine Mercedes taking the occasional victory at some point after 2013 - but I don't think Schumacher will be around then.
As I will say again, You never know in Formula 1, who would have thought JB would have won the title in 2009? No one. I agree with you I cannot see them winning either, but you never know. A lucky victory is still a win. But as I said before a podium is more likely.
there's almost half a season left, Mercedes seem to be slowly getting it together, surely they aren't too far from cracking the 'flexi-wing' either, and they have the pace to do well so if they sort out their tyre wear.... Out of the 2 of them I'd rather put my money on Schumacher to win over Rosberg, Rosberg fast on an empty track, quite good defensively, but not that much of an attacker, Schumachers race craft is far better, and it could rain.
Until i see the WO3, then I can make judgments lol. Monza will be his best chance this year, nowhere else unless half the front runners dnf...
Out of order Dan. Considering Manny's passionate following of his hero, his comment was well-balanced (although I fail to understand why he felt he could not vote). By contrast, your post appears to be provocative. Oddly enough, it would have made more sense to me - although still provocative - if it were aimed at someone who seems jusy like Manny used to be: Apex!
Manny, you're going ot have to vote else it will be a clean sweep for Schuey not to win anything again! I do think he will win another race, but it will be in the DTM in 2013..........
In that case, I'll look forward to two more lengthy appraisals with heroic celebratory pictures capturing their various moments of glory Apex!
