Schumacher to replace Massa

Debaser · Post by **Debaser** » 29 Jul 2009, 17:00

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77418

I'm stunned, aren't you???...

Paul Hayes · Post by **Paul Hayes** » 29 Jul 2009, 17:05

Just saw it drop down the wires. I am more than stunned. I can't quite believe it.

Flippin' heck.

WeirdKerr · Post by **WeirdKerr** » 29 Jul 2009, 17:06

Its not surprising really now is it.....

LukeB · Post by **LukeB** » 29 Jul 2009, 17:14

You gotta be goddamn kidding me. If they ever make a film about his carrer I suggest calling it "The Thing That Woulden't Die" :cry:

Ross Prawn · Post by **Ross Prawn** » 29 Jul 2009, 17:20

The Infinite Improbability Drive has cut in early!

Great!!!

I just hope that he is fit and on form. And being Schumi, I imagine that he will be.

It should be fascinating to watch him to take on Kimi, Lewis, Jenson et al. Just pity Alonso may not be in the race.

I imagine there are few top line F1 drivers who are feeling a bit nervous of their reputation now.

Of course, I hope he's just back for a few races. Great champion but we don't want him back full time.

Phillipe seems to be doing well, which is also great.

Enforcer · Post by **Enforcer** » 29 Jul 2009, 17:21

There's only one way he can do this:

Short fuel the car in Q3, stick on the first couple of rows and KERS his way into the lead from the start and work from there. Mightn't work, but it'll be pretty spectacular. And you never know, even Mansell managed to win a race when he came back in 94

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 29 Jul 2009, 17:22

I'm a Schumi fan, but I'm not sure if this is a good thing.

It could well taint his legacy (I'm getting poetic), and that is something he should be looking to avoid. Raikkonen may have come a good second at Hungary, but the F60 is still by no means a great car.

On the other hand, the other names people were touting did not look promising, which just shows how once you step out of people who have current F1 seats how sparse the talent is. Schumacher, from Ferrari's point of view, did seem to be the best option.

Still, I'm stunned. :shock:

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 29 Jul 2009, 17:29

He could make Deletraz look like Nuvolari and his legacy won't be tainted that much -- you know, totally forget about those 7 World Championships...

Coming back full time in F1 might hurt his legacy, but a drive for a few races couldn't hurt that much.

Enrique Bernoldi · Post by **Enrique Bernoldi** » 29 Jul 2009, 17:42

Wow. I thought I'd seen the last of him! :O For me, this is the story of the season.

Just imagine if he won in Monza...the Italians would go absolutely bananas!

deCrasheris · Post by **deCrasheris** » 29 Jul 2009, 17:46

This screams Nigel Mansell at McLaren in 95 :oops:

.

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 29 Jul 2009, 17:49

Cynon wrote:He could make Deletraz look like Nuvolari

What would Lavaggi be then? Schumacher?

That hurts my head.

Barbazza · Post by **Barbazza** » 29 Jul 2009, 17:55

I hope its like Mansell at Williams in 94 rather than Mansell at McLaren in 95!!

It could spoil his reputation but then the car's still not that great so in that respect he's not got as much to lose as if he'd been stepping in last season....

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 29 Jul 2009, 17:58

deCrasheris wrote:This screams Nigel Mansell at McLaren in 95 .

I think Schumacher is a consummate professional, he'll fit in the car for sure! :lol:

Still, I am nothing short of stupefied. This is astonishing, unexpected and - let me be honest about this - epic! I so want to see him KERS-ing all the kids! Oh yeah! :mrgreen:

Henrique · Post by **Henrique** » 29 Jul 2009, 18:11

BMW gone, Schumacher back... what a day

I hope Badoer and Gene don't get too depressed.

Nin13 · Post by **Nin13** » 29 Jul 2009, 18:24

This seems to be wierd year. First Lance Armstrong comeback, now Michael Schumacher. What's next?

lostpin · Post by **lostpin** » 29 Jul 2009, 18:24

Wow... I mean, just wow... :shock:

this is so unexpected and so epic in some way... Well, I think that in Valencia, for the first time this year we'll see the REAL performance of the F60...

noisebox · Post by **noisebox** » 29 Jul 2009, 18:42

I think this is the best thing to happen in F1 for years. It will be great to see if he's still got it. I'm particularly looking forwad to how Raikkonen will react. If Schumi is faster that could be the final nail in his coffin. Also, can you think of two drivers with a more different approach? Also, the prospect of him wheel to wheel with Hamilton when neither of them have the pressure of a championship to win will be fascinating.

Roll on Valencia, and I can't wait for Monza.

shinji · Post by **shinji** » 29 Jul 2009, 18:49

It's unlikely, but what would happen if he came back and won every race that's left in the season? Would he just go back in to retirement?

Debaser · Post by **Debaser** » 29 Jul 2009, 18:50

Monza? I can't wait to see him back at Spa, the spiritual racing home of both Schumi and Raikkonen.

razta · Post by **razta** » 29 Jul 2009, 19:29

Nin13 wrote:This seems to be wierd year. First Lance Armstrong comeback, now Michael Schumacher. What's next?

Ralf Schumacher!

also..
Anyone else have the image of Kimi spitting out his vodka, putting his choc ice down and heading out to the Gym?

Steve · Post by **Steve** » 29 Jul 2009, 19:44

Seriously surprised at this. Suddenly Valencia got that bit more interesting. Spare a thought from Luca Badoer though - with the Ferrari in quite good form this could have been a late chance to escape from F1 Rejectdom.

razta · Post by **razta** » 29 Jul 2009, 19:50

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsp ... 175588.stm

Eddie on Michael's Return

noisebox · Post by **noisebox** » 29 Jul 2009, 19:54

I think this will be a good way to close his career, there was a feeling that he didn't really retire on his own terms and had to be slightly pushed, and that was a bit undignified for a driver of his ability and standing. At least this time he has come back on his own terms and will walk away also on his own terms. I think he will still be seriously quick.

Jack O Malley · Post by **Jack O Malley** » 29 Jul 2009, 20:11

As a big Schumi fan I must say...

this is the stupidest thing I've heard in years!

Poor Badoer.

johnston21 · Post by **johnston21** » 29 Jul 2009, 20:22

I wonder if the FIA will waivy the Super License AND Driver fees?

It was mentioned earlier that he currently doesn't possess a Super License.

razta · Post by **razta** » 29 Jul 2009, 20:25

johnston21 wrote:I wonder if the FIA will waivy the Super License AND Driver fees?

It was mentioned earlier that he currently doesn't possess a Super License.

schumi's got more thank enogh to buy 100000 super licenses

watka · Post by **watka** » 29 Jul 2009, 20:28

This is a real shot in the arm for F1, I would love to see Hamilton and Schumi play off the line together and go toe to toe into the first turn!

razta · Post by **razta** » 29 Jul 2009, 20:29

watka wrote:This is a real shot in the arm for F1, I would love to see Hamilton and Schumi play off the line together and go toe to toe into the first turn!

hahah remember how alonso used to get rattled by schumi in the beginning of q3? :lol:

Pedro_Diniz · Post by **Pedro_Diniz** » 29 Jul 2009, 20:52

This just adds another dimension to what is shaping up to be a tight run-in to the title. How much of a bearing will Schumi have on the remaining races?! Bring it on!

Paul Hayes · Post by **Paul Hayes** » 29 Jul 2009, 21:17

I'm actually increasingly excited by this news. I really do think it will shake things up, one way or another, and the excitement in Valencia, especially when the lights go out on the Sunday, will be immense.

I think it will help Button, too, in that had things continued as normal, all the attention and pressure going into Valencia would have been on the championship leader seeing his lead crumble. Now the build-up will all be about Schumacher.

Just another great twist in a dramatic season. A shame we've had the political wrangling spoiling it all, or else I think it could be remembered as one of the greats.

Debaser · Post by **Debaser** » 29 Jul 2009, 21:32

I'm not being offensive here, but Rubens is indirectly responsible for Michael's return to F1. What more will he do for him?

Paul Hayes · Post by **Paul Hayes** » 29 Jul 2009, 21:56

If Piquet Jr somehow keeps his seat, will Schumacher become the first driver ever to compete against two generations of the same family in F1?

eytl · Post by **eytl** » 29 Jul 2009, 22:00

Debaser wrote:Monza? I can't wait to see him back at Spa, the spiritual racing home of both Schumi and Raikkonen.

Very good call.

Jack O Malley · Post by **Jack O Malley** » 29 Jul 2009, 22:03

Paul Hayes wrote:If Piquet Jr somehow keeps his seat, will Schumacher become the first driver ever to compete against two generations of the same family in F1?

Nope. Alain Prost, Derek Warwick, De Cesaris, Alboreto and Patrese competed against both Mario and Michael Andretti.

This would be cool anyway. Let's hope Nelsinho will be on the grid in Belgium ( :lol:

)

I was rather thinking that MS will race against a driver that was 1 year, 5 months and 2 days old the day of his first F1 race.

Has ever happened that a driver has competed against a guy that wasn't even born at the time of his F1 debut? Goin' wikiing.

CarlosFerreira · Post by **CarlosFerreira** » 29 Jul 2009, 22:07

razta wrote:Anyone else have the image of Kimi spitting out his vodka, putting his choc ice down and heading out to the Gym?

Here! It's bound to happen. Before and during the race, all eyes will be on Schumacher. After the race, all eyes might be on Kimi. He's very close to unflappable, but not quite so much, I reckon.

Paul Hayes · Post by **Paul Hayes** » 29 Jul 2009, 22:15

Jack O Malley wrote:
Paul Hayes wrote:If Piquet Jr somehow keeps his seat, will Schumacher become the first driver ever to compete against two generations of the same family in F1?

Nope. Alain Prost, Derek Warwick, De Cesaris, Alboreto and Patrese competed against both Mario and Michael Andretti.

This would be cool anyway. Let's hope Nelsinho will be on the grid in Belgium ( )

It turns out I was doubly wrong actually, as Schumacher also raced against Nakajima Snr in 1991.

chrismcn · Post by **chrismcn** » 29 Jul 2009, 22:17

Is Michael going to be the number 2 to Kimi?

Jack O Malley · Post by **Jack O Malley** » 29 Jul 2009, 22:18

Paul Hayes wrote:
Jack O Malley wrote:
Paul Hayes wrote:If Piquet Jr somehow keeps his seat, will Schumacher become the first driver ever to compete against two generations of the same family in F1?

Nope. Alain Prost, Derek Warwick, De Cesaris, Alboreto and Patrese competed against both Mario and Michael Andretti.

This would be cool anyway. Let's hope Nelsinho will be on the grid in Belgium ( )

It turns out I was doubly wrong actually, as Schumacher also raced against Nakajima Snr in 1991.

That's right! well found. So, there's no need to hope that Nelsinho will retain his seat. I can sleep this night.

Jack O Malley · Post by **Jack O Malley** » 29 Jul 2009, 22:20

chrismcn wrote:Is Michael going to be the number 2 to Kimi?

With 7 races still to go, and Button on the lead with 70 points and 6 wins, Schumacher may still win his 8th championship.
So I think Michael will get the first drive at Ferrari.
:mrgreen:

lostpin · Post by **lostpin** » 29 Jul 2009, 22:30

Jack O Malley wrote:
chrismcn wrote:Is Michael going to be the number 2 to Kimi?

With 7 races still to go, and Button on the lead with 70 points and 6 wins, Schumacher may still win his 8th championship.
So I think Michael will get the first drive at Ferrari.

Wow... I'll bet on this..