according to the beeb

A bit of a shame, would be good to see how he got on with the advances since he retired.

I think the neck is a redherring. I dont think he was up there with his old times in the old car so called it off. Why? He did a fair few stints in karts and his neck would have more than shown itself there. His times in a F1 werent good enough IMO.

He did a fair few stints in karts and his neck would have more than shown itself there

Yes as the Gs in a kart are far greater than a F1 car.

Hora in spouting **** shocker.

Of course, it could be that he wasn't quick but realistically, this is Schumacher and much as I was no real fan of him as a person, I'd be very suprised if he was slow now since he's not exactly been sat around on his arse since retiring.

Neck injury was well known before he was drafted in and is perfectly realistic.

What'll be interesting is to see if they can get him in at a later date if/when his neck does recover since it seems unlikely that Massa will be back this season (at least not before Brazil).

Drac they arent the karts you'd jump into in your local town. He carried out a serious amount of time in them. He'd also had a shakedown in a 2007 F1 car a couple of weeks ago no?

Of course all this has nothing to do with the fact as he couldn't test the new car until Valencia because 3 teams objected. 😕

He'd also had a shakedown in a 2007 F1 car a couple of weeks ago no?

After which he stated on his website that his neck was causing him problems.

Immediately that he was confirmed as the replacement, there were stories that suggested his neck might be a problem.

A kart won't generate anywhere near the forces a F1 car does, it's not even in the same universe

It sounds reasonable to me that he's tried out his neck with practice laps physio & strength work & it just isn't up to the hours of abuse that a GP weekend would need
Personally, although he is still very quick, I don't think he would have got close enough in qualifying to be able to make a big difference so maybe his times weren't there either

I don't think he was near doing himself justice. His manager held off producing memorabilia. Not a fan and its bye bye you cheating sausage-eating ****.

Nice xenophobic rant there. Well done.

Massive shame he isn't doing it. The guy is a legend. Best ever on balance, for me.

I do agree that he was unlikely to qualify as well as needed – there is so little between the cars this year that it is very easy to fail to get through Q1. Still a great shame though.

What we need now is for Renault's appeal to be turned down and Alonso to get in the Ferrari – there would be some fireworks then!

Alonso in a Ferrari. Kimi would have kittens and kick up over that. He wouldnt willingly allow a double champ alongside him in a Ferrari. Be very good to watch Hamilton .v. Alonso again though.

I don't think I'll bother to watch past the first lap at Valencia

If Alonso is there he'll only go light to get pole & hold everyone up for 10 laps or so

I don't recall any overtaking at all last year & it must be the dullest circuit to watch in the whole calendar.

Bring back Canada.

Drac they arent the karts you'd jump into in your local town.

You reckon?

Neck injury was well known before he was drafted in and is perfectly realistic.

Exactly.

Of course all this has nothing to do with the fact as he couldn't test the new car until Valencia because 3 teams objected.

Why the urge to look for some sort of drama when there's a perfectly good, and fairly predictable, reason for his pulling out?

Or his manager holding off production of Schumacher memorabilia

I don't get the need to search for conspiracies – they said he had a neck injury from the outset, and guess what? He has a neck injury and can't get it strong enough quick enough.

He doesn't have anything to prove to anyone. Not a single person that knows anything about F1 doubts his class.

You never eaten a sausage, hora?

Funny, because you seem to be a bit of a 'sausage'-head to me

I don't doubt that he was talented. His 4(?) wins with Ferrari came with a team built on development, consistency, focus and alot of investment. Kimi undoubtedly benefited from the knock-on effect of this. He won, it seems at almost any cost. People forget the incidents that he was involved in, the black flags, the deliberate swerve's (more than one occasion with Hill and with Villneuve). The illegal launch control software found on his car. For these reasons I am not a fan. I bet he was very popular in places like the City of London/Bankers/Sales-types etc. Bet they could see the same cold-focus that they'd like to see themselves as.

Mika deserved his double, so did Alonso as did Hill his one. I may come across as bitter hater. I remember watching him- not a fan sorry.

Zokes, do you like a bit of sausage?

Well clearly you're not much of an F1 afficonado, hora, so you can be forgiven all the inaccuracies and bad assessment – though why you want to comment so much on the subject is odd.

Schumacher won five WDCs with Ferrari, plus two with Bennetton. They didn't come on top of a team that was developed to the point that they were ready to win – Schumacher and the team that came together around him dragged Ferrari to the top after decades of frustration.

Any champion that wins to that level will be a highly motivated and driven character. You maybe heard of Senna vs Prost?

F1 is full of technical rule bending. Not just Ferrari.

I remember perfectly well all his bad behaviour (particularly against Damon Hill of whom I was a fan) and as stated above, I'm no fan of his.

That doesn't mean that I'll just go a spout rubbish about why he's not going to be racing like you are Hora.

Zokes, do you like a bit of sausage?

No, but why would that be a problem? Are you unfortunate enough to be homophobic as well as xenophobic?

There's an ulterior motive for everything in Hora's world

Nothing is black & white – absolutely nothing

No he didnt win his third immediately. It took time.

Previous Ferrari drivers werent that great though?
Berger: Over 200 races/10wins
Alesi: Over 200 races/1 win
Salo: Stand in?

Edit. Zokes, we've never met. Or if we have I can't remember you.

Again, you're kind of giving the game away about knowing not a lot about F1. It isn't that the drivers weren't "that great" – in F1 it is the whole team that competes and wins. The team, from management down, were not the unit that they became when Schumacher arrived and an incredible effort was built around him.

And in any case, what you've pointed out is the vast difference between Schumacher and those other drivers.

For you to imagine for a second that he might have gone to Ferrari and won a Championship straight away (because the previous drivers "weren't that great") does, again, make you look a bit naive. Sorry, not having a dig, but it does.

By the way, Ferrari also failed to win Championships with Mansell and Prost.

Edit. Zokes, we've never met. Or if we have I can't remember you.

Correct, I was merely making observations on the behaviour of your online persona. Hopefully in real life you're not so narrow minded…

glenp. No I didnt imply that. I said "wins with Ferrari came with a team built on development, consistency, focus and alot of investment". The drivers before weren’t great. Average. However the coming together, Todd, Brawn, Schumacher, $investment drove the team to its potential. Luca is 38 and hasnt driven in a race since 1999? Surely there must be other super-licence holders more suitable for that seat?!

Ferrari have Badoer and Gene who are both qualified to drive.

There are a number of drivers that might step in. Nelson Piquet junior needs a drive…

Ant Davidson deserves another chance.

Maybe Kubica could be got, since BMW are off?

And as for drivers that didn't win for Ferrari. Mansell was way better then Hill, although not quite "great" in my book – and Prost most certainly is in the "great" category.

I bet he was very popular in places like the City of London/Bankers/Sales-types etc

eh??? You ever been to the City of London? How did you arrive at that theory, or is it just another sweeping generalisation courtesy of your oversized tar brush?

Seems Luca Badoer is going to do it.

I think the neck is a redherring. I dont think he was up there with his old times in the old car so called it off. Why? He did a fair few stints in karts and his neck would have more than shown itself there. His times in a F1 werent good enough IMO.

The times from the 2007 car would have been useless. Even if he could compare times with Kimi and Massa from 2007 he was running GP2 spec slicks, not 2007 spec F1 groove tyres. I don't buy the redherring thing…

Knowing that Gene & Badoer have driven the 09 car, I suppose you could draw some conclusions from their times in the slicked 07 & Schumacher's to get some sort of ball park but it's a bit tenuous – to say the least

Schumacher would have been pretty close to the pace but the extra few tenths often come from other areas rather than driver skill & could have proved elusive for him, it takes time to build that sort of efficiency & understanding

By comparing Gene and Badoer's times in the 07 car around the track. (an analysis of telemetory in depth/further). Gene/Badoer's compared to Kimi's fast lap in the 09 car.

I don't buy it on the neck. After the serious motorbike fall in Feb he would have had scan's and would be aware of any complication in the past FIVE months. Ok, karting is not the same however in pro-Karts we are still talking fast direction changes/its very physical on the body- 3sec's 0-60 and circa 120mph top speeds. To pull out the day of the first 'official' shakedown just seems abit rum to me.

I think hes already been round a track in the 07 car and compared against Badoer's time and thought about preserving his image (NOT a bad thing). Come on, do you think Lance would have comeback if he thought for a second he might be off the pace? I'm not talking Aliens landing etc.

Zokes- no offence, I was alittle antsy early and needed my ride this aft. The sausage-bit was alittle Al Murray.

My new chain came off this afternoon and snapped two spokes. I can't get my head round why it keeps jumping off – adjusted everything. Bent mech hanger?

To pull out the day of the first 'official' shakedown just seems abit rum to me.

What are you cackling on about

He tested the 07 car on Friday 31st July & said afterwards that his neck was causing him some concern

I don't buy it on the neck. After the serious motorbike fall in Feb he would have had scan's and would be aware of any complication in the past FIVE months.

Which clearly he was.

Drac, so why did he accept the drive. Fast-track a Super licence etc?

(A bad analogy but..) you see a house, put an offer on. Accepted, start a survey, agree a mortgage then sit down and do some sums and realise you cant proceed after all…

that's it – I can't take it any more I'm going home 10 mins early & damn the consequences

Drac, so why did he accept the drive. Fast-track a Super licence etc?

More like a pointless analogy.

You never ridden know you had an old injury that might flair up and thought I'll try it Dr said it would be ok. A few miles into the ride it becomes too painful?

I feel cheated uplink. Cheated. Sorry mate. I wanted him against Hamilton in equal cars.