Michael Schumacher confirms his retirement from F1 racing

[Mikko]

After an emotional win in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Michael Schumacher has announced he will retire from race driving at the end of this season.

http://www.formula1.com/race/news/4930/765.html

Ferrari confirm Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa for the next season:

http://www.formula1.com/race/news/4933/765.html

[RedRed]

I watched it today

End of an Era.... Lets hope he can finish the championship in style.....

Love him or hate him (if you follow F1 there is no in between ground), he is among the best ever.

[Nowhere]

And in the meantime, here, "kubicomania" is showing its first signs before all the craze will start :/ (recently first Pole started driving in F1. Yeah, he probably isn't bad...but I can see already how he'll become national hero :/ (similar thing happened with Małysz few years ago))

[Taz]

Now we just need to get rid of the other old timers, Coulthard, Trulli, Barichelo, etc.

[KvHagedorn]

He's only two points behind Alonso.. maybe he will pull out another championship this year.

Really, having seen the greatest driver drive the greatest race in F1 history in 1987, greater drivers by wins such as Prost and Schumacher were and are boring to watch. Anyone else see the British Grand Prix where Nigel Mansell set and reset fast laps 11 times and made up almost a whole lap to fake out and blow by Nelson Piquet at the last minute? Now there is a classic that will never be equalled. Mansell was always fun to watch.. he raced like he meant it.

[RedRed]

I couldnt agree with you more Kv - Mansell was great, and his duels were allways thrilling. I think that F1 generally became a lot less intresting as technology ahs advanced. I think that one of the other problems is that Schumie has not had the competition as Prost/ Mansell/ Senna.... (except perhaps Hill and the early Vellneuve (but he could not keep it together))

I do think that Kubica drove a really good race - excellent start and for a young stag, kept it together really well.... I think it wont be too long before he has a quality ride and a win... Its only his 3rd race afterall.....

[Taz]

Hopefully with young drivers like Kubica, Rosberg, Kovalinen and Vettel, with the possibilty of Davidson and Hamilton, driving next year some excitement may return to F1

[lecter]

Hopefully with young drivers like Kubica, Rosberg, Kovalinen and Vettel, with the possibilty of Davidson and Hamilton, driving next year some excitement may return to F1

Excitement and mediocrity, you mean

But yeah, the Mansell days were good...there was a real driver. I remember when he had a dogfight with Senna throughout the whole race that left him so exhausted he had to be lifted out of his car.

Honestly, I think Schumacher is the best ever, if you measure quality in victories...a lot of sportsmen were great, but ultimately, it's the one that scored the most points/goals etc. that should be considered the best, imho. By the same reckoning, I think Wilt Chamberlain was the best basketball player ever...sure, Jordan was great, but did he ever score 100 points in a game? I think not

Also, in terms of competition, it's worth noting that a truly great performer will simply put his competition to shame and make them look bad by comparison...and these days I think there's a much more level playing field than in the days of Fangio, for example. The only moot point is Senna, whose true value could never truly be calculated...but again, danger is part of the game.

[Fat Tone]

I am glad to see the back of Schui. I don't doubt his ability and commitment, but he is no sportsman. He/Ferrari will stop at nothing to win. There are countless examples, the latest being this weekend's disgraceful action against Alonso.

I admit that having a close contest is exciting, but it has not been arrived at fairly.

Enjoy your retirement Schumi.

[Taz]

I think Schumacher is the best ever, if you measure quality in victories...

But is that an accurate way to judge someones abilities, in F1 this certainly isn't the case. You only win if your in the best car and Schumacher is the best at playing the politics of F1 to make sure he was in the best team and with a team mate who wasn't allowed to beat him.

[Rakido]

But is that an accurate way to judge someones abilities, in F1 this certainly isn't the case. You only win if your in the best car and Schumacher is the best at playing the politics of F1 to make sure he was in the best team and with a team mate who wasn't allowed to beat him.

don't take it offensive, but this is nonsense if you ask me. The Benetton definitely wasn't the best car back in 94/95 and he won the championship two times. Then he switched to Ferrari who had big big problems at that time, being way behind Benetton, Williams, .... That Ferrari got back to the top had a lot to do with Michael and his ability to give input to the engineers about how the car should be.