2011 F1 Thread

[tweety bird]

Michael Schumacher has admitted he may have become more of a burden to Mercedes GP than a driving force.

The seven-time World Champion came out of retirement at the beginning of the 2010 season with the the primary aim of developing the team's challenger.

However, the 42-year-old has largely struggled, consistently finishing behind his team-mate, Nico Rosberg.

But it is not only the results that have disappointed the German, with Merc failing to develop a competitive car.

This has caused Schumacher to reconsider his position in the sport.

"I arrived at Mercedes with a specific task: not winning at all costs but to grow the team," Schumacher told Corriere dello Sport.

"If anything, I am the problem: it is a fact that I am a bit more relaxed than before and I do not know if my mind-set is right for this team.

"I have experience, I can estimate when it is necessary to concentrate. But I do not know if my mind-set is right for the team, in some time we will evaluate whether to continue or stop in F1," he added.

the boss is done

Daniel Ricciardo may have been linked with a move to Red Bull but for now the youngster holds more modest goals.

Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko remarked recently that the Australian will take the place of his compatriot Mark Webber when Webber either leaves the team or decides to retire.

The chance of racing for a Championship winning outfit or for their sister team, Toro Rosso, in years to come is obviously an enticing prospect but the 22-year-old is keeping his focus firmly on matters of the here and now.

"Before I even get a seat there, I have to prove that I deserve it," Ricciardo told Auto Motor und Sport.

"Therefore, first of all I need to get to the level of Tonio Liuzzi. That is a realistic goal.

"It would be great to sit in a Red Bull, but I think that's unlikely. It would be nice to have a place in a Formula One team, where, I don't really care," he added.

i like him more now

[ctjet]

Not that his hard core fans will ever admit it, but schui coming back was always going to be a bad idea

The Hakk went out gracefully and now everybody looks back at his career and adores him

I think schui has really damaged what would have been a fine racing legacy

[dezz]

I'm a Schumacher fan and I agree with you. I think his reasons for coming back were good, to help Mercedes develop and become a top team, but it seems the fighting spirit that made him what he is, just isn't there anymore.

Couple that with a car that hasn't really been great, and he looks average.

So on one hand he should have stayed in retirement, but on the other hand I don't think he ever believed he'd come back and win another title, but did it for Mercedes/Ross Brawn

[Duncan]

meh. in a few years we'll forget his failed comeback and go back to saying he was a "hard racing legend"

its funny how quickly people forget what arseholes some drivers were

[tweety bird]

one day later.

Michael Schumcaher's manager, Sabine Kehm, has rubbished reports that the German is evaluating his future in F1.

Earlier in the week, Italian publication Corriere dello Sport was widely cited as the source of quotes in which Schumacher reportedly stated that he had become a burden to Merc GP and that he would soon be considering whether or not to continue racing.

However, the seven-time World Champion's management team have discredited the story.

"Since his return to F1, Michael has not spoken with anyone from the Corriere dello Sport," Kehm told Bild.

"He is full of passion for the cause and continues to see the task of build something big at Mercedes as an exciting challenge.

"The fact that sometimes it doesn't work only spurs him on. Someone who will soon celebrate their 20th anniversary in Formula One knows that perseverance can make a difference," she added.

say what you want about schumi but i'm a fan go schumi!

Sir Frank Williams believes that the 2012 season will serve as the start of a new, brighter era for Williams.

The team was a dominating force since it's creation in 1977 up until the early 2000's, claiming seven Constructors' titles in the space of 26 years, a period in which they were not one of the top five Constructors' on just three occasions.

However, since switching from BMW to Cosworth engines at the start of the 2006 season, Williams have gradually fallen further down the pecking order.

Sir Frank admits that the team have come up short in recent times.

"It isn't easy, whether you're winning or losing, this game is very, very hard," he told ESPNF1.

"But yes, we've had quite a struggle technically for a number of years and there's no escaping or running away from that. We're trying as hard as possible to reinvent ourselves and somewhere soon it will come together."

Currently sitting in ninth spot on the table with only four points to their name, Williams have taken steps to improve their showing next season by bringing in the technical nous of Mike Coughlan, Mark Gillan and Jason Somerville.

Williams believes the appointments are a step in the right direction.

"Well we've got a few new people in the team now in Mike Coughlan who takes on the role of Chief Engineer, Mark Gillan who will take the role of Chief Operations Engineer and Jason Somerville as Head of Aerodynamics, so it's full steam ahead," he said.

"I would guess it will be six months until we have another product coming out of the design office, wind tunnel etc and we hope it will be markedly better. Anyway, that's step one of the rebuilding process."

Current technical chief Sam Michael, who will part ways with the team at the end of the season, has come under heavy criticism for the team's poor showing, some of which Williams believes in unfair.

"Sam Michael was rather put in a difficult position," explained the Briton.

"The depth and experience of technical back-up we've now put together for the future and which took us a little while to realise were not available to him and he should have been better supported. But I'm a huge fan of Sam, he's a major, major racer and just lives for it seven days a week and most weeks of the year he was in the factory at Grove and was totally dedicated. I couldn't ask for more than that and an extremely grateful for all his hard work," he added.

^ interesting.

[Nee-san]

meh. in a few years we'll forget his failed comeback and go back to saying he was a "hard racing legend"

its funny how quickly people forget what arseholes some drivers were

Definitely, for instance, Schumacher is slated like a commander of the SS but Senna pretty much has a homage of himself painted on the roof of the Sistine chapel.

[Marlin]

I think a couple of you might be being just a tad unfair?

I remember Senna very clearly for his ability behind the wheel, but because I'm not a simpleton, I also remember how frighteningly ruthless he was.

In fact when trying to explain the man to the little woman last night, I used words such as; arrogant, self important, and egotistical.

fark.... am I Ayrton Senna?!?!?!

[Nee-san]

I think a couple of you might be being just a tad unfair?

I remember Senna very clearly for his ability behind the wheel, but because I'm not a simpleton, I also remember how frighteningly ruthless he was.

In fact when trying to explain the man to the little woman last night, I used words such as; arrogant, self important, and egotistical.

fark.... am I Ayrton Senna?!?!?!

Aryton Senna never had the pleasure of Rb20 power ! Lol.

And yeah it's the old rose tinted glasses problem.

[chef_stagea]

going to see the movie shorty... have seen it in other languages but far out barrichellos crash in it is absolutely crazy

[NickR33]

I think a couple of you might be being just a tad unfair?

I remember Senna very clearly for his ability behind the wheel, but because I'm not a simpleton, I also remember how frighteningly ruthless he was.

In fact when trying to explain the man to the little woman last night, I used words such as; arrogant, self important, and egotistical.

fark.... am I Ayrton Senna?!?!?!

your being nice... he was a bad mutherfarker... but did it with flair and style... Schui? well he's German... arguably just as good but won't ever inspire the same passion

when are they going to put Loeb in an F1 car... now that's something I want to see (although he has even less personality than Schui)

[NickR33]

arrogant, self important, and egotistical.

ummm you just described every F1 driver... ever

[tweety bird]

Over 300 Indian farmers have threatened to "dismantle" India's new F1 circuit, angry over the way in which their land was acquired for the track.

The farmers, whose lands were acquired for Jaypee's Formula One race-track, held a meeting at the Kanarsi village earlier this week to discuss to discuss their grievances.

According to the DNA India, the farmers, calling themselves the Bhartiya Kisan Union, drafted a letter to the Yamuna Expressway Authority demanding 'more money, reservations in educational institutions and the setting up of more industries to generate employment in the area.'

"We are warning you that if our demands are taken casually, we will be forced to launch an agitation," they said, adding that they will "dismantle the racing track with force if necessary."

The Indian GP is scheduled to take place on 30th October while FIA technical director Charlie Whiting will head to India on 31st August to conduct his track inspection of the new venue.

only in india .

Niki Lauda believes it's only a matter of time before Michael Schumacher announces that he is quitting F1 after failing to succeed in his comeback.

Earlier this week, Corriere dello Sport published comments in which Schumacher reportedly stated that he had become a burden to his Mercedes GP team.

"If anything, I am the problem," the Italian publication reported the 42-year-old as having said.

"It is a fact that I am a bit more relaxed than before, and I do not know if my mindset is right for this team. At some point, we will evaluate whether I will continue or stop."

Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm was quick to deny the reports, telling the Bild that "Michael has not spoken with anyone from the Corriere dello Sport."

The reports, though, have again raised questions about Schumacher's long-term future in Formula One with the German contracted to Mercedes GP until the end of next season.

However, triple World Champ Lauda reckons Schumacher must be asking himself whether this year's season-ending Brazilian GP will be his last in Formula One.

"In the end you has to ask yourself, 'Can I do it or not?' and frankly I do not think it will work out for Michael now," Lauda told motorsport magazin.

"If you want to be faster, you try everything - and if you've tried everything and you still cannot do it, then that is it.

"One day he will realise that he cannot do it, and then he will make a decision.

"He has said that he needs more time, blah, blah, blah, and he presents himself as a relaxed guy who really still enjoys it - but inside he is not relaxed because no top racer enjoys being defeated."

Lauda added that while Schumacher has given some leeway last season when he finished down in ninth place in the Drivers' Championship, the German has no excuses for his disappointing results this season.

"Last year we understood that he needed time to get used to these different cars. Plus the handicap of not being able to test and everything else I had the feeling that this year was his last chance to create a proper comeback and this year it's the same as last year."

of course niki has a opinion.

[sh@un]

I've an opinion- Shuey is now old and slow.

Oh hold up, that's actually just factual.

[hrd-hr30]

schumacher has looked pretty ordinary at times, but he was far from ordinary in the wet at Canada, passing both a Red Bull and McLaren in the wet/damp conditions. He showed there he still has something the current crop of front runners don't.

Overall, its been pretty dissapointing though. Would like to see him stick it out for one more year like he signed up for. You never know what's around the corner...

[Marlin]

I agree Harry.

[dezz]

Definitely, for instance, Schumacher is slated like a commander of the SS but Senna pretty much has a homage of himself painted on the roof of the Sistine chapel.

That's what happens when you die young, everyone thinks you were the greatest thing that ever lived, even if you were a ruthless cunt when you were alive.

arguably just as good but won't ever inspire the same passion

His fault for not dying in an F1 crash...

[nismoman]

^^ that's a bit harsh. Especially speaking of someone who has passed. Not cool.

[dezz]

^^ that's a bit harsh. Especially speaking of someone who has passed. Not cool.

But it's ok to talk that way about Schumacher because he's alive?

[nismoman]

^^ huh? Who here is calling Schumacher the C word?

You are implying that Senna is only considered the greatest ever because he died young and at the wheel of an F1 car?

That's a pretty twisted perception you have!

It's not cool calling anyone the "C" word and definitely not cool speaking ill of the dead.

BTW, I like Schumacher and respect him as a driver. I think you should show more respect for those who have passed.

Edited August 11, 2011 by nismoman

[gts-4 dreamer]

Not everyone dead deserve respect. Stop being such a touchy prick. Senna was ruthless and is almost certainly loved and respected for his early retirement. Every F1 driver has the courage to push it or they wouldn't be in F1. Fair call on showing more respect though.