Ok I know this is a seriously unlikely situation but just for fun a hypothetical discusssion. If in 2012 Rosberg were to reveal his greatest ambition was to drive for a back of the grid team and tootled of to HRT and Norbert Haug decided to put Ralf Schumacher into the Mercedes F1 team and even better he decided he did not want a single team order - which Schumacher do you think would come out on top? I know if it was both of thier 1st careers Michael would clearly win but while ralf did not set the world on fire he wasn't a slouch 11 full seasons (with testing) 6 wins 6 pole positions 8 fastest laps 27 podiums In the unlikely scenario that this took place in 2012 Rafl has some advantages -He stayed in F1 a year longer by competing in 2007, while michael was gathering rust. -2007 was one of the last years with testing. -He has been competing in full seasons of DTM ever since leaving F1 while michael was only doing bits and bobs every now and agian pre 2010 and basically undergoing skill fade. - And of course his additional youth compared to michael. Michael would only have the advantage of having been with Mercedes for 2 years and knowing the car better to begin with. Personally I think Ralf would be the winner now
I think Michael would win because a) he has more talent, and b) he would have a two year head start. If it is a hypothetical then I think a better one would be if both Michael and Ralf returned in 2010 as team mates, then who would win.
Haha, what fun! Nice thread sea-man: full credit for raising a question I've never seen or heard elsewhere!! Unfortunately that's about as much as I can add to this thread though, since I'll happily admit I'm not much good at hypothesising, least of all when the Schumacher name is part of the equation! That said, I'm feeling playful right now, so why not; perhaps I should throw in a few obvious spanners⦠Out and out speed there is nothing to choose between them. Ralf was (not is) fast but was (and still is) erratic. Psychologically, big brother holds all the aces but historically, this manifested itself through a somewhat propitious set of circumstances which he was able to exploit to the full, having found favour with the most perfect set of team players ever seen in F1 who were able to maximise his greatest asset: that of a team leader who could give reciprocal focus by galvanising the very best in the business to maximise their own potential(s). This surely was - and still is - the best possible ground for the writing of legend and mythology. Such an amalgam of favourable circumstances is the sort of thing one might reasonably expect to witness just once or perhaps twice in a lifetime. And I'm still trying to avoid throwing in a Bernie who loves red cars and a 'blue' Max in his heyday with fascist tendencies who loves the same Italian car manufacturer so much that he agrees they should be given royalties (in the most literal sense) as a thankyou for their very existence, which helps 'firm-up' the success of all associates⦠Alas poor Ralf was too late on the scene; big bro' went before him to grab his place in history, since it was there for the taking; justified as surely and the dynasty DNA has 'ruthless' written right through it. Although he has big brother to thank for his own success, little brother was always destined to get the cast-offsâ¦
That would be something special if Ralf was to return, but I reckon it can if Rosberg is leaving Mercedes this year..
according to Ralf a few years ago he was clearly the 3rd best driver and he was stumped at why nobody wanted to sign him up??
Perhaps due to attention deficit disorder, Ralf has occupied a distorted space-time continuum hype type hollow place ever since daddy favoured a first-born. Such feelings of deprivation came with the territory of a one-sided sibling rivalry. But poor little Ralfie cannot understand why no-one believes him or believes in him. From his perspective, all public belief is directed at someone only he knows so well; he absolutely knows he knows better than a misguided public. Little wonder he spends his days shouting "WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE WORLD?", and just wants to be heard above the clamour of a blinkered crowd who rush past. Poor little chap; there really is no justice…
