OT: Racing 2009 (Spoiler Alert)

toonarmy · Post by **toonarmy** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 10:05 pm

Button admitted the excitement that would be generated by Schumacher's return would be a huge boost for F1, but he fears that if the seven times champion's comeback is not a triumph, he could be remembered for that disappointment rather than his incredible previous achievements.

"Schumacher coming back to F1 is great news for the sport," Button told the News of the World.

"But I don't know if it will be great news for Michael Schumacher. He will be putting his reputation on the line coming back into the sport."

I completely disagree with Button. I think people are smart enough to realize that if MS races for Mercedes he will no be held to the same expectations that were in place for him when he raced for the Ferrari team. The only way that this is a failure for MS is if he cannot keep pace and embarrasses himself. The odds of that happening -- nil. He will not come back if he does not think he can still compete at a high level. He will be in good physical shape when he comes back and I am sure his skills will not have eroded much, if at all. Regardless of the outcome of this season, MS' accomplishments will always be what is he remembered for. His reputation is not on the line as Button suggests.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 10:22 pm

154 podiums from 249 starts, including 91 wins. 68 pole positions. 76 fastest laps. Jenson, my dear fellow, you really think one dodgy season at Mercedes could wipe out all of that?

Might it be, Jense, that you've got a fair idea of how the 2010 Mercedes is shaping up, and that you've got quite enough on your plate dealing with that Hamilton chap without having to worry about Schumacher as well? Just asking.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 11:06 pm

Button needs a f*cking history lesson. Schumacher had just come off two consecutive World Championships by age 26 when he left Benetton for Ferrari.

That was a huge risk, considering how bad Ferrari was at the time. The John Barnard-designed Ferrari of 1996 was an absolute sled, yet Schumacher wrestled it to four poles and three victories.

Next year, Schumacher is sliding into a team that won Drivers' and Constructors' World Championships this year. He will be reunited with the greatest pit strategist of this generation of F1, Ross Brawn, with whom he built Benetton and Ferrari into imperious F1 powers.

Schumacher's legend is absolutely secure regardless of what he does in 2010 at Mercedes.

I also love how Jenson Button, after one world title, is firing warning shots at one of the five greatest drivers of all time. Cheek.

I hope Schuey kicks his ass next year. Like Kevin Keegan's infamous rant against Sir Alex Ferguson, "I would just LOVE it."

Take care,
PK

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:04 pm

Dragging this thread back onto the front page one more time, with apolgies for any cheap pimping that may follow, in order to illustrate that I know bugger all about motor racing.

In an earlier blog post I attempted to argue that all-time top 10 lists were generally worthless things, but there is merit in top 10 lists that focus on a specific season. I think so, at any rate, or I wouldn't have created one. Would love your thoughts, either here or through the comments button on the blog.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:32 pm

Excellent review Adam, nice to see a Brit at #1

j/k

Timo Glock should have made that top list 10 list, I liked what he did for Toyota and maybe Heidfeld. I thought Heidfeld's performance improved as word leaked of a BMW pullout. I thought Fisi had a solid season for Force India, shame he thought he could do better with the Prancing Horse. Would have liked to see him on that list as well. Fisi and Force India was also the darling story of 2009 along with Brawn.

I thought Lewis is well deserving of #1, no question he earned it as the McLaren was just a tad worse than the F60 when the season started and the car steadily improved.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:34 pm

Surprise, surprise Michael signs with Mercedes for at least 1 year maybe two as a seat warmer for Vettel as the media is suggesting.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... 427552.stm

EZSnappin · Post by **EZSnappin** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 10:50 pm

I think your top 10 is good, and it's nice to see Buemi get some props. I might have stuck Kobayashi at ten just because he was really, really exciting in those last two races; he finished the season much like Buemi started it. Only nitpick:

"it’s incredibly difficult to recall a race in which Lewis let the car down"

I can't see how his blunder at Monza wasn't letting the car down, nor his poor drive in a middling car in England (he wasn't going to win, but drove like he didn't want to be there).

Another note: as good as Webber's year was, his "defensive driving" is something I wish more people would chastise him for - he may be a nice guy off the track but he takes his positioning into dangerous territory far too often. If he's beat, he's beat; he needs to race cleaner, especially when he's got a car that can get back a position.

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 10:15 am

Rod, I argued long and hard with myself over Fisi, Glock and Trulli in particular. In the end I concluded that they'd have been at the low end of the top 10 and I didn't feel they'd shown up consistently enough to dislodge what I already had there.

EZ, my impression of Hamilton's Silverstone weekend was that the car flat wouldn't go. His run through Becketts in Q1 had me genuinely scared for the bloke. When I reviewed Monza I gave him praise for pushing to the end in a car that, to my eyes, didn't quite deserve to be where he had it, so I can't mark him down for that now. Rightly or wrongly, I don't want drivers to settle for what they've got when the car ahead can be caught, but I well appreciate that the opposite view makes much more sense.

It should of course be noted that I have a particular fondness for Lewis and for Rubens, and while I hope I still evaluate them fairly, it wouldn't shock me if people felt I didn't. Thanks a lot for the feedback.

I'm at work, posting on the iPhone on my dinner break, so haven't had the chance to check the Schumacher deal properly. Last night I read it was a one year deal, today I see mention of three years. Is it one year with an option, a full three or what?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 12:13 pm

Simo:

I sent the official Mercedes-Schumi release, which includes three official press photos, to your atomiccaribou e-mail address for use in your blog.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 12:19 pm

Solid BBC interview today with Schumacher:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsp ... 427552.stm

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:47 pm

Am I allowed to switch team allegiance from Ferrari to Team Mercedes-Benz?

toonarmy · Post by **toonarmy** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 5:38 pm

Not only is Schumi back in F1, but he is back with Brawn. It will be interesting to see how many Mercedes flags are waving in the crowds now. Perhaps some of the Ferrari fans will cross over as long as Michael is with Mercedes. This official confirmation of MS back in F1 is simply enormous. So many fans will now have the opportunity to see arguably the greatest driver ever race again. Any hype needed to fill the grandstands has now been fulfilled. The 2010 season is going to be something else and I cannot wait for things to get started.

On a side note, my enthusiasm for the upcoming 360 F1 game just went up another notch knowing that I can race against Michael again in an F1 game.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:11 pm

Michael couldn't have picked a better time to return to F1. For years fans loved to hate his winning ways and now after a three year hiatus he is now in a similar position that Dale Earnhardt Sr. found himself in, later in his career. Those that loved to hate The Intimidator were cheering him on as he went after his elusive Daytona 500 win.

I'm definitely a Schumacher fan first as I seriously started watching F1 on ESPN in 1993. He was my favorite driver back then and still is to this day.

toonarmy · Post by **toonarmy** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:33 pm

Rodster wrote:Michael couldn't have picked a better time to return to F1. For years fans loved to hate his winning ways and now after a three year hiatus he is now in a similar position that Dale Earnhardt Sr. found himself in, later in his career. Those that loved to hate The Intimidator were cheering him on as he went after his elusive Daytona 500 win.

I'm definitely a Schumacher fan first as I seriously started watching F1 on ESPN in 1993. He was my favorite driver back then and still is to this day.

Great point. I loathed Michael for the simple reason that he beat the drivers I wanted to win for so many years. I always had a lot of respect for his ability and he seemed like a pretty decent guy off the track, but once the race started and he would make a "dirty" maneuver I was cursing him through my TV set. Fast forward to 2010. I don't know how I will react. Either I will be pulling for him to win, or I will be sickened that the bastard is back beating the guys I support. I have a feeling that it will be the former since I really appreciate all he and Brawn have done for the sport.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:46 pm

In 2010 i'll be cheering for Michael first and Ferrari second.

toonarmy · Post by **toonarmy** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 1:54 pm

I might just have to make a road trip up to Montreal this coming June. I have never seen Michael race in person, and would probably regret missing perhaps his last season, especially considering it will be with Lewis on grid.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 2:18 pm

You have two years unless Michael totally sux which I doubt and would be shocked. He'll be there until 2011. As others have indicated he's keeping the seat warm for the next heir apparent to Schumacher, Vettel.

Now if Nico disappoints in the Benz then he could be out in 2012 and it could be Vettel and Schumacher who btw didn't they win a title together in the Race of Champions?

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 6:41 pm

One last time in 2009, a piece of historic footage from YouTube that you probably won't give a tuppence about. If you only ever watch one of the old vids I link to, make it this one - Monza, 1971.

The start, with the national flag being dropped whenever the starter fancies, is good fun. Jacky Ickx and Chris Amon are stationary on the front row, but keep an eye on Clay Regazzoni's Ferrari on the outside of row three:

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/n3TrU4xe_ic&hl=en_GB&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed>

For those not familiar with the story of the race, the gaggle of 5 cars steaming towards the Parabolica on the final lap is the battle for the lead, about to contest the closest finish in Grand Prix history. What, you think I'm counting Indy 2002? Dream on.

Fancy some useless trivia? The final lap of that race was, to the best of my knowledge, the only lap Peter Gethin ever led in a Grand Prix. None of the top six finishers had ever won a Grand Prix before. Three of them - Mike Hailwood, Howden Ganley and the eternally unlucky Amon, some 30 seconds back after accidentally removing his entire visor when reaching for a tear-off strip - never would.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 6:53 pm

Sweet, thanks Adam.

toonarmy · Post by **toonarmy** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 9:14 pm

Rodster wrote:You have two years unless Michael totally sux which I doubt and would be shocked. He'll be there until 2011. As others have indicated he's keeping the seat warm for the next heir apparent to Schumacher, Vettel.

Now if Nico disappoints in the Benz then he could be out in 2012 and it could be Vettel and Schumacher who btw didn't they win a title together in the Race of Champions?

I guess no matter what the outcome it will definitely be a very German team. Heck, F1 overall is seeing Germany well-represented on the grid. If Rosberg really does have what it takes to be a contender then racing alongside MS might transform his career. I have not been sold on Nico yet, so perhaps he can raise things up a couple notches in 2010.

Smurfy · Post by **Smurfy** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 12:09 am

toonarmy wrote:I might just have to make a road trip up to Montreal this coming June. I have never seen Michael race in person, and would probably regret missing perhaps his last season, especially considering it will be with Lewis on grid.

Toon, I've been to the race four times now - 2002/2004/2006/2008. I've seen Michael on the podium twice (I left 2 laps early in 2002 to avoid the crowd). He is something to watch so I say go for it!

My personal preference is grandstand 11. The view is great and you can see that Schumi takes a strange line through turn 1 compared to everyone else - very deep before jerking the other way for turn 2. Here's an idea of the view from one of the higher rows: http://www.flickr.com/photos/60348944@N ... 449215226/

toonarmy · Post by **toonarmy** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 12:39 am

Smurfy wrote:
toonarmy wrote:I might just have to make a road trip up to Montreal this coming June. I have never seen Michael race in person, and would probably regret missing perhaps his last season, especially considering it will be with Lewis on grid.
Toon, I've been to the race four times now - 2002/2004/2006/2008. I've seen Michael on the podium twice (I left 2 laps early in 2002 to avoid the crowd). He is something to watch so I say go for it!

My personal preference is grandstand 11. The view is great and you can see that Schumi takes a strange line through turn 1 compared to everyone else - very deep before jerking the other way for turn 2. Here's an idea of the view from one of the higher rows: http://www.flickr.com/photos/60348944@N ... 449215226/

Very cool. Thanks for the information!

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 4:01 pm

According to this article AND it's the only one out there says Piquet Jr. will be back at Campos partnering Senna. Apparently his dad had to invest 15% in the team.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/29122009/ ... eturn.html

Piquet buys into Campos, gives Jr 2010 return

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 4:57 pm

Isn't that the only way Nelsinho could have landed a ride, with Daddy's checkbook?

GB_Simo · Post by **GB_Simo** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 9:12 pm

Good. I'd been worrying that if Kobacrashi (it's a work in progress, that one, I'll admit) turned in a consistent set of performances next year I'd have no light relief at all.

Believe it or not, I do think there's a top-line racing driver hiding somewhere inside Nelsinho. I don't think we'll get to see it, because I don't think he has anything like the necessary work ethic to get the best out of his car, his team or himself, but there's talent in there. If he had that work ethic, and if he hadn't gone and crashed that Renault on purpose and everything, maybe he'd get a drive on genuine merit rather than through the size of Dad's bank account.