51 replies to this topic

[130R]

With three decidedly critical races yet to run, I am quite confident that Michael Schumacher is going to win the Championship for Ferrari. As many of you know I am not a fan of MS for a variety of reasons.

I do, however, concede that he is the de facto number 1 driver in the world today. This he has amply demonstrated throughout the past seven years. I feel strongly that a few guys are nipping at his heels, especially Hakkinen, but overall MS is the best.

Having watched and rewatched every F1 race for the past 16 or so years, often there is a crucial event that seems to point to the future. A crucial victory. A critical mistake. A tragic outcome.

On Sunday, I sensed that this very event took place -- and that is the emotional release of several years of stress lifted from Michael during his tenure at the Scuderia.

Atfer Ayrton's terrible death in 1994, Schumacher took the reigns as the focal point of the Formula One World Championship. I cannot imagine the kind of internal stress this would imply, but he managed to win a couple of titles. (albeit under what some may say are dubious circumstances)

Once employed by Ferrari, the pressure had to have increased tremendously. After all, Ferrari i sthe place that can chew up and spit out the best of them. Prost suffered the internal politics, Alesi, though revered, struggled there - there are many examples of the expectations of the great mark, steeped in history and, yet, without a WDC for many, many years.

It was a courageous move on Michael's part, but he has helped to build a team around him designed for one purpose, one common goal. To win the toughest title, arguably, in all of professional sports.

Well, on Sunday, I saw a man who has come a long way to that goal, and I saw that man bleed. I saw layers of stress and pent up emotion peeled away in a few moments of absolute truth. And, I feel that was the last weight lifted from his shoulders that will allow him to find the magic moment of weightlessness that held him from his target.

He is going to win it, folks. Sunday was his epiphany.

And, as much as it pains me to admit this, a more deserving champion I may have never seen.

[Peeko]

Nice post 130R. But I knew he was going to win it. I mean, he won the Australian and BRazilian GPs :):)

[goGoGene]

Both Hakky and Schumie deserve the title this year. I just hope for a good fight that goes down to the last race, and with any luck down to the last corner. Something a la Spa would be quite the way to end the season.

ggg

[Lamont]

Interesting post 130R, here's hoping you are right!

[speedy]

130R,

it is possible, but MH has surprised me many times during the years I have watched the sport, when all the hope seems to have gone he has pulled out something special - remember his Suzuka performances 98 and 99 when the real pressure was there. It can be Schumi but it can be Mika as well, I would not dare predicting which one .

[Ellen2]

130R, excellent post and I cannot believe you are saying Schumi would be the most deserving champ. I know for one you are definetely NOT a Schumi fan, so I know you are being very impartial.

I hope you are right and I follow and agree with your logic.

However, I cannot underestimate Hakkinen. Mika might not be as good as Michael, but he is at least 98% as good. And he has proven over and over that he can deliver when it counts. I know Michael can win but I still think Mika can win too. While before Monza I would have said 65% Mika and 35% Schumi, I feel now I would say 60% Schumi and 40% Mika. But 40% is still very high for comfort, Mika is a great driver and he has a great car. One mistake from Schumi or 1 problem on his Ferrari, and it's over (clearly the other way around is true as well, Mika and McLaren caanot afford mistakes either).

It might turn out to be the best season's end in years.


PS. Prost was not a victim of Ferrari's politics, but of Senna's ramming.....besides, Prost was the most active element in creating a political environment, isolating completly poor Mansell. He got the booth when it was obvious he was creating more tension than anything else. And pretty much every Ferrari fan in Italy was relieved he left, even if everyone was aware of his driving skills

[The RedBaron]

Good post 130R. Seems we are on similar wavelengths from
different sides of the fence. I think the burden or the self-expectancy has been lifted from his shoulders. There was too much pent-up emotion concealed!!!

How i see it in the next 3 races, is that Suzaka will favour
Mika and Sepang will be Michael's circuit. This just leaves the U.S GP...no historical data to rely on, everyone starting from scratch. I think Schuey has the ability to dial into a good set-up before Mika does on this circuit, (similar to what happened at Sepang last year) on this basis
I see him finishing ahead of his arch rival. It does not necessarily mean he will win the race (DC or even Jax Indy knowledge could spring a surprise), but I feel he'll score more points than Mika here.

[130R]

Ellen, very good point on Prost. I feel strongly that he was an employee, and that Ferrari management should never have let it get so out of control. I suppose they saw their hopes best fullfilled with him -- until of course, Senna's rite of passage, so to speak.

[Ellen2]

yep. Another problem is that Ferrari was without a LEADER> Enzo had died too recently and there were too many bosses: Fiorio the ds, Barnard the designer, Prost the 3 times WDC, Piero Lardi Ferrari, Enzo's son as one of the troika of supposed leaders. In other words: a mess. It was solved only when Agnelli realized that nothing would happen until one man was again in power and be the only one with decision power (and of course accountability). That man became Montezemolo and things started to change only after he arrived.

[BuzzingHornet]

I hope Schumacher wins the title, he deserves it

[Ellen2]

BH, did you have one to many today??????;)

[BuzzingHornet]

Probably one too few
No, i've been warming to Schumacher for a few seasons, he's not all that bad ;) and after the last race he showed that he was just a normal bloke deep down (aahh )

It would be nice to see him as champ again, and he is in position to break all the records in F! so it'd be great to see him do it. Hakkinen winning again would be boring as well (sorry Hakk fans)

[goGoGene]

If I'm not mistaken, we have a very good chance of 1st and 2nd in the WDC being over 100 pts apiece. The more amazing thing is that DC can still win it, and RB was just eliminated this last race.

ggg

p.s. Buzzing, I have to disagree, there would be nothing boring about either of these guys winning, they both deserve it, and if Hakky can pull another move like Spa to take the title, it would be very exciting, three in a row, quite an accomplishment, especially against such a well matched opponent.

[BuzzingHornet]

Yeah definitely, i'm not saying Hakkinen doesn't deserve it, just that as an impartial F1 fan i'd rather see Schumacher put the no.1 back on his car in 2001

[Bob Nomates]

The only thing that can stop Schumi winning the title is the proble they have with the tyre's, Malaysia is tough on tyre's and also it is very hot there in October, but I still think he can do it.
RB needs to beat Coulthard to prevent him interfearing with any of the race results from now on, I just hope the two of them leave Hakkinen and Schumi to decided the title between themselfs.

[goGoGene]

Just like Ferrari did last year

ggg

[The RedBaron]

yeah well, Irvine isn't exactly in Mika's league..,he needed a helping hand or two!

[Ellen2]

and DC got in the way in Suzuka, reducing the pressure on Mika. Yes, it would be great if Mika and Schumi fight it all out between the two of them, with no intervention from DC and RB.

[Scuderia Grizz]

Well all the post were pro Schumi!

So it is my duty to say Schumi won't win this year.

There are alot more deserving people then Schumi!

Ok i said my peace you may go back to your Schumi loving....lol

P.S There has to be aleast one negative post.

[goGoGene]

Yes, with any luck team orders won't taint what is shaping up to a classic struggle between MH and MS.

ggg

p.s. HEY...not all posts were pro MS, I'm a Hakky fan!

[Scuderia Grizz]

goGoGene sorry buddy! That has the be the most insulting thing to say to a person, telling them there Schumi fans when their not!
It won't happen again!
Will Mika threepeat?

[Billy]

Originally posted by 130R
Having watched and rewatched every F1 race for the past 16 or so years, often there is a crucial event that seems to point to the future. A crucial victory. A critical mistake. A tragic outcome.

On Sunday, I sensed that this very event took place -- and that is the emotional release of several years of stress lifted from Michael during his tenure at the Scuderia.

Unlike the fans, the drivers do not try to predict the future. Each of them has been in many championship battles, and each knows how ridiculous it is to say "I am going to win the WDC" when there are still three races to run. Only when things become mathematically certain do the drivers acknowledge the facts, until then they focus on the only thing they can influence: winning the next race.

That is why Michael was so shocked afterwards when he equalled Senna's record of race wins. This historical record was not on his mind before or during the race. Champion drivers must have discipline, and they must not be motivated or distracted by abstract goals like winning the WDC or achieving the best statistical records. Unlike the fans, Schumacher was intensely focussed on setting up the car to suit qualifying, getting pole position, achieving a good balance in car for the race, and then winning the race. At the end of all this, his job was finished and the achievement was real: he could finally relax, and let the flood of emotion overwhelm him.

[mhferrari]

He will win US and Malaysia. And win the WDC.

[Samurai]

Yeah of course he's likely to win it. The Ferrari car is outstanding (except for the few tracks where the Macs managed to surprise. Btw is it coincidence that at tracks like Hockenheim or Monza where the Macs were expected to dominate, but in which TC would make a huge difference, Ferrari/Schumacher was dominant?!? )

The only reason the WDC race is so close in the first place is that Schumi went into his patented Schumacher-chokeup and threw away 3 races in a row (well actually 4). Kissing the wall, crashing himself and others out of the race in the first lap for 2 races in a row... Jeez what a ninny!

Anyway of course he's likely to win it, unless he really wets his pants again. After all the great Eddie Irvine would have won the WDC last year for Ferrari if he didn't have his pitstop sabotaged ("Hey, are we supposed to have 3 wheels here or 4???" ).

and Icklestone wants this to happen....

[Billy]

Originally posted by Samurai
Btw is it coincidence that at tracks like Hockenheim or Monza where the Macs were expected to dominate, but in which TC would make a huge difference, Ferrari/Schumacher was dominant?!?

Could you explain how TC would make a huge difference at these tracks? Is it something to do with the low downforce settings?

[Lamont]

Originally posted by Samurai
Btw is it coincidence that at tracks like Hockenheim or Monza where the Macs were expected to dominate, but in which TC would make a huge difference, Ferrari/Schumacher was dominant?!?

I think it's far more interesting that both times TC became a hot issue being discussed by the FIA, McLaren's performance went in the crapper.

The only reason the WDC race is so close in the first place is that Schumi went into his patented Schumacher-chokeup Kissing the wall, crashing himself and others out of the race in the first lap for 2 races in a row... Jeez what a ninny!

Oh year, I forgot, Schumacher forced Zonta to run into him from behind at Austria. And I suppose it was Schumacher's fault that the exhaust failure took him out of the race in Monaco too? Ditto for his engine failure in France? You definitely have an interesting perspective on things Samurai. You must be sharing the pipe with Frans again....

[baddog]

I dont doubt samurai is 'sharing frans pipe'... in a manner of speaking

on the main point.. it does indeed look very good for ferrari now, Monza may be a strange track, and one that doesnt reward the driver, but it does give a good show of absolute car performance.. and that bodes ill for mclaren. The tyre wear thing which monza doesnt highlight, or some sort of stumble from ferrari like a blowup or crash, is I think their best hope.

Mika has driven very well indeed, as has michael, and either of them would be very deserving of a WDC this year.

thanks for your preparedness to be open minded 130r, an example to many of us on all sides of the debate here.

Shaun

[Rogue]

Fine post 130R.You perfectly summed up exactly what I was thinking whilst watching the driver conference on Sunday. I think the result will be similar to his accident andsubsequent comeback last year, only magnified as he has now firmed kicked those monkeys right off his back.

Regards,

[Frans MSH]

Schumacher winning the title in 2000....


Like I said at the beginning of the season already: No way.

NO WAY


NOOOOOOOOOOOO WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"phew" that's out....

IF he's gonna win the title, it has to be thanks of a ramming action, and oh boy, I know it's still gonna happen....... a '97 Jerez replay????? Or a Adelaide 94 replay?

WHAT THE DIFF you can ask, well..... I'm afraid they gonna use the 94 outcome then...... FIA...... who needs them/ ?

[Hooster]

Great post 130R and generally a good thread. I think the opening post and most of the thread should serve as an example for what this forum should be like.

I agree that MS is looking good for the WDC but remember he is still under colossal pressure. I think Hakkinen still has a 30 to 40 percent chance. I am a Schumacher fan but if Hakkinen wins I will not be too dissapointed. He is a great driver and person. His behaviour during the press conference after Monza was most impressive.

So, heres hoping for some great racing in the last 3 GP`s and I hope Schumacher wins it. He has laboured and he deserves to see the fruits of his struggle.

[Hooster]

Frans. Have you ever asked a doctor if he can surgically remove the Adelaide 94 replay that is endlessly running through your head? If it where possible I think you would enjoy life more afterwards...

[Frans MSH]

[Alena]

Originally posted by 130R

[/B]I do, however, concede that he is the de facto number 1 driver in the world today.[/B]

Maybe, maybe not. In the 3 last races also the quality of the cars and the car suitability to remaining tracks means maybe even more than the drivers (because the skills of the drivers are alomost equal).

[Mumbler]

I think that the balance is marginally with MS. Had he lost at the weekend, then it would have been 60-40 in MH favour. Although the situation has been set up by the first lap shunts, it is nice to see the season reaching a natural climax.
MH still has more points, but Rubbens has looked much more on the pace than DC over the last couple of races.

However. Does not MS time at Ferrari have a little of the Greek tragedy about it. Constantly striving, never quite achieving.......

[Oho]

Ave !!!

The bookies seem to give the duo pretty equl odds. Mika has had a run of excellent form but Monza was a minor dip, Michael and Ferrari returned to form but his reactions in the post race conference are probably not looked upon too favorably by the bookies. Oh well I rather predict when its all over, my chances of guessing right are much better then.

- Oho -

[Cinquecento]

Yeah but I read yesterday that DC is going to help MH get the championship...

mmmwwahhaahhaahaahhhaahhaahhhaahhah!!!!!

ouchie, me tummy hurts.

Chances are, chances are.. I'm optimistic for MS, but you never know. I'm not into mythologising MS' tears or Hakkinen's pass in Spa. Either one could be on top in the next race.

[baddog]

perhaps dc is going to help by waving encouragingly as he is lapped ;)

Shaun

[Frans MSH]

DC helping Mika is great, DC doesn't like Schumacher.....

David, can we COUNT on you now?

GO GET HIM!

[Sean L]

Or maybe more like "unencouraging" MS as he gets lapped like Suzuka '99 ;)

[Max Torque]

Funny, how 2 weeks back everyone had written Schumi off (excapt a few) and now you all seem to think he is the favorite.
What changed your minds? Did you think after Spa that Schumi wouldn't win another one until the end of the season? I thought of that and I was mistaken, but that doesn't mean MS is the favorite. Of the remaining tracks, Suzuka is traditionally won by the fin, whereas the other two don't leave room for predictions. Only one race in Sepang doesn't prove a pattern that Schumi performs better than Mika there!

What I now see is how much the last race always seems to affect us. This and the next one are going to be red weeks, just like the previous four were silver. But after Indy everything could change again. A 'freak' win from someone like, say, Fisichella, would have all of us forget about Michael and Mika for a week and speculate as to if Giancarlo would win the WDC next year!

All in all nice topic 130R, but as they say: It's not over till the fat lady sings.

[Louis Mr. F1]

assuming each driver wins 1 of the next 2 races and the other finish 2nd, then going into the last race, Mika will be leading by 2 pts, however, he can't afford to finish 2nd and still win the championship, like in 98. Judging from 99, MS will be particularly strong in Malaysia, with the very hot, humid weather. (Big Assumption, i know)
However, can we also attribute part of the reason MS was so strong in Malaysia was because he had a break last season and was all relaxed when he returned?? Mika had a mid season break this yr and returned as a better driver as well. And mika was kind of de-motivated last yr after the problems in Monza and Nurburgring, so maybe he wasn't in top form heading into Malaysia.
regarding the Indy F1 race, it's really hard to tell, can we say the circuit is similar to ....... Magny Cours?? and Ferrari was strong there until the car broke. Mika, on the other hand, can make lightening starts and the car is pretty reliable, that's to his favour.
Sometimes, i feel the difference in their championship preparation is MS would test endlessly, trying to find a tenth here and there, while Mika would prefer to take a break, like in 98, leaving the testing duties to DC.
But the showdown in the Sepang circuit is not the most exciting prospect to me, mainly because of the slow exit to the 2 pit straights, and i don't expect to see a lot of passes there and i hope there'll be more spectators there this yr, creating a championship battle atmosphere.

[baddog]

max, not everyone wrote MS off after spa. some of us just kept our heads down to see how monza looked

Shaun

[Hooster]

Frankly I don't quite understand why people where writing MS off after Spa. I most certainly did not. I wrote a post here titled "gentlemen it was the car" and I critizezed the Ferrari team for the poor performance but I never thaught to write Schumacher off. However I have not written Mika off after Monza. The race for the wdc is still wide open even though MS is looking better than Mika right now.

[Lamont]

Originally posted by Frans MSH

David, can we COUNT on you now?

GO GET HIM!

It's funny how the same ramming maneuver you deplore from Schumacher is something that you constantly advocate other drivers to to do Schumacher (first JV now DC).

[Lamont]

Originally posted by Max Torque
Funny, how 2 weeks back everyone had written Schumi off (excapt a few) and now you all seem to think he is the favorite.

Actually, I think it was mainly Selena who wrote off Ferrari and MS. I have been saying all along it's not over until all drivers but one are mathematically eliminated, which is why I'm not writing off Mika yet either.

[Frans MSH]

Well said......

Schumacher favorite all of a sudden, HahaHahaH yeah well, you can have fun with it...



see ya all!

[130R]

He looks very confident. Any comments on his form? Is it the car? 21 years....

[Lamont]

Originally posted by Frans MSH
Schumacher winning the title in 2000....


Like I said at the beginning of the season already: No way.

NO WAY


NOOOOOOOOOOOO WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, just have to do it, can't resist:

Sorry Frans! Guess your prediction was off....

Mmmwuhahahahahahahahahhahaha!

[Mickey]

Hehe,

I can't wait to read an update on the Anti-MS site

[baddog]

I actually feel quite sorry for frans. mind you, this will perhaps rejuvinate his campaign, and we can have a whole new batch of edited pics and rambling lies.

cool

Shaun