Is MS entering the downward arc of his career?

[Yoong Montoya]

I remember seeing Rubens beat him a couple of times this season in qualifying and the races - not the sort of thing that happens very often. But do you think MS is just sandbagging or do you think he is entering the downward arc of his racing career?. I know that he showed brilliance at Spa and Suzuka, but he isn't performing like that as much as he used to. I'm not sure. What do you think? This is really just speculation for the off season BTW. We'll probably find out the answer in 2003.

[GXH]

i just think Sheuy was a bit bored of driving around at the front all the time, i dont think he always give it 100% this season, he just felt like there was no need 2 and once thats starts 2 happen it can be a very bad thing.
But im sure when other teams start winning he will bring himself back up a level. Thats why he's 5 times world Champion

[Adam43]

I think most of the evidence points conclusively to No!

[BootsOntheSide]

I think Rubens has improved and Schumacher has now, finally, become as good as he can ever be. I still think, if he remains motivated as he is now, he can perform at this level, if need be, for another 3 years or more.

[Speed]

Why getting fast, if managers won't let me win ?

[Don K]

Originally posted by Yoong Montoya
But do you think MS is just sandbagging or do you think he is entering the downward arc of his racing career?

You might be right.

Michael is probably at his top right now, and I don't think he can win four more WDC's.

[neilap]

As long as Ferrari operates in the manner they do it wont really matter if MS is slipping.
What I feel happened though was RB settling in a bit more. He still was not a serious comptitor to MS this year. What I hope to see happen is them be even on points at the halfway point of the season. Will Ferrari still tell RB to step aside?

[Mr V]

The F2002 being as good as it was proberbly allowed for Rubens to get abit closer to Michael in terms of qualifying, however, i did think that Michael made a few more mistakes in qualifying when he was under pressure from Rubens and especially JPM than he normally does.

[Tristan]

Yes, but isn't this just whishful thinking?? Yes. Exactly. He will retire at the top, be that in 2004 or.... eight.

[Inigo Montoya]

Yes, I believe 2002 will be remembered as the peak of his career, simply because I don't think he'll ever again have the car and the luck to finish on the podium in every race. That being said, I fully expect at least 2 more WDC's.

[Jay]

I think Rubens closing on Michael has more to do with the cars requiring less ability to drive. I think a good 20/22 F1 drivers and many from other series could have won the 2002 WDC in the F2002 in much the same way Michael did.

The sad thing is (or good thing if your a Shumi fan), as long as he has the best car, or close to best, Michael will win the championship forever.

[GTV27]

I can't agree with 20/22, but could concede 5 or 6 drivers - after all, Rubens is no slouch behind the wheel and did as good a job with that car as most would have. It would have been a much more competitive season without MS.

I agree with MrV that the nature of the F2002 takes away some of MS's adv over RB - it appears easier to drive than the Willy or Mac. Put them in misbehaving cars and I expect the gap would stretch out again.

Thus overall, I don't think he's losing it. After winning so much perhaps motivation could be a problem, not that he has ever been short of that in the past.

[Jukebox]

To the thread....you have got to be kidding

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by Jukebox
To the thread....you have got to be kidding

Well, it made you look, you silly chook





..........and me

[Korr]

Yeah, MS is definitely entering the twilight of his career.

Next year he will get only 10 wins.

[Wrex]

I'm not sure if it'a an Arc so much as an upward slope that suddenly becomes a cliff.

Drivers tend to fall far quicker than they rise. When it happens, it will be quick. But I would'nt bank on it to soon though.

[Valve Bounce]

The only thing that will be quick concerning SchM will be his lap times. Anybody who thinks otherwise is just kidding themselves.

[DavidStHubbins]

Schuey can afford to decline in performance for quite a while and still be the best.

I agree also that if the car was a dog the gap would be barbaric. The mans not human.

[GTV27]

If the car was a do, it would be good to watch - this cruising around at the front putting in 8 tenths laps and playing tag with RB is boring. I want to see oversteer, understeer, unconventional lines, grab it by the scruff and throw it round the track faster than it deserves to go.

On another issue, whats a "barbaric gap"?

[Jukebox]

Unless he's given a useless car, he'd still dominate and you can count on this word of mine....back to you...you sill old chook

[DavidStHubbins]

Originally posted by GTV27


On another issue, whats a "barbaric gap"?

Take a wild guess!!! :confused:

[Speed]

This is the arc YM was referring...

[Snrub]

I think MS may have lost a little "raw speed," but as an overall driver he's the best he'll be. That said, I don't think he's going to have a noticable lag in performance. F1 has got to be getting a bit old for him. The faux competition at the front doesn't make things interesting for him.

[Glen]

I think you could very reasonably argue that even if his absolute speed were fading all the other qualities that make a great racing driver are actually getting better and better. Certainly he now has an almost uncanny ability to read the race and pick the moment to attack. Add that to the ever increasing technical skills, an undiminished appetite for testing, relentless determination and awesome consistency and he's probably much more of a driver today than he was in '94/'95.

Outright speed is only a small part of what it takes to be WDC, especially in today's ultra competitive, ultra consistent climate. Mental strength and resolve are essential, which is where Montoya still has some learning to do, and indeed where the likes of DC and Ralf will prbably always be found wanting (over the course of an entire season).

This is why, in my opinion, comments like this one (below) are so naieve and far from the mark. Even in the number one car you still need the mental strength and racecraft to stay focussed. Look down the grid and try to find another driver that got virtually 100% out of his car at every race (whether that 100% was first place or tenth place, just talking about consistentcy and maximising available performance). I can't think of one.

Originally posted by Jay
I think a good 20/22 F1 drivers and many from other series could have won the 2002 WDC in the F2002 in much the same way Michael did.

[enemy-ace]

Originally posted by Glen
Even in the number one car you still need the mental strength and racecraft to stay focussed. Look down the grid and try to find another driver that got virtually 100% out of his car at every race (whether that 100% was first place or tenth place, just talking about consistentcy and maximising available performance). I can't think of one.

I think it would be too difficult to determine who was constantly getting 100% out of their car in the lower half of the field, as I am sure a number of the cars were not as consistently good on all the circuits as Ferrari was. For all we know Webber might have maxed out the Minardi.
Agree with you about Schumacher's developing skills as an overall racer however. Raikkonen and Montoya might be just as quick or quicker but their race craft is not as fully developed as Schumacher's at the moment.