Ralf Schumacher considering a return to F1 [Archive]

Valve Bounce

1st January 2010, 03:38

Saint Devote

1st January 2010, 04:23

There are still several teams looking for a second driver: Torro Rosso, Renault, USF1 and maybe even Sauber. Schumacher who has already won six Prix races during his career said he has already received an offer to compete in the 2010 world championship. However, he says "I'll only seriously consider a return if its for a competitive team". http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/ralf-looking-at-schumacher-family-reunion/story-e6frg7mf-1225815117028

Oh yes - I am sure there are team bosses having sleeples nights worrying that someone else will sign Ralfie!!!

This returning driver phenomenon is a new silly season. With the exception of Schumi - who can forget that amazing and exciting overtaking of Raikkonen at Interlagos in 2006 - these reborn drivers should just look back at their performances in the last season they raced in f1.

F1boat

1st January 2010, 09:06

I dunno about RS. I do not think that he is a bad driver, or at least, in his prime I believe that he was as competitive as Webber is now. This was between 2001 and 2003. Yet after the crash he suffered in 2004, he became slower and I think that he lost the fire. He was content to drive and old Mercedes for points in the DTM and to me this shows that while he still loves the driving, like his brother, he is not after victories, unlike him. His best chance for return was IMO with Mercedes, he would have been a good 2nd driver to MS as he admitted recently "that he is not the best driver" and knows that the big bro is better. Of course, for a new team it would be a good publicity to sign him, but the hostile STR team would be a bad choice - they are notorious with their awful treatment of drivers like Speed or Bourdais. The Stefan GP, if they are allowed, would be a good choice, as they will have the Toyota car. For Campos to have Ralf would also be ideal - they will have Senna and Schumacher in one team ;)
However, I don't believe that Ralf will make a comeback. I'd like it to happen, though.

CNR

1st January 2010, 11:31

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12433_5813497,00.html

Schumacher's revelation that he was looking to return to Formula One coupled with his long history with Tost - the pair worked together at Williams and Tost managed Ralf in his early days as a racer - and reported friendship with owner Dietrich Mateschitz led to speculation that the 34-year-old could join the Faenza-based outfit

Langdale Forest

1st January 2010, 12:14

If you have read the other thread, it is confirmed that he is coming back.

ShiftingGears

1st January 2010, 13:46

If you have read the other thread, it is confirmed that he is coming back.

Wrong Schumacher ;)

Langdale Forest

1st January 2010, 14:54

It should have said ralph shumacher.

Dr. Krogshöj

1st January 2010, 16:49

It should have said ralph shumacher.

It should have said Ralf, but the point is, no one would have looked at the thread that way.

Langdale Forest

1st January 2010, 17:25

It could still confuse people.

pino

1st January 2010, 17:31

It could still confuse people.

Not anymore :)

Langdale Forest

1st January 2010, 17:58

Thanks!

Valve Bounce

1st January 2010, 22:16

It should have said ralph shumacher.

Why?? I wanted to catch the unaware. Besides, if I had said Ralfie, nobody would have bothered to read the thread. :p :

52Paddy

1st January 2010, 23:55

I wouldn't have high hopes for Ralf if he came back. I don't think it will do him any good.

Nikki Katz

2nd January 2010, 01:11

He'd only consider a return with a competitive team??? Well, shame that all of the likely front-running seats have gone already then ;)

This is even less likely to happen than Villeneuve.

Sonic

2nd January 2010, 01:11

Ha! Its January 1st not April 1st Ralf! We've got enough whingers in F1 with Jenson so just stay home Ralf and let big bro show you how its done - again.

gloomyDAY

2nd January 2010, 02:08

Let him stay in DTM.

We don't need Ralf-hearted in F1.

Garry Walker

2nd January 2010, 08:41

Ralf is a very underrated driver.

2nd January 2010, 11:11

Ralf is a very underrated driver.

Agree. Ralf's biggest fault was that, through no fault of his own, his older brother is Michael Schumacher.

Had it not been for his surname, then Ralf wouldn't get half the stick he does.

It's sad that those who would love to criticise Michael but have no ammunition turn to his brother as a softer target.

It's pathetic.

2nd January 2010, 11:52

As you know I have plenty of ammunition on his brother Michael

Since when have blanks and dum-dum bullets been considered ammunition?

Hondo

2nd January 2010, 17:31

There are still several teams looking for a second driver: Torro Rosso, Renault, USF1 and maybe even Sauber. Schumacher who has already won six Prix races during his career said he has already received an offer to compete in the 2010 world championship. However, he says "I'll only seriously consider a return if its for a competitive team". http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/ralf-looking-at-schumacher-family-reunion/story-e6frg7mf-1225815117028

I find myself amused by the "competitive team" comments made by drivers looking for a job. How are you going to know before the season starts? Look at the last few years where the big teams have missed badly while the smaller teams made huge improvements. Imagine how suprised Ralf would have been if he had signed to drive for Ferrari last year.

driveace

2nd January 2010, 22:20

Nice guy Ralph ,but please dont think of a comeback,you were never stunning,or setting the F1 scene on fire.Just be happy with the memories of what you had,before you retired.Trulli should get the message too,and step down,to make way for a hungry, talented driver to take his place

Valve Bounce

3rd January 2010, 03:45

Agree. Ralf's biggest fault was that, through no fault of his own, his older brother is Michael Schumacher.

Had it not been for his surname, then Ralf wouldn't get half the stick he does.

It's sad that those who would love to criticise Michael but have no ammunition turn to his brother as a softer target.

It's pathetic.

No offence here, but are you the Schumachers' butler or doorman? :p :

race aficionado

3rd January 2010, 04:19

Ralf was tough to beat if he had a good car and he started in the front.

:s mokin:

52Paddy

3rd January 2010, 04:26

Ralf was tough to beat if he had a good car and he started in the front.

:s mokin:

He was decent if he had a good grid position but I wouldn't consider him "tough to beat." Just in the right place at the right time. He's a fantastically, slightly above mediocre driver.

race aficionado

3rd January 2010, 04:32

He was decent if he had a good grid position but I wouldn't consider him "tough to beat." Just in the right place at the right time. He's a fantastically, slightly above mediocre driver.

I meant he was tough to beat if he started in the front after the first corner and if his Williams was ready to take him all the way.

:s mokin:

ArrowsFA1

3rd January 2010, 09:27

Schumacher who has already won six Prix races during his career said he has already received an offer to compete in the 2010 world championship. However, he says "I'll only seriously consider a return if its for a competitive team".
Which competitive teams have seats available?

F1boat

3rd January 2010, 10:25

I meant he was tough to beat if he started in the front after the first corner and if his Williams was ready to take him all the way.

:s mokin:

Like Vettel, then?

F1boat

3rd January 2010, 10:26

Which competitive teams have seats available?

Renault and Sauber.

ioan

3rd January 2010, 19:46

Ralf is a very underrated driver.

Yep. He's got more wins than most drivers on the grid.

ioan

3rd January 2010, 19:47

I'm not getting into that mate...

Wise decision!

F1boat

4th January 2010, 07:44

Yep. He's got more wins than most drivers on the grid.

And is far worthier than "a young, hungry" Algue-whatever. Or Sutil.

Ranger

4th January 2010, 08:09

Yep. He's got more wins than most drivers on the grid.

He was an excellent driver who deserved to win more races than he did, especially in the late 1990s with mediocre cars. Belgium '98 and Nurburgring '99 he definitely deserved to win.

However I can't help but feel that something went missing after his huge Indianapolis crash in 2004.

He is as deserving of a drive as Jarno Trulli, but there are other current drivers who I'd rather see with a seat first.

F1boat

4th January 2010, 08:23

Bezza

4th January 2010, 13:40

He was never an "excellent driver" merely a decent driver who had no bottle and lacked consistency.

Who next for an F1 return then? This is getting ridiculous.

Berger?
Prost?
Lauda?
Nuvolari???!

Mia 01

4th January 2010, 20:41

He was an excellent driver who deserved to win more races than he did, especially in the late 1990s with mediocre cars. Belgium '98 and Nurburgring '99 he definitely deserved to win.

However I can't help but feel that something went missing after his huge Indianapolis crash in 2004.

He is as deserving of a drive as Jarno Trulli, but there are other current drivers who I'd rather see with a seat first.

I agree, on the current grid who has moore than six wins?

ioan

4th January 2010, 22:49

Nuvolari???!

Impossible.

52Paddy

5th January 2010, 00:01

Who next for an F1 return then? This is getting ridiculous.

Berger?
Prost?
Lauda?
Nuvolari???!

An unknown source rumoured that Tarso Marques has been poking his nose around the paddock, trying to get a drive for 2010, or at least a testing role.

Bezza

5th January 2010, 12:09

Impossible.

Sherlock!

Malbec

5th January 2010, 12:15

Interesting thread. The version I heard was that Peter Windsor had approached Ralf (being one of his few supporters) for USF1, an offer Ralf had politely but firmly declined. I'm not convinced he really does want to come back and I haven't heard of him making any active moves to return.

Ralf is a complex character made even more difficult because both he and the world know that he isn't quite as good as his brother yet the 'Schumacher' name also helped him get drives he would never have had otherwise. I don't think he enjoyed F1 as much as many other drivers did and I would take rumours that he wants to return with a pinch of salt.

Garry Walker

5th January 2010, 12:33

Agree. Ralf's biggest fault was that, through no fault of his own, his older brother is Michael Schumacher.

Had it not been for his surname, then Ralf wouldn't get half the stick he does.

It's sad that those who would love to criticise Michael but have no ammunition turn to his brother as a softer target.

It's pathetic.

I agree 100%.

I remember having posted something similar in defence of RS ages ago on this forum.

jens

5th January 2010, 13:11

It would be kinda funny if the most criticized driver made a comeback. :p : Doesn't seem too probable at the moment though, but then again we have seen some unexpected developments at the driver market already in this silly season...

Anyway, I would take Ralf over the likes of de la Rosa, Klien, Villeneuve, and other similar drivers, who have been rumoured in this silly season to be aiming for an F1 race seat.

Dave B

5th January 2010, 15:20

Had it not been for his surname, then Ralf wouldn't get half the stick he does.
Agreed.

Largely becuase he'd probably not have got a drive in the first place.

ioan

5th January 2010, 21:02

Ralf is a complex character made even more difficult because both he and the world know that he isn't quite as good as his brother yet the 'Schumacher' name also helped him get drives he would never have had otherwise.

:?:

He sure isn't as good as MS but he had the measure of drivers like Damon Hill and Juan Pablo Montoya, and on his day he was only 0.01% slower than MS. Saying that he got his drivers because of his name is not in accordance with reality.

Garry Walker

6th January 2010, 10:52

:?:

He sure isn't as good as MS but he had the measure of drivers like Damon Hill and Juan Pablo Montoya, and on his day he was only 0.01% slower than MS. Saying that he got his drivers because of his name is not in accordance with reality.

He was about equal with Hill and JPM over their time as teammates and on his day (okay, those happened rarely) I think he missed nothing on MS. But he did not have the same willpower, desire and dedication as his older bro, so he could not repeat those performances day in day out like MS did.
What hurt his career immensly was of course the crash he had at monza in testing in 2003. Concussions are serious matters and I never felt he was the same again after that.

Garry Walker

6th January 2010, 10:56

Agreed.

Largely becuase he'd probably not have got a drive in the first place.
You know that how?

Winner of Macau GP, did very well in German F3 (2 and 3 overall), won a series in Japan, karting champion in Germany. Not that bad of a CV.