Schumacher to extend contract?

**Adam43** · 21 Apr 2005, 22:20 (Ref:1284194)

This story isn't a great one and only really a continuation of what we already know. However it is with joy I bring it to you - just for the reaction

Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting that Todt and Schumacher are discussing the possibility of renewing his contract which ends in 2006. This information came from TGF in an interview.

Also Bild has said that Michael's Dad says he will continue after 2006.

So this isn't really news as all we knew before was he would continue until he wanted to stop! Great stuff, keep loving it Michael!

I got all this from Autosport.com here and here too.

Wrex · 21 Apr 2005, 22:42 (Ref:1284213)

Personally, I think it means nothing. Michael, Todt and all the others that wear red are tired of the old retirement questions, and are leaking with the small hope it may end them.

Michael will continue for as long as he enjoys it and remains competitive. I estimate that to be between 1 and 200 races from now.

alfasud · 22 Apr 2005, 09:26 (Ref:1284399)

Why is the story not a good one?

I would have thought that the top drivers all believe that they can beat him - Kimi came very close a couple of years back - and would prefer to be known as the guy that beat Michael to a world championship, rather than the one that had to wait until Michael was gone before he could win one.

ASCII Man · 22 Apr 2005, 09:43 (Ref:1284409)

Is Moss a lesser driver just because he got successful only after he got away from Fangio's shadow in 1958, when Fangio retired after 2 races?
I think very few people actually care...

BootsOntheSide · 22 Apr 2005, 10:28 (Ref:1284450)

ASCII, I think you need to look at Moss' career again, and you'll see that he was a genuine rival to Fangio for several years, and certainly would have been closer given equal machinery. Anyway, in the years Ascari was alive he and Fangio got 2 titles each, so you could say that Fangio only achieved his success once Ascari was out of the way.

ASCII Man · 22 Apr 2005, 10:49 (Ref:1284478)

Moss was never allowed to challenge Fangio, which is a fact.
You could say he was the 1950's version of Rubens Barrichello...
Oh, and is Fangio a lesser driver because of Ascari's absence?
Absolutely not, so it doesn't matter if Michael retires before he is beaten.

Thanks, you just proved my point.

BootsOntheSide · 22 Apr 2005, 16:42 (Ref:1284687)

Moss and Fangio were only team-mates for one season, 1955, very early in Stirling's career - in which Moss beat Fangio at Aintree. I mentioned Ascari from an interpretational perspective - no one now looks at the history and regards Alberto above Juan Manuel, just as the notions of JV or Damon being the equal of Michael (which were suggested at the time) now look silly.

Incidentally, Jenson has said that he thinks Michael will retire if he wins this year's title, perhaps as he would feel that he's won his toughest challenge and will never be tested to the same extent again. Any contract extension would surely contain the same clause as the current one - Michael can leave whenever he decides he's had enough.

Knowlesy · 22 Apr 2005, 19:30 (Ref:1284748)

I always get conflicting thoughts on this Michael issue.

Sometimes I feel it would be marvellous to see him fight on and attempt to resist the new guard, ala 2003, 2005 so far.

On the other hand, seasons like 2004 make me wish he would sod off!

Yoong Montoya · 22 Apr 2005, 20:07 (Ref:1284760)

Quote:

Originally Posted by knowlesy

On the other hand, seasons like 2004 make me wish he would sod off!

It'd be way worse if it was Kimi dominating - we'd get a smug Leo DiCaprio lookalike on the top step every race and Kimi mania with millions of teenage girls. Compared to that, I'd take MS domination any day.

Rich R · 22 Apr 2005, 20:17 (Ref:1284763)

maybe he wants patrese's race start record to go with all the others.

if he still enjoys his job after so many years i'm not going to begrudge him for wanting to stick around a bit longer.

Kempi · 22 Apr 2005, 20:59 (Ref:1284772)

Quote:

Is Moss a lesser driver just because he got successful only after he got away from Fangio's shadow in 1958, when Fangio retired after 2 races?
I think very few people actually care...

Well, I feel it's kind of nice "of him" (MS) to actually stick around. You know, a lot of people say he only won all those titles because Senna passed away before his time. While that _may_ be true, MS is giving the current young guns a chance to beat him. That might tarnish his record a bit, but from a sportsman standpoint it is a great chance for the younger drivers.
For the casual punter who watches one or two races a season and follows just as much as he can find in his daily newspaper a title won while MS is still racing is definetely worth more than the first championship after MS retired.

krt917 · 22 Apr 2005, 21:59 (Ref:1284792)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

Moss and Fangio were only team-mates for one season, 1955, very early in Stirling's career - in which Moss beat Fangio at Aintree. I mentioned Ascari from an interpretational perspective - no one now looks at the history and regards Alberto above Juan Manuel, just as the notions of JV or Damon being the equal of Michael (which were suggested at the time) now look silly.

I agree with your point generally - you can't blame a driver for not beating someone who isn't there! But if he is still there, that's good - Michael is still the benchmark. However, I think that you're a bit unfair on Ascari. I think he was much close to Fangio than JV or DH were to Schuey. He just wasn't so good at picking the right team, and he didn't live as long...

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