Schumacher rejected offers from McLaren: Twice.
#1
Posted 08 March 2000 - 00:49
Michael Schumacher confirmed that McLaren had made him an offer to drive for them but he decided to stick with Ferrari. "If I had chosen another top team, which offered me a contract, more than once, I would have won the World Championship twice more than I have already." Schumacher has missed out on the championship in the past three years when he has had made good opportunities for himself to win - always let down by his machinery. "Winning the championship with Benetton was a real challenge, it will be the same with Ferrari this year, as it has been in the past."
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#2
Posted 08 March 2000 - 08:33
#3
Posted 08 March 2000 - 08:38
#4
Posted 08 March 2000 - 08:47
Good point, but as you prolly know, he'd say something like that even if Senna was the teammate. Such is MS.
This is a pivotal season for MS. If he injures himself or has a string of mistakes and doesn't get WDC, his career (or at least a good part of his legacy) could be over. Winning 2 WDC is great, but Mika's done it too. As an MS fan, I'm glad he's talking some trash and I hope he succeeds. It's his neck on the line, he's got the most to lose. Just imagine how this board will shred him if he doesn't get it this year.
If he (and/or ferrari) blows it this year, his best hope is for a McLaren ride in 2001. Just opinion(s).
#5
Posted 08 March 2000 - 08:56
If Hakkinen loses the WDC this year it will be like, "OK. Only one other persons pulled a three in a row and that was 50 years ago. He's done well though."
If Michael loses, his repuation and respect will be damaged even worse. The pressure is really on.
#6
Posted 08 March 2000 - 09:03
you're right, recently there has been a whole lot of trash talk coming from the MS/Weber direction. do they really believe that we're stupid enough to fall for it? why don't they go on to say that, if MS were at Williams through the good of it as well, he'd have 6 WDCs by now?
perhaps, in thinking that everyone in the States goes gaga over the scripted rhetoric of professional wrestling, they are trying to endear themselves to this new F1 market!
#7
Posted 08 March 2000 - 09:08
97: the 'machinery' veered and hit JV's car.
98: the 'machinery' stalled and the machinery's bad luck caused a blow out.
99: machinery's bad luck again caused a blow out.
When you know that you can pass the blame for failure, you are never going to try hard enough.
Schumy, so shut up and win the WDC, please.
BTW I am a F1 fan, not a Schumi or Mikka or any other driver fan .
[This message has been edited by sunil (edited 03-08-2000).]
#8
Posted 08 March 2000 - 09:14
If MH doesn't win this year is that going to be as big of a surprise as MS not winning? I don't think so, and the plurality seems to be betting on MS to win (the betting houses included...).
One thing that worries me about Ferrari this year though. Reliability. People just expect Ferrari to be reliable now. If they have caught McLaren engine-wise, then I think reliability will have to suffer a bit. We'll see the red cars drop from more races this year than last.
#9
Posted 08 March 2000 - 09:15
#10
Posted 08 March 2000 - 09:20
I think if he fails this year the Italian press will string him up by his testicals! Whereas if Mika loses the WDC it's not going to really cost him any fans or supporters.
#11
Posted 08 March 2000 - 09:28
I wonder what he's whining about.
#12
Posted 08 March 2000 - 09:43
That's what he's used to, isn't he.
#13
Posted 08 March 2000 - 15:43
#14
Posted 08 March 2000 - 16:03
I think you'll find that it will (FIA willing ;) ) come down to Malaysia as the final race this year.if the championship goes comes down to Suzuka again
I wonder which driver is looking forward to that...?
#15
Posted 08 March 2000 - 16:37
#16
Posted 08 March 2000 - 16:57
Remember the difference between Schumacher and God?
At least God doesn't think his name is Schumacher!
#17
Posted 08 March 2000 - 17:03
Originally posted by Raelene:
Actually, he never said McLaren = he said a top team - could have been Williams
I completely agree. Could even have been Benetton.
Certainly would sound less arrogant.
#18
Posted 08 March 2000 - 19:54
#19
Posted 08 March 2000 - 08:13
As for McLaren, you have to wonder how the team would mix Mr "I am God" Schumacher with Mr "Adopted Son" Hakkinen
------------------
MrA
All hail King Jaxs
"Have you wondered, that perhaps, all the world's lunatics are in one place?"
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#20
Posted 08 March 2000 - 08:48
Jordan is out of this equation since this cocky statement says "I would have won the World Championship twice"
First "would" implies certainty, and "twice" imples certainty of two titles.
Jordan fails in both counts.
Only Williams and Benetton 1996-97 qualify.
McLaren 1998-99 is a possibility, but the amount of certainty in Michael's tone clashes badly with his other statements such as the one yesterday where he said that Eddie winning the 1999 WDC would have been unfair due to Hakkinen being the better driver.
#21
Posted 08 March 2000 - 08:49
#22
Posted 08 March 2000 - 21:06
#23
Posted 08 March 2000 - 21:13
#24
Posted 09 March 2000 - 00:06
It doesn't help that MS command of the English language isn't 100%, he often sounds flippant and aggrogant whilst probably not meaning too. Would prefer to listen to his
interviews in his native tongue (yes, I can understand German) may give a truer picture of his character.
130R - Schuey is in no-win situation with you. Your views on him have already been formed. If MS is humble then its a PR stunt and if he is aggrogant then he's a prick.
Quite frankly 130R who really gives a **** what you think when you have such lop-sided bias.?
#25
Posted 09 March 2000 - 00:34
#26
Posted 09 March 2000 - 08:12
I care 130R! indeed, when is MS going to host his own talk show? for a guy seemingly with some more years in him, MS is sounding awfully reflective and remote, as though he is in the process of summarizing his career.
seems like there is simply too, too much pressure on the guy.
#27
Posted 09 March 2000 - 08:17
#28
Posted 09 March 2000 - 08:35
But I am prepared to recognise that noone is as open minded and unbiased as RedBaron... As evidenced by his thoughtful comments above: he is so full of surprises! It is always refreshing to read such lucid and penetrating opinions, unrestrained by the yoke of preconceptions under which us mere mortals labour.
But back to the head of the thread, MS turned down a job at McLaren. Yawn. Old news. DH did that too. Ferrari gave MS a better deal than McLaren: bigger budget, and the run of the entire operation. And hasn't he rewarded Ferrari's faith. I think a couple of words in that last sentence may be the wrong way around. Can you guess which? I'll give you a clue, they begin with the letter 'h'.....
But I wish I just knew Michael better - his little adolescent whimper about being misunderstood struck a minor chord on my heartstrings. Poor wee lamb.
And Button too Bri.. sorry... too young to be in F1.