MICHAEL SHUMACHER:The best F1 driver of his generation ??

**Bononi** · 19 Nov 2002, 19:20 (Ref:432480)

Ok, Here's the idea:

Tell us the reasons you consider Michael the best of his generation in F1, or the reasons you don't !

Remember, comparisions with past drivers don't count. Only with those he has raced.

No bashing, offense will be accepted, the posts will be deleted, and the poster warned.

Here we go !!!

JohnSSC · 19 Nov 2002, 19:29 (Ref:432485)

Reason Number One: Work Ethic.
Reason Number Two: Ability to think on his feet (evaluate track conditions and adjust before he ends up in the gravel).
Reason Number Three: As big as his ego is (and it has to be to propel one to the top of any field), he manages to be the consumate team player.
Reason Number Four: He recognizes talent and makes sure that it is on his team (engineering/strategy/etc.).
Reason Number Five: Feedback is a two-way street with him. He actively seeks solutions to problems rather than just reporting them.
Reason Number Six: He learned how to develop nothing (Benetton/Ferrari pre '96) into something.
Reason Number Seven: Even without dominant machinery (gonna be sorry I said this!) he shows speed, racecraft and the ability to win.

No other driver in the last 10 years can claim to have consistently done ALL of the above.

Damon · 19 Nov 2002, 20:12 (Ref:432510)

Yep, while I'd say that there have been other drivers who are better at certain aspects (race craft really isn't one of Schu's talents particularly in defence)he is the only driver who is bloody good at ALL aspects. In todays game that's whats important.

Sato san · 19 Nov 2002, 20:22 (Ref:432518)

Reasons i admire him.....
dedication , motivation , talent

Reasons i dont admire him....
Adelaide , Jerez just for starters !......( sorry , that isnt flame bait...it is a honest answer to the question....so please dont all slag me off for mentioning it . )

Yoong Montoya · 19 Nov 2002, 20:23 (Ref:432519)

Well, he's very good in just about every area of Formula 1(Maybe not sportsmanship, but others like Senna were lacking here too). Plus his endless enthusiasm for the job. Did Fangio have the same enthusiasm for Formula 1 after he won his 5th WDC as he did at the start?

So yes, I would say MS is the best of the current generation. You can't say he is the best of all, because there is no way to compare them because they all drove in different eras.

JohnSSC · 19 Nov 2002, 20:26 (Ref:432523)

I agree Yoong Montoya - there are some true "Giants" from the past and I would be very cautious to compare or contrast them - particularly since the cars are so different from era to era.

Sato, I won't mention anything about "the Mantra!" Hope Meg is well and my Nigel Mansell coat is actually from the Ferrari days. You could either Love Nige or hate him, but you could never ignore him!

Sato san · 19 Nov 2002, 20:30 (Ref:432526)

hehehe...Meg says Hi !

Yep , Mansell....i loved him , but i could see why some people didnt !

JohnSSC · 19 Nov 2002, 20:35 (Ref:432529)

I loved his "First place or no place mentality!" A racer through and through.

Mattracer · 19 Nov 2002, 21:59 (Ref:432603)

The best of all the drivers currently racing in F1. Also the best since Imola '94. Hakkinen just as fast, but didn't want to hang around any longer and wasn't always up for it if the car wasn't spot on.

NiceGuyEddie · 19 Nov 2002, 22:08 (Ref:432610)

Easy.

History has proven that Michael is one big fat championship-guarantee. Why else would a team pay him that much?

**Adam43** · 20 Nov 2002, 00:04 (Ref:432720)

This is why I think that Michael is the best of the, lets say, '94-'02 generation.

1. His dedication. Second to none. He tests lots. During a weekend he spends more time than any one else on the little things - studying the track (where are the nasty kerbs, where are the escape roads, how do you rejoin from an escape road?, etc...), he practices pit stops and driving the pitlane practically everytime he comes in.
He gets every piece of information the team (and himself) could need.

2. His technique. His ability to get the car into a corner and round it as if it was a kart. The use of left foot braking and accelerator. His style is different to a lot of others. Whether that is just what is needed for today's cars I don't know, but his mid corner speed is (by all accounts) a lot higher than others (although he doesn't brake late).

3. His feel. the way he can respond to new conditions. He gets up to speed on new tyres quicker than most. That's why he can win by a better pit stop, or make the first lap count.

4. His ability to work with others. He and Ross Brawn make a good pair in the race. Michael trusts Ross and Ross knows if he asks Michael to push he will.

5. Numerous little things He may not be the best at all of them, but he is almost there even in his weak areas.

All the other stuff (which was not the point of that other thread), does not make him a lesser talent. And does not stop him being (one of) the best in the world. When he is out there side by side with, say Montoya, I love it.

Jordi · 20 Nov 2002, 00:06 (Ref:432722)

OK. Let's see. Schumacher is like the virtues of the rest of the grid, put together.

Michael's the complete package. You look at Hakkinen, well, he rarely won with an inferior car. Villeneuve is probably more gifted but lacks in the technical side. Hill was a great driver, but less talented.
All his rivals in all these years, Damon, Jacques, Mika, were all awesome, but Schumacher is more complete.

The only thing I can complain about him really is Adelaide and Jerez. That was over the line. But he's reformed himself lately.

Wrex · 20 Nov 2002, 00:15 (Ref:432726)

Michael is'nt the complete package, to me that implies perfection. And Michael is far from perfect, as are all the drivers.

However of all the drivers out there, he possesses more of the qualites that make a driver consistantly fast than the others - at this time.

Michael was'nt always this good, over 10 years he has evolved into what he is today. He is a better driver today than he has ever been.

In years to come, I think Monty and/or Kimi will grow into great drivers also. But you never know as many a bright star has faded before.

TeddyG · 20 Nov 2002, 01:27 (Ref:432748)

ahhhhhh another is Michael the best thread???!!!!

Noooooooooooooo...everybody knows Jacques is the best!

Jukebox · 20 Nov 2002, 01:59 (Ref:432757)

Now, this is the kind of thread i like

Easy....apart from what others in here had said, he's the youngest double Formula 1 World Champion (1994 and 1995 seasons) ever! and read my signature of what he is now

Inigo Montoya · 20 Nov 2002, 02:29 (Ref:432765)

I echo the list that Adam has. Especially his dedication... Not even his most bitter rivals question this.

I'd also add "his performance in the rain" Last year was not a very wet one, but in years past, how many times have our collective jaws dropped at the sight of him finding some unusual line in the rain and lapping 2-3 sec faster than anyone else.

Lee Janotta · 20 Nov 2002, 02:38 (Ref:432768)

Of his generation, yes, with the caveats that, #1 his skills include the political manipulation which seems to be all too common in F1 these days, and that, #2, his driving style is best suited to the cars of his generation.

JohnSSC · 20 Nov 2002, 13:19 (Ref:433116)

Lee, I think caveat #2 would apply in many cases although there are drivers like Fangio who, imho, had the sheer genius to transcend any era.

Glen · 20 Nov 2002, 15:25 (Ref:433232)

Quote:

Originally posted by JohnSSC
Lee, I think caveat #2 would apply in many cases although there are drivers like Fangio who, imho, had the sheer genius to transcend any era.

Well that doesn't make a great deal of sense -how do you know that Fangio had the physical and mental strength to get anwhere in modern F1?

**Bononi** · 20 Nov 2002, 15:44 (Ref:433245)

Uhn...Fangio ?

It's not the case here, right ?

Sato san · 20 Nov 2002, 15:48 (Ref:433248)

Quote:

Originally posted by Jukebox
Easy....he's the youngest double Formula 1 World Champion (1994 and 1995 seasons) ever!

on paper yes...but when you realise that the first world championship was won by hitting his oppenent's car and putting him out of the race ....it doesnt look quite as impressive does it .

JohnSSC · 20 Nov 2002, 15:51 (Ref:433252)

Glen (and Bononi) first off i am NOT comparing Michael to Fangio! I was simply saying that I think Fangio would be great in any era because of his ability. The whole issue of physical ability is obviously one where I believe Fangio would train himself physically to ensure his fitness if he were coming up today - mental toughness, no question!

But back to the point of the thread: Michael has blended the elements needed to be successful in this era. I really admire his improvement to his traditionally weak areas. He definitely has "drive." How long will he stay motivated though?

**Bononi** · 20 Nov 2002, 15:58 (Ref:433261)

Ok, John. I was directing my post to Glen, because we don't want to go off-topic. And I believe Glen understood that too.

ASCII Man · 20 Nov 2002, 16:04 (Ref:433266)

Schumacher is one of the few who seem that they will never retire, like it seemed to me that Senna would never do, if he didn't die in that crash.

I mean, i never thought that Ayrton would have quit because of age or so.

And i think the same of Schumacher but not in a good way, he just keeps going and going and going...

Don't know if this post comes out right, not so easy to express this correctly in english...

PS: How many times do we have to glorify/bash Schumacher anyway? It's just the same opinions all over again... (with a few exceptions)

Glen · 20 Nov 2002, 16:11 (Ref:433273)

Quote:

Originally posted by Bononi
Ok, John. I was directing my post to Glen, because we don't want to go off-topic. And I believe Glen understood that too.

Indeed. I didn't bring up Fangio.

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