Forums → The Tavern → F1 season 2012

I thought it was a boring race and Vettel won again!
The only interesting thing about Singapore is that the cars look great under artificial lights. The poor drivers sweat like pigs in their cockpit and they can't barely pass each other so why sign up for another 5 years? It must cost a small fortune to light such a circuit.

Going to endure at least 5 more years of traffic jams when they close the roads in some areas for the drivers, and those engines which can be ears across half the nation.

The only interesting thing about Singapore is that the cars look great under artificial lights.

It must cost a small fortune to light such a circuit.

And then the dreaded news came and shattered Schumi's dream for a second winning streak in his F1 career... =(

Where I can totally understand Mercedes' point of view and the way they have to look towards the future, but somehow they give me the bad feeling of simply tossing Michael out with the garbage after 3 years of actively helping to build the team up to what it is now and taking it to a higher level and that can't be right? =/

[sarcasm]
I've never been, nor will I ever be, a vindictive person, but I wish Lewis and the Mercedes Team a whole lot of luck to get the team forward and up to an even higher level...
[/sarcasm]

Thank you for all the great years Schumi! You have been a real assett to this sport and now a truly sad loss... even the people who hated you have to admit that F1 was a little more exciting when you were in it...

What? Did you read this on the F1 site?
They threw schumi with the trash just like Ferrari did?
:O
Now I'm all depressed.

Mercedes forgot pretty quickly how much schumacher helped them improve their car. Ferrari did the same after he brought them back from their mediocrity to constructor champions. They went back downhill and they would have continued plummeting if Alonso wasn't there. I bet they will get rid of him too once they're back on top.

I'm afraid Schumacher won't be back.
He became my favorite when he kicked Damon Hill and David Coulthard's butt with his inferior Benetton car. The year after they were on top thanks to him again, he stopped the annoying William domination at the time and made F1 more exciting to watch.
Anyway, there's nothing we can do but whine. :S

Hold your horses SSTG... there's talk of Sauber being interested in Schumi as their driver Perez will be replacing Hamilton at McLaren, who will be leaving to replace Schumi at Mercedes! So there's still a viable option for him and the car is doing very well at several circuits, so it's not a complete sub-top team he would be getting aboard with...

For the sake of argument, let's assume he joins Sauber and they can keep their promise that they are going to be even better coming season and then Schumi would beat both Rosberg and Hamilton with the Sauber... that would be the ultimate revenge! =D

Allthough, realisticly, I don't know whether Schumi would fit with the Swiss team... hmmm... =/

Even my optimistic feeling and positive thoughts didn't make it in the end, as the sad news I was dreading to hear has been officially announced just now... =(

Michael Schumacher retires permanently from Formula 1 after this season...

The official BBC announcement from 1 hour ago states:

Michael Schumacher has announced that he will retire from Formula 1 at the end of the season.

Lewis Hamilton is to replace the seven-time world champion at Mercedes from next year.



Schumacher was linked with a move to Sauber for 2013 but has decided to end an F1 career that began in 1991.



"Although I am still able to compete with the best drivers, at some point it is good to say goodbye," said the 43-year-old German.
"During the past month I was not sure if I still had the motivation and energy which is necessary to go on. It is not my style to go on if I'm not 100% with it. With today's decision I feel released from those doubts."



Schumacher won 91 races in 19 seasons, helping to revive Ferrari's fortunes after he joined them in 1996. He won his first title with Benetton in 1994 and repeated the feat the following year. He claimed five straight titles between 2000 and 2004, before retiring for a first time in 2006.



After three years away from the sport he made a comeback with Mercedes in 2010. However, since his return he has managed just one podium finish in three seasons, at Valencia earlier this year.



Speculation that Schumacher could retire at the end of the season first surfaced at the start of September, when Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone told BBC Sport that he was "sorry that he's leaving us not being a winner, because he is a winner".
Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug said: "I thank Michael. We have known each other a long time; we started together in Group C racing and he went on to be the most successful driver in Formula 1, winning more races and titles than any other driver.
"We were competitors against him [when Schumacher was at Ferrari with Mercedes supplying McLaren with engines] and we had always dreamed of working together and it came after Brawn Mercedes won the World Championship in 2009.
"We did not achieve what we wanted to but Michael has laid some strong foundations and I want to thank him from the bottom of my heart."

It is unclear what Schumacher will decide to do after retiring, but Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn has already suggested a position is available for him within the motorsport group. "We would like him to stay involved with Mercedes," Brawn told BBC Sport last week. "There is a lot of things he can contribute - perhaps on the racing car side but certainly on the road car side and I think that is something he would enjoy a great deal.
"I think with a few months reflection he will decide what he wants to do with the next part of his life, and I hope it is still with what we are doing here at Mercedes."


(The 2012 Valencia GP Podium, one of the best ever...)

Schumacher's impressive F1 career:

1991: Makes F1 debut in Belgium for Jordan team
1992: Third in championship for Benetton
1994: Wins first title for Benetton
1995: Second title for Benetton
1996: Joins Ferrari
2000: First title for Ferrari
2001-04: Makes it five titles in a row
2006: Last win in China. Retires at end of the season
2010: Returns to F1 with Mercedes GP
2012: Last Pole position at Monaco GP.
______ Last podium (3rd place) at Valencia GP.
______ Announces retirement at end of the 2012 season

Michael Schumacher in numbers (up till now) :

World championships: 7
Race wins: 91
Seasons in F1: 19
Points scored: 1,560
Points finishes: 220
Podiums: 155

(Source: BBC Sports)

For me it's a dark chapter in the history of Formula 1 as one of the greatest, most succefull and entertaining drivers is going to leave the highest platform in motorsports...
I will keep on watching the seasons and races, but it won't be the same without him in the field doing his thing!

'Vielen dank fuer die schoene jahren Michael und das grosse vergnuegen dir so viele jahren gesehn zu haben im Formel 1. Ich bin einen dankbaren fan.'
[/MrDayCee]

It's very sad indeed but I was expecting it. He's 43 yo and probably wants to do something else. He broke pretty much every records so maybe he didn't have the motivation to continue. The season is not over so he might do something great before the end.

I was dreading but also expecting it yes... he stated that he doesn't have the drive, motivation and energy anymore to keep going. It simply takes too much energy to recharge his battery every time, so... =/

It would be a blast to have him end up one a podium once or twice during the final 5 races! That would really make all the critics shut up for sure! =D

Hint: He had the 5th clocked time during the first practice sessions in Japan...

Vettel on pole in the Suzuka Grand Prix qualifications, that's disgusting! Alonso in 7th, that's even worse! >

I believe it's Seb's 3rd pole in a row on Suzuka even... (o_O)

And the stewards have been handing out penalties and repremands like it was candy! What's that all about?!?!

Alonso beaches the car on the first turn and Vettel wins again! >:O
What a nightmare!

This race was a true dreaded nightmare's scenario...

It was uneventfull, some minor things happening set aside, but in the end Vettel won with boredom precision driving, Schumacher was not able to get back to the front far enough (1 more position... ouch...), Grosjean is a clear cut and complete danger to everyone in the field (moron! again...), Alonso did what he accused others from (what a fall from grace), but...

*switch to positive side*

The championship is now back in the saddle and full of excitement again, Massa got a deserving 2nd place that might give him some renewed confidence as he saved the constructor's points for Ferrari, Kobayashi did a tremendous job to steer the Sauber to 3rd place (whereas his -soon to be ex- team mate was a little too eager and crashed), Grosjean is being attacked verbally from all sides about his driving skills which is a good thing I believe. He is a danger and needs to be controlled...

Next stop coming sunday: Korea! Let's hope this will spice things up a bit... Schumi on pole?! LOL =P

Yes but something important was missing, the flag girls! How dare they
deprive me of that extra enjoyment during the pre-race show. :/