MS losing his edge(?)

[Schummy]

... and I don't even want to talk about Ferrari

Not only in this season, but partly in 2002 also, Michael's "magic touch" seems to be missing. I mean that special lap in qual with a bit or a much inferior car (Benetton years and "difficult" Ferrari years), or those ultraquick laps when required to win a race what he was theoretically not going to win.

Lately I don't see very much Michael's edge in those situations. Last season he had a super car and he won a lot of GPs... but basically I think about MS in 2002 as I think about Prost in 1993: a super great car and a good but no a "great" driving.

When I saw MS behing in a partial in a qual lap, I always expected a "special touch" in the last sector. Now when he begins a lap behind, I just think he is going to end behind.

Please, don't misunderstand me, I thinkg MS goes on being the best complete package driver in F1 just now (but during how many time?). He has lots of experience, he has a big knowledge database in his mind about F1 driving, he is as astute as always... but I think he don't have the absolute raw speed and raw talent he had. I even am not affirming he is a "worse" WC driver than before (although I probably think so...).

[Valve Bounce]

Can anyone recall when was the last time SchM was lapped without anything going wrong with his car?

[Wrex]

Well we have a JPM bashing thread, so why not a Michael one.

I have to admit, he's a little off at the moment. I think there is more to it though, both Ferrari and BS have dropped the ball considerably.

The pace of the Ferrari was about where he put it, but what was missing was his usual talent of making better out of a bad situation. It just was'nt there in Hungry.

The F12003GA still has alot of potential, and if you think its hard to turn a dog into winner, you need to re-read some of the Williams threads from March and April.

They (and Michael) will be back, you can count on that.

[daviopolo]

Yeah everytime a team produces a slightly lesser car and has slightly lesser tyres all the idiots automatically blame the driver. Its the same when they perform well in a top car the same people take no notice of drivers further down who are bursting their balls to get a point at best. Start thinking a bit deeper.

[Jay]

how is leading the World Drivers Championship considered losing an edge?

[f1manoz]

I have to say, I am loving seeing him struggle. About bloody time!

I think that famous luck has finally deserted him.

[Valve Bounce]

This is ridiculous. Where in this entire thread has anyone bashed SchM? Not a single word. However, I will raise my hand and say that the SchM/Ferrari/Bridgestone combination is finished this year. Call it what you like: the pendulum of luck swinging the other way, SchM not driving at his best, the Ferrari not performing at its best(don't forget they've lost their computer wizard), and certainly the Bridgestone tyres not performing as well as the Michelins. Sure SchM has lost the edge, irrespective of whether he is leading the championship or not. I predicted he would win it by mid year . How many here could possibly believe at the start of this year that anyone could lap SchM in a race without anything going wrong with his car? Certainly not me!! So I ask again, when was the last time SchM was lapped in a race without anything going wrong with his car? and how many times did he finish outside the podium last year?
And I'll answer Jay here: Just consider the lack of total domination in the past 5 or 6 races is, for me, losing an edge.

[GTRMagic]

There is something fundamentally wrong with the Ferrari package, it needs a few things, engine power is worse than the BMW's, the chassis is worse than the Renaults, the tyres are nowhere near the Michelins.... and maybe the worst thing, the driver doesnt give off any outward signs of carrying the car.

If you watched Webber in the race, you could see with a twitch here and a wobble there, that he was pushing the chassis beyond its liking, whereas you dont get that impression with Schumi's car at the moment.

And that suspension failure of Barrichello's was seriously odd

[golem]

I think it's primarily a Bridgestone problem tell the truth. Apart from Heidfield yesterday, none of the BS runners seemed to be able to get a leg up. The BS teams in general seem to be getting Ferrari's scraps.

As mentioned by the commentators, if BS has a bad day, things go to hell for all their runners and Ferrari fall a bit. If BS have a good one, Ferrari is competitive and the others have a chance to make midfield.

If BS actually starting working with Honda or Sauber, and seriously working, then you'd be looking at a more competitive tyre in the first place. By working in conjunction with Jordan they might be able to make better tyre evaluations for race weekends due to free practice.

So, I see Ferrari dropping the ball a little but I see BS doing so even more, and MS not actually off his usual pace all that much save for the race just gone. He didn't look like the usual Mickey the Shoe at Hungary, did he?

[Jukebox]

It's a conspiracy i tell ya!

First it was Webber keeping everybody behind....Alonso should be thankful to him then there's Trulli who always find himself ahead of Michael....even when Alonso lapped both of em.....Jarno seems to be cruising. It's a conspiracy i tell ya to keep Michael at bay

Since you guys have always find some conspiracy motives whenever Michael dominates or wins...now it's my turn.

The game is still not over!

[corkholio]

It's more of a complement to Michael that he is considered to be "losing his edge" when he isn't dominating on a regular basis. Even more of a complement when known haters have to pray for bad luck against as their latest bandwagon can't beat him consistently without it.

3 rounds to go, anything could happen, just 1 round ago Kimi was pretty much written off.

[ralf fan]

its been 5 GP's since Michael has lead a lap in a race!!Who'd have thought after last year.
To be fair to Ferrari Barrichello was going well till he crashed .
But Michael still leads the championship so you cant count the guy out.But all Michael fans must admit his lack of form has given us a great championship fight much better than last year and that is good for f1

[DNQ]

Even the most one-eyed Ferrari fan can not pretend MS is not in a form slump.

Take a look at this - this is the number of points scored by each driver in the last three races, with the number of DNF's in brackets.

Juan Montoya 24 (0)
David Coulthard 16 (0)
Fernando Alonso 15 (1)
Kimi Raikkonen 14 (1)
Rubens Barrichello 10 (2)
Michael Schumacher 8 (0)
Ralf Schumacher 5 (2)

These next stats show the average number of points per RACE FINISH in the last three rounds:

Juan Montoya 8.00
Fernando Alonso 7.5
Kimi Raikkonen 7
David Coulthard 5.33
Rubens Barrichello 5
Ralf Schumacher 5
Michael Schumacher 2.67

It's clear from the facts above that Schumacher has struggled, but yes, admittadly that tyre blowout at Hockenheim wasn't helpful... but as further evidence, 8th was Michael's worst qualifying performance in nearly half a decade. Sure the Bridgestones are struggling, but the fact remains, Rubens has the better of him atm, and unless something dramatically changes, he will not take WDC #6.

[woodbine]

So I ask again, when was the last time SchM was lapped in a race without anything going wrong with his car?

Wasn't he lapped by Hill at the 1996 Brazilian GP?

But then I suppose you could say that there was something wrong with his car - it was sh1t

[jetsetter]

It must have been rather embarrassing for Schumacher to be lapped & his lead in the championship is rather shaky.

[touringlegend]

Didn't he say he'd retire if he kept getting beat by the "new generation" of F1 drivers ? lol

[Knowlesy]

He did indeed, and I don't believe he would do that!!!!

He'll stick around and try to beat 'em!

Schueys performance was off in Hungary and Martin Brundle mentioned the fact that he was only 20-odd seconds ahead of Heidfeld - the Sauber is an inferior chassis, a slightly inferior engine and the same tyres. Michael would usually lap him.

It seems Schuey M had one of those days, BUT DO NOT DISCOUNT HIM OR HIS TEAM YET!

[Rossi # 46]

I wonder how many people will be saying MS has lost his edge if he still hangs on to win this years championship with inferior tyres?

The guy is a champion, 3 bad races, and not all his fault either i must add doesnt change that.

[garcon]

He does seem to have lost his edge. But it's all relative isn't it. The standards he has set himself are so high that the slightest dip in form starts the questions - even though he's still leading the WDC!

[Hugh Jarce]

Doesn't this stuff tend to happen at the end of an era. That is not a critcism but a statement of fact. As new blood comes through, the past master seems to wane!

He is still the greatest and I'd be sorry for him to fizzle out. It would be a shame for him to have to retire in a season where he is no longer WD champ - but amazingly that may well happen!

[JohnSSC]

Excuse me, but has Michael still got more wins than any other driver this year?

Thought so.

Are Ferrari in a slump - for sure. Are Bridgestone helping? Not a bit it seems. Peter Windsor interviewed their technical head and through somewhat broken English it seems the guy really thinks they are still doing a better job than Michelin. When interviewing Ross Brawn, Ross very succinctly noted that the only place Bridgestone has an advantage over Michelin is in high speed sweepers.

Maybe this is all part of Flavio Briatore's International Conspiracy to make Alonso the second coming, I hear that he has a contract that makes Bridgestone produce a slower tire so that Alonso...

[RWC]

To be fair he's abit down on his (usually great)luck and the bridgestones are trully WOEFULL....but there is also the issue of his team mate beating him and not all of it can be explained by unlucky strategy choice/nessesary change of strategy.
All year i've had it in the back of my mind that he'll lose the edge soon.....as much as i don't respect him,i kinda hope he wins another title and retires immediately after.

But then again...it would be good to see him struggle on and give occasional awsome performances-some of his best are among the best ever and well worth seeing!!!!

[BootsOntheSide]

I don't think Michael is really losing his edge, but he's had some fairly weak (by his standards) performance sin recent races.

At Silverstone he was never on the pace, and ultiamtely he lost less in the pitstops than Montoya, who seemed much more capable of voertaking the midfield runners. Heck, Ralf, at Hungary, did a better job eysterday, which, even in a ebtter car, is quite soemthing.

Second would've been lucky at Hockenheim, considering the first-lap collision and Trulli's useless raceday driving. At Hungary he was nowhere, for one reason or another, Bridgestone seemignly the main one.

Michale is still driving nicely this year, withfew mistakes, but the enw rules and lack of competitiveness from Bridgestone have made things much harder for him. Under the cuurent qualifying/points systems he would've won quite so easily last eyar, and under the old system I think he'd be on his way to the title, although much slower than we thought.

[DavidStHubbins]

I think that he has finally peaked! Nobody but Schuey could be so good for so long but it must end and now is the time I think. Alonso and Kimi are the real deal and taking things to the extreme and it is time SOON for Michael to hang up his boots. Having said that, he is still ****ing awesome but just not so IMO. How he copes with not being so awesome will dictate whether he drives next year...

[Maxmil]

It's becoming clear, I think, that in addition to some changes in the "technical" standings of the top four teams, we are also seeing the beginnings of a "changing of the guard" among the drivers. Michael Schumacher has dominated the F1 driving scene for a number of years, but this season he has been unable to do this. This is not bashing, it is a statement of opinion. No active driver will ever surpass Michael's overall record. He is the all time best. However, I think he is for sure on the downward slope of his career. The future top drivers were on the podium this weekend except there wasn't room for all of them. Add Marc Webber and Ralf Schumacher to that podium group and think about how many victories these five have in front of them. I think it is a change which bodes well for the fans, and should produce some great racing over the next few years.