From a Mercedes fan point of view, the graining of the tyres are crap and at monaco they were worse than Spain. Nico had a good start up to 5th and then his tyres were shot after 8 laps and we all know what happend...
BLS, OK, you want a postitive Schmacher comment try 'Retire' and teach Maldonaldo how to watch his mirrors.
Cosi, I think the process of evolution will need to continue for a few more years yet, before we witness a significant improvement in human tolerance, however I fear equal and opposite forces have been a natural phenomenum since the begining of time and are not likely to dissapear anytime soon, especially regarding such an emotional subject as F1
Too be quite honest guys, I dont mind a strong arguement, a verbal punch up is fine by me, I deal with strong minded people and engineers every day and sometimes being forceful is essential and going off topic is also fine as the debate can sometimes explore more interesting issues ! Overbearing editorial control is not required, folk should to able speak their minds on any issue.
My real life example: Do you want a 70 page newspaper with only 1 story, or a 70 page newspaper with many stories. Your all welcome to talk about anything you want, but some people like to vary their topic
I think with this extended contract for Nico means the end of Schumi this year in the sense of him being the Number 1 driver. Nico destroyed him in Q2 last weekend and getting up to 5th on the start was a good chance for podium, but alas as I keep saying the tyres were shot after 8 laps and was the same thing all the way through.
Could have sworn I posted a reply to this last night, must have imagined it. Anyway, I couldn't disagree more. You cant go round complaining about the actions of the driver ahead unless he intentionally made a move to cause a collision (e.g. Schumacher on Villeneuve at Jerez or Hamilton on Webber at Monza). It is up to the overtaking driver to judge the overtake and all it's variables. One of those variables is the behaviour of the driver in front. Hamilton is either arrogant or niave in expecting Maldonado to behave like Schumacher and allow him casually on past. This is a boy attempting to make his mark in his first year of a sport, combine that with a desperate need for points in the Williams camp and that position was never going to be given up easily. As for turning in far too early, well how early can he realisticaly turn in to avoid hitting the barrier on the inside and meet the apex. On the tight street circuit that is Monaco the leeway you can allow yourself on the racing line is very small so an early turn in is merely turning in fractions early. However it is still up to the overtaking driver to size up the move and by all means go for it, but he better be ready to abort as soon as it becomes more likely a crash will be the end result. Hamilton saw that gap close and still went for it.
Back to the subject at hand, Schumacher. his last few races he's really started to look like he belongs on the grid, getting the better of Rosberg on both occasions for the first time since his come-back. Mercedes seem to be concentrating on sorting out there heavy fuel balance problems, and I feel that Schumacher is the more likely to win of the pair, Rosberg is quick on an empty track, but seems to lack that little something, a bit like the old Button, and gives away positions without really fighting for them.
And why should it take him less than 2 years to bring a team to the top? it took him 4 years when he was Ferrari ... His race skill is all there for you to see and his qualifying pace is not too bad, Schumacher bossed Hamilton and Rosberg (his teammate) on the hardest corner on the hardest track in the world.. and it probably is. Lewis tried for what looked like a month to get past Michael that race and when he did he added a general stereotype that has been made to Michael 200x before "what a dirty driver", ...mate sit down and shut up. Schumacher is not as bad as it seems, people just want him out of F1 because they don't understand why he is there in the first place, not to win all the time ... but to have fun. That and give a well needed input to a growing team. The BBC have fun in mocking him because he destroyed DC and MB when they battled it out with him in different eras, both of them came off worse and are only 1% of what Michael made of himself, his records will never be beaten unless Vettel (and only Vettel) picks up his game a little.
Only Vettel? I doubt that very much. Formula 1 will continue until (and maybe beyond) using petrol is no longer economically viable. The sport has only been going 60 years, and we could easily see another 60 years. Who knows whether in 5, 10 50 years time a fantastic driver may enter the sport and wipe the floor with everyone for 10 seasons straight. Sure, Schumacher has some decent records, but they're certainly not invincible.
Ok, still sticking with present situation. Daniel Ricciardo is looking promising as Toro Rosso and Red Bull's third driver, if he replaces Webber next season, he'd most likely have a car capable of winning races, and if he wipes the floor with Vettel next year, would we then be talking about an era of him dominating the sport. I don't think you can make sweeping statements about F1, because it's so unpredictable, we just don't know. In the words of a certain commentator: "If is F1 backwards"
I think you'll find Nico has also upped his game this year and is still outperforming Michael. I seem to remember at Monaco Nico getting up to 5th and being up Webber's bumper before his tyres were shot after 8 laps, being no fault of his own. I also remember him nailing Webber into the first corner at Turkey was doing well until his tyres started to blister making him a sitting duck, but still beat Button on worn tyres. I also wouldn't want to forget Nico leading the race at China, until he was told he had been underfilled having no chance to fight. Nico: 26 points Michael: 14 points Facts speak louder than whispers...
