THAT kind of driving is why the man will become World Champion over and over again until he finally calls it a day... Admittedly, Ferrari didn't have the strategy to beat Renault, Alonslo was on his game, determined to be a hero; so Schumacher put the stones to them all with one of the best flat-out drives of his career. Opening up a 20 second window in only 15 laps while gambling on a 4 stop strategy!

In the words of Montoya after taking his first pole at Hockenheim a few years back...

"******* Brilliant!"


Anthony "Mario" Crea

 

Mr. Roboto

 

the fact that they switched from a 3 stopper to a 4 stopper in the middle of a race is what's amazing.

it's amazing in the sense that MS is having DISCUSSIONS w/ his team WHILE he's racing.

conversations that requires thinking, + driving at race pace (and a fast one at that, he WAS keeping up w/ alonso) at the same time.

unbelievable

 

I would imagine that the team calculates what laps both him and alonso are running, makes all the decisions, and then just tells the man when to pit. But, I could be completely wrong. I definitely don't envision MS driving around at race pace, contemplating strategies, having long conversations and such but who knows.

 

Earlier in the week, Speed TV ran a tape of the 1994 Hungarian GP. Schumi was with Benetton at the time. Not only did he win the race, he was also in conversation with his pit and figuring how to help his team mate get close enough for a podium finish.

If any of you have run on a race track for any number of laps, you know the toughest part of racing is to maintain the concentration to drive ever lap PRECISELY. For Schumi to race at 11/10ths for an entire race AND figure race strategy for himself AND his teammate is simply amazing.

True, he has the best team/tires in F1. But he also has the power of concentration to apply that adventage every lap of every race. I wish that he did not "chop" across the track every chance he gets, if I was running FIA I would have a private talk to him about that. But you have to respect the physical conditioning and the mental ability to win consistently.

Scott

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by cbstd &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Earlier in the week, Speed TV ran a tape of the 1994 Hungarian GP. Schumi was with Benetton at the time. Not only did he win the race, he was also in conversation with his pit and figuring how to help his team mate get close enough for a podium finish. </TD></TR></TABLE>

That is exactly what I was going to mention. Only his second year in F1, and he has the concentration a foresight to have his teammate un-lap himself so if the 3rd place car had a mechanical failure in the last lap he could get the podium - and it worked!!!

 

Brilliant, 100% Brilliant

 

Gawd I hate Michael Schumacher but gawd damn he is freakin' incredible. "Er, um, Michael, you need to run 1+ seconds per lap for the next 10 and then you might have a chance." MS: "So let it be written, so let it be done." He came out after his fourth (!) pit stop, and Alonso wasn't even in the same picture!

Rubens' pass on the last lap was great, too! Did I hear David Hobbs say "ballsy" on national TV?

Pat

 

After owning everyone else with a 1:15.5 (Alonso got a 1:16.1 IIRC?), he then proceeds to run a 1:14.1...jesus.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by poSEuR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the last lap was great, too! Did I hear David Hobbs say "ballsy" on national TV? </TD></TR></TABLE>

That was cool. I wish they friggin showed the rest of the race instead of MS driving by himself after locking up the win. Coverage was 95% MS and Alonso.

 

Absolutely speechless. I still have trouble believing exactly what he did.

I will never understand how he managed to come out in the lead after his 2nd stop.

 

...and how about RB's pass on the Renault for 3rd? Very nice.

K

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by eliktronik &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I definitely don't envision MS driving around at race pace, contemplating strategies, having long conversations and such but who knows.</TD></TR></TABLE>

And you'd be considered totally in the right and sane for thinking that...except for the fact that the friggin' guy actually does this. Unbelievable. It's in a couple of the books that I've read about him. He'll talk in casual conversation tones about the race to JT and RB - all the while running at race pace. Unfrickinbelievable, I tell you.

 

Can you guys just imagine the convo he was having with Todt when Ralf crashed at Indy? Amazing since he would obviously be concerned and keep his composure to concentrate on the race.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ITRbroham &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Can you guys just imagine the convo he was having with Todt when Ralf crashed at Indy? Amazing since he would obviously be concerned and keep his composure to concentrate on the race. </TD></TR></TABLE>

This is the same guy who won a race the day his mother died, he is the consumate professional. It's actually pretty scary sometimes. As much as I want Honda to win, the guy is a god.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ponyboy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">And you'd be considered totally in the right and sane for thinking that...except for the fact that the friggin' guy actually does this. Unbelievable. It's in a couple of the books that I've read about him. He'll talk in casual conversation tones about the race to JT and RB - all the while running at race pace. Unfrickinbelievable, I tell you.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I guess I was wrong. My respect for him just went up another notch.

 

yep.. I bet Trulli was pissed.. having held 3rd most of the race..