Michael Schumacher

[Dave Baumann]

Bwhahahah

Sorry, but it's too funny! (but absolutely the right decision)

 

[Zaphod]

What happened? Did he get some kind of punishment for his parking the car into pole position incident?

Edit: Right. Found the updated news. (Damned slow local media...) Funny, yes. Correct, yes. The ‘accident’ looked completely ridiculous from the replays.

Should be a good race. Monaco is always eventful.

 

[XSBagage]

I find it a very dubious move and nothing looked natural about it when I saw it happen.
I don't rule out it was an error, at first, but the way he conveniently parked the car and couldn't back up, I don't buy that. In the race he'd have backed up and gotten back on track asap.

 

[MuFu]

Sorry, but it's too funny! (but absolutely the right decision)

Agreed, what a twat. The press conference was hilarious - I've never seen him claim to know so little about what's going on.

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

More info here. Schumacher has always been a proponent of this kind of sharp sportmanship. He bends the rules and gets away with as much as he can, breaking the spirit but not the letter of the law. He made a serious error in judgement here in that he allowed himself to be easily caught out. Now he's got a fitting punishment, but his reputation has been damaged by being labelled a cheat in all but the very word itself.

There was a time when Shumacher would have got through this on his reputation and the awe of the stewards, but I guess it shows his star is on the wane.

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

Agreed, what a twat. The press conference was hilarious - I've never seen him claim to to know so little about what's going on.

His body language was telling. He looked like a little kid who'd just been caught stealing.

 

[MuFu]

His body language was telling. He looked like a little kid who'd just been caught stealing.

Hah, yeah. Not hard to see what Alonso was thinking either.

 

[Dave Baumann]

I missed the press conference. However, when we we watching the qualifying both me and Neva turned to each other and said he did it on purpose (because we generally have a low opinion of Schumacher as a "Sportsman" (curtesy of his move on Damon and subsequent move on JV)), however I thought it was funny when Briatore just came right out and said it on TV. Been reading the reports afterwards and the paddock appear to be pretty universal in their thinking of it being an "accident".

However, the telemetry data is the clincher - it shows that he went into that corner at the same speed as his previous flying laps and then he braked exessively, knowing that his previous sector time was shoddy. The telemetry don't lie.

I'm going to enjoy the pre-race build-up today!

 

[Deepak]

Any videos of that incident?

 

[Zaphod]

More info here.

Apparently a couple more people than me is trying to get information right now...

ITV-F1 website is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please visit us again soon.

Edit: Finally came up, but with intermittent errors while browsing the site. Thanks for the link.

 

[Dave Baumann]

Should be a good race. Monaco is always eventful.

Monaco is actually one of my least favourite places, because of the fact that it is dictacted by the pit strategy and whatever accidents happen - there's no room for actual racing in F1 on this circuit because there's no opportunity to pass.

I still remember Mansell's championship year - he was to pit very late for a tyre change but in doing so that let Senna into the lead. With low fuel, new tyres and Mansell pushing incredibly hard he actually surpassed qualifying times to catch up with Senna, but then when he did all he could do was sit on his tail for the remaining laps, despite a much faster car, because there's so little room to overtake.

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

Apparently a couple more people than me is trying to get information right now...
Edit: Finally came up, but with intermittent errors while browsing the site. Thanks for the link.

If you look at the main page you can see the story as it unfolded, the various opinions of other drivers, the claims of innocence from Ferrari, etc. All hilarious stuff.

 

[Zaphod]

Monaco is actually one of my least favourite places, because of the fact that it is dictacted by the pit strategy and whatever accidents happen - there's no room for actual racing in F1 on this circuit because there's no opportunity to pass.

True, as far as actual good racing is concerned, but there was several years where many (most) of the other races were effectively reduced to an hour and a half 'driving on rails' for the 1-8 positions after the first couple of rounds anyway. Virtually no overtaking at all (at least not shown on TV). I started to loose interest in F1 altogether, but Monaco was at least always an eventful spectacle.

 

[MuFu]

I still remember Mansell's championship year - he was to pit very late for a tyre change but in doing so that let Senna into the lead. With low fuel, new tyres and Mansell pushing incredibly hard he actually surpassed qualifying times to catch up with Senna, but then when he did all he could do was sit on his tail for the remaining laps, despite a much faster car, because there's so little room to overtake.

That was nuts. It was like the two cars were glued together - a testament to the skill of both drivers that it didn't end in tears.

I quite like Monaco, because it's, well... crazy.

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

Monaco is actually one of my least favourite places, because of the fact that it is dictacted by the pit strategy and whatever accidents happen - there's no room for actual racing in F1 on this circuit because there's no opportunity to pass.

Monaco is rubbish. It's only there for a big marketing event where all the corporate sponsors can be treated like royalty. If it was a modern F1 track, it would never get on the circuit calendar. There's no overtaking, the pits and hopitality areas are too small, there's no run off areas and gravel traps, etc.

F1 harps on about safety, but they continue to race at what is basically a completely walled track with no safey zones, and they do it for money and nothing else. It's not even a good race to watch because of the lack of overtaking.

 

[Dave Baumann]

True, as far as actual good racing is concerned, but there was several years where many (most) of the other races were effectively reduced to an hour and a half 'driving on rails' for the 1-8 positions after the first couple of rounds anyway.

I think there is a difference between going into a race with the anticipation of some racing on some circuits and knowing that there is likely to be little before you even begin to watch the race. Some of the newer circuits are really beginning to show up tracks like Monaco and a few of the others now that its been shown that you can design a circuit where a modern F1 can can pass another on it.

 

[XSBagage]

However, the telemetry data is the clincher - it shows that he went into that corner at the same speed as his previous flying laps and then he braked exessively, knowing that his previous sector time was shoddy. The telemetry don't lie.

I thought I saw him slip a bit in the corner infront of la rascasse, that could've messed up his line, made him break and eventually enter la rascasse at the same speed as previous laps but in a wrong way so that he goes wide. Still remains an error imo. But he shouldn't have parked his car like he did, that was just oportunistic of him. "If I can't set a fast lap, nobody can" So yeah I don't think he was trying to cheat but he did cheat eventually, out of convenience. "Oops, can't back up, silly me"

Monaco is actually one of my least favourite places, because of the fact that it is dictacted by the pit strategy and whatever accidents happen - there's no room for actual racing in F1 on this circuit because there's no opportunity to pass.

At least there is a nice scenery, unlike San Marino.

 

[Dave Baumann]

I quite like Monaco, because it's, well... crazy.

I think the nuttiest thing about Monaco so far (edit: apart from MS's move, I should say!) is Red Bull's massive floating paddock area:

(The damned thing even has a swimming pool!)

 

[XSBagage]

Monaco is rubbish. It's only there for a big marketing event where all the corporate sponsors can be treated like royalty. If it was a modern F1 track, it would never get on the circuit calendar. There's no overtaking, the pits and hopitality areas are too small, there's no run off areas and gravel traps, etc.

F1 harps on about safety, but they continue to race at what is basically a completely walled track with no safey zones, and they do it for money and nothing else. It's not even a good race to watch because of the lack of overtaking.

Yeah, they continually nag about Francorshamp but Monaco which has the same problems just get's off the hook. Another one is the Indianapolis track with that concrete wall, if you smash into that it's definately not the same as a tyre wall. But it is OK because they want to get a foothold in the USA.

 

[MuFu]

I think the nuttiest thing about Monaco so far (edit: apart from MS's move, I should say!) is Red Bull's massive floating paddock area:

Literally just been talking about that over coffee with someone. Mental.

It's a shame they didn't go for more visible branding on the crew and cars though (like last year). I thought maybe red capes for the pit guys - fuck safety! - and a flying superman statuette on the nose of each car.