What's up with the King??

[ES2k3]

Micheal Schumacher qualified 4th! (wow). Im closely watching Formula 1 racing since 1995 and I never felt anything special about M.Schumacher... He is just the fastest driver of all. It make F1 races hella boring since as soon as he lead the pack its all over. He'll win, again! bhaaaaa (notcool) I recall his crash in Japan qualifying and when he tried to push Villeneuve out of the track in 1997 at Jerez. This aside and he is true king, right? Not anymore... he's losing it! I mean, it seam he can't keep the car as steady as he's used to. Thats weird... Often running out of the fastest line. hmmm Maybe his Ferrari got some bad setups. I dunno...

Hey all, What's your thoughts? Is M. Schumacher a falling king?

 

[BlueMonsta]

If he is running out of the perfect line constantly... then he's losing it.
Being "king", he should have the adaptiblity of a bad setting and still take the perfect line.

so to me, he's gonna be gone soon.

 

[Leigh]

Its not like he's having a bad season with 10/11 race wins or anything... (though he is abnormally full of bulls*** this year - He spun intentionally in pre-qualifying??? who buys that? Its fine to make a mistake, but trying to cover it up just makes you sound like an arrogant jackass.)
F1's gone down the crapper the last couple of years though and its kind of taking everyone involved along for the ride. I still think Schumi is a phenomenal driver, but with the way things are right now, it just gets old watching him win without really trying, I haven't seen a real example of his ability in a very long time... its all pit strategy now - when was the last time he had to PASS ANYONE to take a win?
I'm enjoying F1 as enforced nap time these days... (sleep)

 

[ES2k3]

Thats why I like CHAMP CARs better: They actually fight all around the track instead of following each others, running in circles at ridiculous speeds :lol

 

[Natey]

Ayrton is King.

 

[cbcbd]

Ayrton is King.

I fully second that!!!


no, I'm not biased

 

[mazdaowner123]

What fuel load was he running on? What fuel load were the people in front of him running on? If someone is on a 3 stop strategy (or 4, hehe) they have an advantage over someone running a 2 stop when it comes to qualifying. I'm not saying that happened, because I didn't catch this weekends qualifying/race (although it's replaying now, and I'm kinda watching it).

~brian

 

[Lurch]

That's exactly what is going on. For 04, you run with the tires and fuel load that you qualify with. That means more variables are at play. He is playing with them like a cat. Qualifying 4th just means they are so confident in their strategy and in the fact that he can avoid trouble starting in traffic, that they can sacrifice the pole with a heavy fuel load to easily win with fewer stops.

And then there's tire compounds and strategies. A whole 'nother subject.

Ferrari/Schumacher are definitely not fading away anytime soon.

 

[Lt. Dan]

The other thing to consider is that a couple of teams are actually catching up in the designs of their cars to Ferrari....

Dan

 

[dmitrik4]

Ayrton is King.

ayrton was good...really good. but he wasn't schuey. the guy might be a jerk, he might be running for the yankees of F1, but wow. he is on his own level. the only hope is to keep him out of first, b/c once he gets there, bye-bye. no one can turn the lap times he can, it's as simple as that.

too bad mika retired. he was the only one who put really up a good fight.

 

[Jims5543]

What fuel load was he running on? What fuel load were the people in front of him running on? If someone is on a 3 stop strategy (or 4, hehe) they have an advantage over someone running a 2 stop when it comes to qualifying. I'm not saying that happened, because I didn't catch this weekends qualifying/race (although it's replaying now, and I'm kinda watching it).

~brian

Damn! You nailed it!!

I was suprised to see he was starting in 4th position too. Then laughed when I found out he was on a 2 stop strategy. (especially after the 4 stop strategy)

We were dicussing this at work today. Every time he wins like he does everyone cries foul. One of the things everyone seems to be overlooking is the fact that once he gets out in front he starts snapping off amazingly fast laps one after another. He drives the car as if he is a machine. Ferraris strategy would not work with a lesser driver.

4 PIT STOPS!! Thats unbelievable! Yet he snaps off such fast laps that he walks away from the crown making him untouchable.

Honda and Renault are running strong. Look at Toyota too as well as the new McLaren, there is a lot of potential for some good races. It would be nice to see some one step up to MC and give him a run.... even if it was Rubens.

 

[dmitrik4]

the renaults are crazy fast.

you got it exactly right...a 4-stop straegy when others are running 2 stops means he has to make up all the extra time. theyw ere talking about this weekend...how he's pretty much the only one to whom the team can say, "ok, we need x seconds over the next y laps"...and he can give it to them.

he's just better than everyone else. bottom line. 80 career wins. nothing else to be said.

 

[Crack Monkey]

Ferrari/Schumacher are definitely not fading away anytime soon.

The bold part is the key. Not that I'm claiming Schumacher couldn't win with another team - he certainly has proven he can - but that the combination of MS and Ferrari is nearly unbeatable. The fact that RB is usually on the podium alongside MS speaks to the technical proficiency of Ferrari's engineers and crew.

 

[Natey]

"When the two men raced together, from 1992-94, Senna undoubtedly had the upper hand..."

From
http://autosport.net/items/senna/other/senna-vs-schumi.htm


Let's not forget Fangio, either, huh?

 

[mazdaowner123]

"When the two men raced together, from 1992-94, Senna undoubtedly had the upper hand..."

From
http://autosport.net/items/senna/other/senna-vs-schumi.htm


Let's not forget Fangio, either, huh?

Senna might have been better back then, but Shuey has improved over time. 1994 was 10 years ago. Shuey has had much more seat time since then, so who knows what the result would be if they were to race together now. I'd love to see it, though. Also, they compare the number of poles out of the number of races started, but now that's not a fair comparison with the new fuel/tire rules.

~brian

 

[Natey]

It seems comparable to me. Each driver has to follow the same rules as all the other drivers of their time. They do/did and Senna has a higher pole position average...against what most consider to be better competition.

Maybe it's because my Brazilian friends are frickin' fanatics, but I'll never forget how fast & crazy that guy was. Watch an old F1 race and see his brilliance.

IMO, of course. (drinks)