195 replies to this topic

[Mrv]

IMOLA, Italy - Nobody, but nobody, is in the same league as Michael Schumacher. Not Juan Pablo Montoya, not David Coulthard, not even two-time World Champion Mika Hakkinen. And as far as Schumacher's teammates at Ferrari, well, they had better just accept that they are the number two driver on the team and that Schumacher is going to get priority treatment.

This is simply the way it is, says Eddie Irvine who spent four years as Schumacher's teammate. It's been three years since Irvine had that seat, but his belief that Schumacher is far and away the best driver in the world hasn't changed. And, Irvine adds, until somebody can consistently beat Schumacher, they had better be content with playing the number two role.

Ferrari has entered its new 2002 cars for both Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello in this weekend's San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, Italy. That wasn't the case at the Brazilian Grand Prix where Ferrari brought a single 2002 car for Schumacher while Barrichello had to settle for a 2001 chassis.

Barrichello stated publicly and privately that he should have been given the 2002 car for his home Grand Prix. Barrichello and Irvine were teammates at Jordan in 1994 and 1995.

“I drove with Rubens for two years, so (what he said) doesn't surprise me in the least,” Irvine said. “He complained for two years at Jordan. That's just his makeup.”

Irvine had a simple way of coping with being teammate to the awesome Schumacher. He accepted that Schumacher was a better driver, and rather than let that demoralize him and psych him out, Irvine never stopped letting people know that Schumacher was superior. Irvine became a one-man Michael Schumacher fan club, and he still belongs to that club.

“Look,” Irvine said, “Michael is the number one at Ferrari because he is the quickest. The day that somebody goes in there and goes quicker than Michael, he will be the number two and then he (Schumacher) will buzz off. Rubens has never been quicker than Michael. Occasionally he is quicker because something happens to Michael, but he has never been quicker than Michael. He has never beaten him. He has won one race, and Michael has won 17, 18, 19, 20 or whatever in the last few years. Rubens won the race (the 2000 German Grand Prix) that Michael didn't finish. He did a great job.

“Rubens is a good driver, don't get me wrong, but everyone would get the same punishment by Michael Schumacher. People talk about Montoya and Ralf (Schumacher) and Coulthard...it's bollocks.”

Irvine insists that not one of the current drivers can beat can M. Schumacher in the same car.

“People talk about (Mika) Hakkinen,” Irvine said. “But Hakkinen was out-qualified more times in one year by (McLaren Mercedes teammate) Coulthard than Michael has been out qualified in his whole career. It doesn't take a lot of working out: Michael has 55 victories and he has never been in the most competitive car until maybe, debatable, last year.”

Irvine drove for Ferrari from 1996 through 1999. After Schumacher broke his leg in the 1999 British Grand Prix, Irvine assumed the role of team leader. Irvine won four times in 1999 (those remain his only F-1 victories so far) and ended up losing the World Championship to Mika Hakkinen by a mere two points. Despite always saying that he was happy with his role at Ferrari, Irvine realized that it was time to move on.

“I did my four years and got as close as I could to winning the championship with them,” Irvine said. “But then Michael (Schumacher) came back (from his injury in the middle of the 1999 season) and I would have to play number two to him again. That was not satisfactory at this stage of my career. So I had to move and Jaguar was the perfect opportunity.”

Every now and then a rumor pops up that Ferrari is courting a hot shoe to replace Schumacher when he retires. Schumacher's current contract expires at the end of 2004 when he will be 35-years-old. Irvine points out that Alain Prost won his fourth World Championship at age 38. And, Irvine adds, there is nobody waiting in the wings that can really challenge Schumacher's supremacy.

“There is no one in this pit lane that Michael has worry about,” Irvine said. “Montoya fights him, but he hasn't got the quality that Michael has got. He is not in the same class."

Yes, but does Irvine think Montoya will get it?

“You don't get it,” Irvine says emphatically. “Michael came into Formula One and blew off three times World Champion Nelson Piquet (his teammate at Benetton in 1991) in every bloody race. Destroyed him. Made him retire.”

So how likely is Ferrari to pick somebody who will do the same to Michael Schumacher?

“They keep looking,” Irvine says. “But how often has a Michael Schumacher come along in the last 30 years? I don't believe that there has been one if you look at his records, even compared to Ayrton Senna, who was my personal favorite.”

Incidentally, Mika Hakkinen, who took a sabbatical this season after a demoralizing 2001 season, says that Schumacher will retire when he starts to struggle to qualify fourth.

Over 100,000 people, virtually every one of them a fanatical Ferrari fan, will be on hand at Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix. And they will all be cheering for a win from Ferrari teammates Barrichello and Schumacher. Irvine won't be cheering for Schumacher to win. But that won't stop him telling you just how good he thinks Michael Schumacher is.

[karlth]

Sad git.

[MuMu]

Just remember, this is the guy who calls himself the second best driver in the world, and is getting blown away by Pedro de la Rosa!

His comments are to be taken with a pinch of salt, as he's got no clue on how to rate drivers.

[Ghostrider]

Irvine often talks a lot of crap, but in the big picture I agree with him. Schumi is faster than everyone out there at the moment. Guess some will pound on Irvine for saying that Schumi has only been in the best car the last year though, I think the views on that are diverse. I agree with him about Mika and JPM. Noone has dominated their teammates as Schumi has done, and that is the measure to look at. I for one, think that Ferrari's No 1 policy has hurt Schumi's reputation more than it has helped him through better results.

[Mrv]

What Eddie says in the Interview is 100% dead on. There ain't anyone today in F1 in Michael's class.

[karlth]

Originally posted by Ghostrider
Irvine often talks a lot of crap, but in the big picture I agree with him. Schumi is faster than everyone out there at the moment. Guess some will pound on Irvine for saying that Schumi has only been in the best car the last year though, I think the views on that are diverse. I agree with him about Mika and JPM. Noone has dominated their teammates as Schumi has done, and that is the measure to look at. I for one, think that Ferrari's No 1 policy has hurt Schumi's reputation more than it has helped him through better results.

The simple truth is that Schumacher has never in his Formula 1 career had a great teammate. Nelson Piquet and Ricardo Patrese were both at the end of their F1 careers and both had been utterly destroyed by Nigel Mansell in 1987 and 1992 respectively.

No question that Schumacher is very fast driver but remember the only time he has been in a team (equal number one) with a young fast driver was when he competed with Sauber in the Group C races in 1990 and 1991 and Frentzen was faster.

Piquet( post '87 Imola accident), Patrese and Brundle are not drivers who could be considered top of the line in Formula 1.

[Mrv]

Karlth please. You can take only one on that grid today and put him in that #2 seat at Ferrari and MS will whip them. And please no posts like preferential treatment of Michael at Ferrari. Irvine says it all, he had the same equipment and was just simply not fast enough to beat him.

[Ghostrider]

Originally posted by karlth
The simple truth is that Schumacher has never in his Formula 1 career had a great teammate. Nelson Piquet and Ricardo Patrese were both at the end of their F1 careers and both had been utterly destroyed by Nigel Mansell in 1987 and 1992 respectively.
No question that Schumacher is very fast driver but remember the only time he has been in a team (equal number one) with a young fast driver was when he competed with Sauber in the Group C races in 1990 and 1991 and Frentzen was faster.
Piquet( post '87 Imola accident), Patrese and Brundle are not drivers who could be considered top of the line in Formula 1.

Barrichello is a top driver even if Schumi makes him look bad. Lauda says Barrichello is top five and Head ditto. DC has a teammate who didn't beat his own teammate last year, and JPM has Ralf who Fisi bettered already in 97. Schumi hasn't it any easier than anyone else.

I remember before Rubens joined Ferrari, everybody said.."now Schumi's easy days are over, when Ferrari get rid of slow Schumi and bring in superfast Rubens". It is the same thing now, everybody says Rubens is slow and they should bring someone else in.

[karlth]

Originally posted by Mrv
Karlth please. You can take only one on that grid today and put him in that #2 seat at Ferrari and MS will whip them. And please no posts like preferential treatment of Michael at Ferrari. Irvine says it all, he had the same equipment and was just simply not fast enough to beat him.

No question, Schumacher is a faster driver than Irvine and Barrichello. Is he faster than Hakkinen or Montoya? In my opinion no. Would I rather have Schumacher or Hakkinen in my F1 team now? Schumacher. Would I rather have Montoya or Schumacher in my F1 team in 2 years? Montoya.

Schumacher spanked Irvine so hard at Ferrari that it still hurts deeply. What should he say? "Well I'll be entering negotiations with Jaguar in a few months and I admit that other drivers are much faster than me?"

[karlth]

Originally posted by Ghostrider
Schumi hasn't it any easier than anyone else.

You have got to be kidding.

[Ghostrider]

Originally posted by karlth
You have got to be kidding.

No, I am not kidding. In races, when teamorders are played, of course he has an advantage. But how often does that happen? Very seldom.

[Makebelieve]

Originally posted by karlth


The simple truth is that Schumacher has never in his Formula 1 career had a great teammate. Nelson Piquet and Ricardo Patrese were both at the end of their F1 careers and both had been utterly destroyed by Nigel Mansell in 1987 and 1992 respectively.

No question that Schumacher is very fast driver but remember the only time he has been in a team (equal number one) with a young fast driver was when he competed with Sauber in the Group C races in 1990 and 1991 and Frentzen was faster.

Piquet( post '87 Imola accident), Patrese and Brundle are not drivers who could be considered top of the line in Formula 1.

NP utterly destroyed in 1987??? NP won the WDC!!!

RP never really got the hang of the active suspension, and suffered badly from that.

Both Irvine and Barrichello was very likely the best drivers available when Ferrari hired them!

Can't say I care what happened before a driver has come into F1. MS came in when he was 22, which is very early, and he has developt tremendesly.

I see no reason why Irvine would lie. If he wanted to lift himself up in the fans eyes he would say "look what happened when I got the chance in 99..." but he don't! I think it's irvines honest opinion

[Peeko]

Originally posted by karlth
The simple truth is that Schumacher has never in his Formula 1 career had a great teammate. Nelson Piquet and Ricardo Patrese were both at the end of their F1 careers and both had been utterly destroyed by Nigel Mansell in 1987 and 1992 respectively.

IN 1992 Mansell outscored Patrese 1.9 - 1. A year later Schumacher outscored Patrese 2.6 - 1.

[karlth]

Originally posted by Ghostrider


No, I am not kidding. In races, when teamorders are played, of course he has an advantage. But how often does that happen? Very seldom.

You mean when he doesn't get a different car or engine or when he doesn't get preferential testing miles? What else is there? Oh perhaps something mentioned by Adam Cooper in Autosport where he told the story of Eddie Irvine being sent out in Friday's practice, at Imola I think, to test certain settings for Schumacher.

Schumacher is Ferrari's number #1 driver, by contract and in practice.

[metz]

Always thought that EI was a complete loud mouthed fool.
Therefore I get mixed feelings when he speaks some element of truth.
He should know, he's been there.
Wonder if he is setting himself up for a return to Ferrari after he gets the ax from NL.;)

[Ghostrider]

Originally posted by karlth
Schumacher is Ferrari's number #1 driver, by contract and in practice.

Yes, that may be so, but as Frank Williams said in an interview a while ago "I understand Ferrari's policy, it works for them, if they could find another driver equally fast as Michael, they would hire him immediately and lower Michaels salary, but so far they haven't been able to find one". So you mean you have a better understanding of Michael's abilities than for example Frank Williams?

[Mrv]

I don't know in 2 years time, but it wouldn't suprise me in the least if Michael is still the fastest around. Remember he ain't my favorite driver. Montoya so far has done nothing to really convince me that he can be a WDC. Sure he has had the occasional brilliant race, but they have been far in between. At the moment the hype is winning over his pure ability. Will he win in the future? I really don't know, because he goes into these mental lapses every year, where he doesn't use his head. Until he can display discipline, he will get no where. To win a WDC you have to be consistent over 17 races, not for only 6 to 8 races.

[karlth]

Originally posted by Makebelieve
NP utterly destroyed in 1987??? NP won the WDC!!!

Compare their qualifying and race performances. Piquet got lucky.

RP never really got the hang of the active suspension, and suffered badly from that.

The traction control was more of a hinderance to him.

Both Irvine and Barrichello was very likely the best drivers available when Ferrari hired them!

That is open for debate but it doesn't change the fact they are far from the strongest drivers on the grid.

Can't say I care what happened before a driver has come into F1. MS came in when he was 22, which is very early, and he has developt tremendesly.

Yes. Schumacher is superb driver.

I see no reason why Irvine would lie. If he wanted to lift himself up in the fans eyes he would say "look what happened when I got the chance in 99..." but he don't! I think it's irvines honest opinion

Based on what? Based on all his years of driving with Montoya and Hakkinen?

[Italian]

Irvine insists that not one of the current drivers can beat can M. Schumacher in the same car.

Never the less M.Schumacher is a great driver, but he wont be forever, someone else will surely take over his role at Ferrari in the next couple of years, M.Schumacher has already hit is peak and from there its free fall...so find a new driver to support.

I bet my life Trulli would, Coulthard would just say see you when i lap you, Ralf would probaly say "step down Michael im the "Schumacher" racer of the family now."

[Ghostrider]

Yes, but what do we know about Ralf and Montoya? How good are they? They are good and capable of winning? But are they better than JV? Or Fisi? Or Michael?

[agni]

Irvine found out that he was no good compared to MS and rather than cry about not getting prefrential treatment he has taken a better strategy. He says he is second only to MS. That way he can project himself very well in front of other teams. Ask him if he is better than Hakkinen or Montoya and Iam sure the answer would be an emphatic YES.
But I believe the opposite is true, both these drivers are much better than him, and would certainly give MS a much harder time (in a neutral team). At Ferrari its going to be very hard to beat MS.

[karlth]

Originally posted by Mrv
I don't know in 2 years time, but it wouldn't suprise me in the least if Michael is still the fastest around. Remember he ain't my favorite driver. Montoya so far has done nothing to really convince me that he can be a WDC. Sure he has had the occasional brilliant race, but they have been far in between. At the moment the hype is winning over his pure ability. Will he win in the future? I really don't know, because he goes into these mental lapses every year, where he doesn't use his head. Until he can display discipline, he will get no where. To win a WDC you have to be consistent over 17 races, not for only 6 to 8 races.

Take a look at Schumacher's 1992 less than stellar "brain over brawn" record and look where he is now. Montoya made far fewer mistakes than Schumacher in his first season.

I recommend you take a look at the following statistics: In the last 7 races Montoya has been on pole or set fastest lap in 5 of them, in the other 2 he finished second, and that is against 3 other competitive cars: Ferrari/Williams. Since the Canadian GP he has made one major mistake.

[jimm]

Originally posted by Ghostrider


No, I am not kidding. In races, when teamorders are played, of course he has an advantage. But how often does that happen? Very seldom.

The advantage goes much beyond teamarders during the race. The when to pit, who tests tires instead of actual set up work during the weekend, having the T car always yours so that you can go two different ways on setup at the same time or have one set for wet and the other dry, having the car designed around your odd driving style, always having the best engineers and mechanics working on your car, .... The list goes on. ALL this adds up to an atvantage. Even if each is only worth .05sec a lap over the course of a season, it adds up after a while.

[Mrv]

Schumacher is like no other individual. Works hard than any other driver on the grid. Fittest driver around. When it is time to retire, he will go out a winner and on top of F1. I have my doubts that someone can de-throne him before he retires.

[karlth]

Originally posted by Ghostrider


Yes, that may be so, but as Frank Williams said in an interview a while ago "I understand Ferrari's policy, it works for them, if they could find another driver equally fast as Michael, they would hire him immediately and lower Michaels salary, but so far they haven't been able to find one". So you mean you have a better understanding of Michael's abilities than for example Frank Williams?

I'm not blaming Ferrari, it works for them. On the other hand it makes it very difficult for us fans to get a sense of how fast Schumacher really is.

[Ghostrider]

Originally posted by jimm
The advantage goes much beyond teamarders during the race. The when to pit, who tests tires instead of actual set up work during the weekend, having the T car always yours so that you can go two different ways on setup at the same time or have one set for wet and the other dry, having the car designed around your odd driving style, always having the best engineers and mechanics working on your car, .... The list goes on. ALL this adds up to an atvantage. Even if each is only worth .05sec a lap over the course of a season, it adds up after a while.

Yes of course, this is very important. But look on the last races last season, then all the support was on Rubens and Michael to cover for him in the races. Rubens did ok, but not as good as Michael does with the same kind of support.

[zooropa21]

Originally posted by Mrv
What Eddie says in the Interview is 100% dead on.

IMO Irvine's comments prove no point about Michael. They are vague attempt to justify his own performance at Ferrari and raise his worth as an F1 driver.

I hold Michael's speed in great regard. However I do not think that given exactly the same car he would constantly outqualify someone like the '98 - '99 Hakkinen for example. To speculate so is simply an act of faith on a favorite driver.

Zooropa21

[Smooth]

Eddie: Shut the **** up and drive the car!

[karlth]

Originally posted by Ghostrider


Yes of course, this is very important. But look on the last races last season, then all the support was on Rubens and Michael to cover for him in the races. Rubens did ok, but not as good as Michael does with the same kind of support.

I was especially impressed on how they helped Barrichello at Suzuka be letting Schumacher have the new F2001B car.

It doesn't change the fact though that most people agree that Schumacher is a faster driver than Barrichello. Is he faster than Montoya, Hakkinen, Fisichella or even Ralf Schumacher? The jury is still out on that one.

[jimm]

Originally posted by Peeko

IN 1992 Mansell outscored Patrese 1.9 - 1. A year later Schumacher outscored Patrese 2.6 - 1.

What about the fact that the qualifying gap from MS to Brundle was less than Mika to Brundle? Or the fact that patrese had more cars to race in the slower Benneton then the Williams where even though he was 2 sec a lap off NM pace he still was usually second.

These kinds of comparisons never really work anyway. It always depends on the team, car etc. I'll show you the flaw. Frentzen was faster than Herbert at sauber who was only a little behind Mika at Lotus. Mika out qualified Senna once and was within .5 sec the other 2 races. Senna was at least 1 sec a lap faster in qual than Prost. Using this comparison, Frentzen, Herbert and Mika are all faster than Prost and almost as quick as Senna. I find this very hard to beleive.

If you go through the trouble of adding up gaps from year to year you end up with some drivers being 5 sec a lap slower which is just stupid. l

[F1Johnny]

This is one of the few times I am taking what Eddie says at face value. He has obviously dropped the assertion that he is the 2nd best driver by mentioning other drivers as the apparent heirs to MS.

I am a Mika Hakinnen fan and believe he was Michael's biggest and fastest rival. However, Michael Schumacher is the fastest most complete driver in the world. Which is why I will never understand why he has to play dirty and chop off other drivers. Of the names Eddie mentioned MH is the fastest.

[Ghostrider]

Originally posted by karlth

It doesn't change the fact though that most people agree that Schumacher is a faster driver than Barrichello. Is he faster than Montoya, Hakkinen, Fisichella or even Ralf Schumacher? The jury is still out on that one.

Yepp, you are right, the jury is still out. When are they due back?

[Smooth]

Originally posted by karlth


I was especially impressed on how they helped Barrichello at Suzuka be letting Schumacher have the new F2001B car.

Please. That car was not tested, and had Rubens driven it and it went up in smoke people would have been screaming for Ferrari's head for giving him untried, unreliable equipment. Schumacher drove in support of Rubens after wrapping up the WDC, so what? Ferrari is a team.

[Mrv]

Originally posted by karlth


Take a look at Schumacher's 1992 less than stellar "brain over brawn" record and look where he is now. Montoya made far fewer mistakes than Schumacher in his first season.

I recommend you take a look at the following statistics: In the last 7 races Montoya has been on pole or set fastest lap in 5 of them, in the other 2 he finished second, and that is against 3 other competitive cars: Ferrari/Williams. Since the Canadian GP he has made one major mistake.

Fastest laps, poles mean not much. Race wins are what counts. Thus far only 1 for Montoya . I am not one for stats I want to see results.

[Makebelieve]

QUOTE]Originally posted by karlth
Originally posted by Makebelieve
NP utterly destroyed in 1987??? NP won the WDC!!!

Compare their qualifying and race performances. Piquet got lucky.

[/QUOTE]

Qualifying don't give points. what counts is the race! You don't get lucky over a full season. Most good drivers tend to get wiser as they get older and through that they can outfox the not so wise. This is what happend in 87 (Prost, Lauda and others has done the same) To say that someone is getting destroyed while they win the WDC is, to be nice, pretty much out of focus!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by karlth

RP never really got the hang of the active suspension, and suffered badly from that.

"The traction control was more of a hinderance to him."

I've read several times that it was the active suspension. Doesn't really matter. It was new technology that he didn't really master then and NM did. Compare the year before and you'll see the difference

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by karlth
[i]
Both Irvine and Barrichello was very likely the best drivers available when Ferrari hired them!

That is open for debate but it doesn't change the fact they are far from the strongest drivers on the grid.

You can only hire what's available. Ferrari did their best in my opinion!

[b]I see no reason why Irvine would lie. If he wanted to lift himself up in the fans eyes he would say "look what happened when I got the chance in 99..." but he don't! I think it's irvines honest opinion

Based on what? Based on all his years of driving with Montoya and Hakkinen?

Er... yes, he drove 8 years competing with MH and now he's on the second year competing with JPM. I think he's got a pretty good idea of his compettitors strength. At the very least way better than us fans!

(Can't say I master the quote function, I'm sure I've made a mess of it)

[jimm]

Originally posted by Ghostrider


Yes of course, this is very important. But look on the last races last season, then all the support was on Rubens and Michael to cover for him in the races. Rubens did ok, but not as good as Michael does with the same kind of support.

Not really the same kind of support is it? Did they change engineer teams and machanics? No, and if they did it would have been worse because you have to learn how to work together etc,. Did they redesign the car to suit RB?

See what I mean, all they really did was say that MS would move over if RB was close enough etc. Actually, if you look at it, RB was unlucky not to win at least 1 of those races possibly 2. He was on track to win when the car let him down. THis may go back to the machanic issue.

Look I'm not saying that RB is as good as MS just that he might be alot closer if things were even.

[karlth]

Originally posted by Ghostrider


Yepp, you are right, the jury is still out. When are they due back?

When I let them. They haven't eaten in days.

[jimm]

Originally posted by Mrv


Fastest laps, poles mean not much. Race wins are what counts. Thus far only 1 for Montoya . I am not one for stats I want to see results.

Isn't # of wins a stat?

[Jhope]

So Edmund, as he so likes to be called, says he got equal equipment? What a hypocrite. What was that I heard after Suzuka 1999? when h realised that Ferrari brought a new Floor/Diffuser for Micheal, he knew his chances of winning the championship were over. How a coupla years can change a man....

[jimm]

Originally posted by Smooth



Please. That car was not tested, and had Rubens driven it and it went up in smoke people would have been screaming for Ferrari's head for giving him untried, unreliable equipment. Schumacher drove in support of Rubens after wrapping up the WDC, so what? Ferrari is a team.

RB's Ferrari kept goin up in smoke anyway, so whats the diff?

[karlth]

Originally posted by Mrv


Fastest laps, poles mean not much. Race wins are what counts. Thus far only 1 for Montoya . I am not one for stats I want to see results.

Come on Mrv you know that is a bit silly. Otherwise you could say Schumacher drove badly in 1996, after all he didn't get results when his car let him down.

[karlth]

Originally posted by Smooth
Please. That car was not tested, and had Rubens driven it and it went up in smoke people would have been screaming for Ferrari's head for giving him untried, unreliable equipment. Schumacher drove in support of Rubens after wrapping up the WDC, so what? Ferrari is a team.

The #1 driver always has access to the new equipment, can you find an example of Ferrari running newer equipment on Irvine's or Ruben's car but not Michael's?

[Smooth]

Originally posted by Jhope
So Edmund, as he so likes to be called, says he got equal equipment? What a hypocrite. What was that I heard after Suzuka 1999? when h realised that Ferrari brought a new Floor/Diffuser for Micheal, he knew his chances of winning the championship were over. How a coupla years can change a man....

Try again, and use facts this time. Ferrari brought a new floor for the cars, not a new floor for Schumacher's car. See the diff? They both got the same car, Eddie just wanted an excuse for his pitiful performance @ Suzuka. If Ferrari were as interested in squashing Eddie's chances, why did they go to the trouble of getting Schumacher back at all, let alone having him race in support of Eddie? Mika and Michael in Suzuka 1999 showed why and how they are a class apart from the rest of the field.

[Smooth]

Originally posted by karlth


The #1 driver always has access to the new equipment, can you find an example of Ferrari running newer equipment on Irvine's or Ruben's car but not Michael's?

There were several times in 1998/1999 when MS chose not to run a new part in a race, while Eddie did. Schumacher was always more concerned with reliabilty than with a marginal speed advantage from an untested part. If the title wasn't wrapped up by Suzuka I doubt very much he would have run the car he did, at least in the race.

[karlth]

Originally posted by Smooth
There were several times in 1998/1999 when MS chose not to run a new part in a race, while Eddie did. Schumacher was always more concerned with reliabilty than with a marginal speed advantage from an untested part. If the title wasn't wrapped up by Suzuka I doubt very much he would have run the car he did, at least in the race.

You have obviously better knowledge of Ferrari's strategy than me. Do you remember at what races?

PS. But it was always Schumacher choice?

[The RedBaron]

Originally posted by karlth
Sad git.

A little bit of truth hurts!

[Smooth]

Originally posted by karlth


You have obviously better knowledge of Ferrari's strategy than me. Do you remember at what races?

You made the claim, you find the times MS was given something not available to Eddie (or Rubens). We obviously know of Suzuka last year, and Brazil this year. Lets hear the rest.

[Smooth]

Originally posted by karlth
PS. But it was always Schumacher choice?

P.S. Maybe, and maybe Eddie's to get a new bit. Or maybe Ferrari's choice. But let us review your list of examples before we continue.

[karlth]

Originally posted by Smooth


You made the claim, you find the times MS was given something not available to Eddie (or Rubens). We obviously know of Suzuka last year, and Brazil this year. Lets hear the rest.

We need a lawyer in here.

I think you need to prove your claim.

[TEquiLA]

Originally posted by karlth


You mean when he doesn't get a different car or engine or when he doesn't get preferential testing miles? What else is there? Oh perhaps something mentioned by Adam Cooper in Autosport where he told the story of Eddie Irvine being sent out in Friday's practice, at Imola I think, to test certain settings for Schumacher.

Schumacher is Ferrari's number #1 driver, by contract and in practice.

Now working is getting preferential treatment, that's a good one. Michael came back to testing earlier than scheduled this year because his hands where itching so bad to get behind the wheel, in the meantime Rubens was still on vacation, not that he did not deserve it, but Michael is the first guy in and the last guy out, that's just his motivation, and it brings its rewards.