[quottrethew]

Formula One: Pirelli defend tyres after Schumacher blast | Deccan Chronicle
Formula One tyres suppliers Pirelli on Monday defended themselves after being
accused by seven-time champion driver Michael Schumacher of creating tyres that
prevent drivers pushing to their limits.

German Schumacher, 43, who worked his way through the field from 22nd on the
grid to finish 10th, for Mercedes, complained after Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix
that the current tyres prevented all-out racing and were turning F1 into a
tyre-conservation contest.
this coming from the driver that got the best tyres when bridgestone used to supply ferrari with a better tyre then the other teams

[GinaIsWild]

this coming from the driver that got the best tyres when bridgestone used to supply ferrari with a better tyre then the other teams

So this means he's probably the most qualified to speak in regards to what is a good tyre and what is a bad tyre!

Personally, I'm enjoying the show, but that's what it is, it isn't racing. And if the old man says he has plenty of ooomph left in reserve but the tyres are holding him back, how much more frustrating must it be for a really quick guy?

[JessicaLin]

this coming from the driver that got the best tyres when bridgestone used to supply ferrari with a better tyre then the other teams

Really really dumb thing to say, but I am not surprised.
Anyway, I have been critical of these nonsense tyres since the start, this artificial show and crap tyres is completely stupid.

[Lkemybab]

Personally, I'm enjoying the show, but that's what it is, it isn't racing. And if the old man says he has plenty of ooomph left in reserve but the tyres are holding him back, how much more frustrating must it be for a really quick guy?

It's the same for everyone. It's called a 'formula' for a reason, it's a formula that everyone needs to adhere to.

Sure, MSC' driving style, which is to drive flat out a few laps before and after a pit stop (i.e., sprinting) isn't suited to this tyre, but I don't find that necessarily the tyre's fault. Formula 1 is not a sprint race, it's never been about driving flat out all along. It's always been a combination of pace, with durabiblity and balance thrown in. Yes, the importance of durability and balance in regards to outright pace is probably much higher than the Bridgestone era, but then again, that's not necessarily bad.

[AgindyMinnife]

Look here! It has reached the point in the season when all the real contenders, even considering Ms as one, have had moments when they were dead meat when just about anybody with new tire can smoke them. I agree in principle with M!ke's contention because it really is a dilemma, because there still is a lot of unknown. Plus MS is frustrated by his race retirement because of a pit stop error, and he (should at least) understand the evolution of the tires, and do the best that he can. He is catching on, I think of the two drivers M!ke is still the master of running consecutive Lap time near the max for his car in race trim. If M!ke has a well organized approach to the racing, Kind of like Lewis and other guys like Giles before him, He can roll the whole lot of the field when the stars align for him,
steal their watches too.

[goldcigarettes]

So MS's problem is that these tires are making him work harder? That's exactly what they're supposed to do!

[Battwenue]

Really really dumb thing to say, but I am not surprised.
Anyway, I have been critical of these nonsense tyres since the start, this artificial show and crap tyres is completely stupid.

Yep, let's get back to follow my leader-type of racing. That's so exciting.

[AriaDesser]

The times has changed and maybe Michael is too old to adapt. But I like the modern F1 much more than the sprints in previous years.

[kucheravka]

2009 scored 1/2 of the points of his team mate.
2010 scored 5/6ths of the points of his team mate.
2011 so far has scored 1/16th of the points of his team mate.

Now he's moaning about a set of tyres that the rest of the field has to work with and feels it's unfair. He's probably right. In the past he's had illegal electronics, illegal cars, preferential treatment from Bridgestone, a rear gunner to give him points and cover his ass and FIAssistance. No wonder he's not happy now that he's on a level plain wth everyone else.

There's always going to be excuses for Schumacher and his fans but he should just STFU. It's about time this serial cheat retires for good.

[iouiyyut]

Well, this is a bit harsh, Michael benefited for the advantage of Ferrari in the same way other drivers benefited from the advantages of Williams in the 90s and McLaren Mercedes in 1998-1999. Michael has proven that he is a great driver, not only in his dominant years, but in the years in which he was with visibly slower cars, like in 1998, or 1996, or yes - 1997, despite his move of Jacques in the final race. In reality Jacques should have won the championship very early, but he didn't because Michael was simply better. And I think that it is not objective to name of the greatest drivers in history "a serial cheat" only because of several moves in his long career. By the same logic one may call Senna stupid names too and I think that many people would have done it, if he was alive.
But I think that the problem is that an old driver can not change his habits like a young one and that's why it is time for Mike to retire. However, I'd always defend him against people, who claim that he is average driver. He was spectacular in his prime and he is decent for a 42-years old athlete. However, he can not fight time. It'd be best for him to retire.
And it'd be best for his haters to grow up.

[Soolfelpecelf]

Oh come on F1boat. Stop with this haters rubbish, it's something I expext from ioan. If you disagree with me then discuss it but without pointless rhetoric.

You may not consider him a seriel cheat but many of us do. From the illegal Electronics in the Bennetton and Ferrari to punting Hill and Jacques off the track to win championships. (Well, he did win one that way so cheating paid off)

Then we have years of people denying that the FIA favoured Ferrari only for Ferrari to foolishly confirm it a couple of years ago.

This has been documented many times along with quite a few others and that doesn't even touch on the many suspected instances which can't be proved.

Nobody denies he wasn't a brilliant driver. I used to be a fan and believe he could have become the undisputed best of all time but he resorted to cheating. He was past his prime and should have retired at least a year before he did the first time around. Now he's moaning that he has the same equipment as everyone else and just needs to free up that seat so it's not wasted. Hell, he's even making Rosberg look good.

[AromeWahmaron]

Knock-On,

I agree on everything apart from retirement.
I want more

[Spisivavona]

2009 scored 1/2 of the points of his team mate.
2010 scored 5/6ths of the points of his team mate.
2011 so far has scored 1/16th of the points of his team mate.

Now he's moaning about a set of tyres that the rest of the field has to work with and feels it's unfair. He's probably right. In the past he's had illegal electronics, illegal cars, preferential treatment from Bridgestone, a rear gunner to give him points and cover his ass and FIAssistance. No wonder he's not happy now that he's on a level plain wth everyone else.

There's always going to be excuses for Schumacher and his fans but he should just STFU. It's about time this serial cheat retires for good.

When Schumi had inferior tyres he did indeed STFU.

Neither did he complain when Bridgestone had the inferior tyres in 2005, nor the first half of 2006 when Ferrari initially struggled to optimize their car for B'stone's stiffer tyre construction - which they eventually sorted with front suspension modifications.

When Goodyear used to supply tyres to Ferrari in the tyre war with B'stone they were at worst terrible and could blister easily. Ferrari was hard on its tyres in 1997 which was why JV could overtake Schumi at the last race.

Shumi has raced when Goodyear and B'stone were sole tyre suppliers. He didn't do too badly did he?

Schumi was very diplomatic, I must say, as he doesn't exactly have the demeanor of wanting to throw toys out of his pram:



I do sympathise. The style of racing we have now is like walking on tip toes. It's like giving the teams a fixed amount of fuel. It's still racing but not racing per se in that it takes out the purity of driving close to the limit when one needs when managing tyres over a stint.

I seem to recall NASCAR used softer compounds about a decade ago and seem to remember the drivers saying that it wasn't racing, more like trying to survive. Perhaps F1 does need a rethink.

[WertyNtont]

I do sympathise. The style of racing we have now is like walking on tip toes. It's like giving the teams a fixed amount of fuel. It's still racing but not racing per se in that it takes out the purity of driving close to the limit when one needs when managing tyres over a stint.

Very well put. I agree completely.

[O25YtQnn]

You may not consider him a seriel cheat but many of us do. From the illegal Electronics in the Bennetton and Ferrari to punting Hill and Jacques off the track to win championships. (Well, he did win one that way so cheating paid off)

Then we have years of people denying that the FIA favoured Ferrari only for Ferrari to foolishly confirm it a couple of years ago.

Dear Knock-on. I don't see, what do Benetton, Ferrari and FIA issues have to do with Schumacher's cheating. As you claim this makes him a "serial cheater". Applying this logic Pérez and Kobayashi were cheaters in Australia '11, because they had an illegal car. Button was a cheater in 2005 and was subsequently banned for a few races. Brundle and Bellof were serial cheaters in 1984 and both were DQ'd from the season. We are going to absurd if the decisions of team principals and designers are blamed on the driver.

It's like giving the teams a fixed amount of fuel.

Interesting that in the 80's we actually had such fuel rule, which meant that all teams needed to conserve fuel throughout the race and even then many cars ran out of fuel in the final laps!

All in all. I am realizing that the arguments of drivers not having any option to push at all, are a reason for thought. And claims that they should at least have an option for going flat-out, even if at the expense of making more pitstops.

But then again, can it be achieved without taking away the excitement of F1? Because personally I don't want to lose it either. Besides all - even though everyone needs to conserve a lot, still we are seeing varieties in strategies and some people have managed to make the tyres work for a longer period of time. There are drivers, who have made 2-stoppers work. Pérez has made even a 1-stopper work.

[YTmWSOA5]

Really really dumb thing to say, but I am not surprised.

It probably wasn't the best point to use in this arguement but I wouldn't class it as 'dumb' because this particular fact is now public knowledge. Ferrari did have a tyre advantage over the other Bridgestone teams back in the day because they could afford to help develop the tyres and use the very best that was available at the time. Thats no secret but not really relevant to todays Pirelli tyres IMO.

[br`lorance]

Dear Knock-on. I don't see, what do Benetton, Ferrari and FIA issues have to do with Schumacher's cheating. As you claim this makes him a "serial cheater". Applying this logic Pérez and Kobayashi were cheaters in Australia '11, because they had an illegal car. Button was a cheater in 2005 and was subsequently banned for a few races. Brundle and Bellof were serial cheaters in 1984 and both were DQ'd from the season. We are going to absurd if the decisions of team principals and designers are blamed on the driver.

Exactly, jens.

[janeseymore09092]

2009 scored 1/2 of the points of his team mate.
2010 scored 5/6ths of the points of his team mate.
2011 so far has scored 1/16th of the points of his team mate.

Now he's moaning about a set of tyres that the rest of the field has to work with and feels it's unfair. He's probably right. In the past he's had illegal electronics, illegal cars, preferential treatment from Bridgestone, a rear gunner to give him points and cover his ass and FIAssistance. No wonder he's not happy now that he's on a level plain wth everyone else.

There's always going to be excuses for Schumacher and his fans but he should just STFU. It's about time this serial cheat retires for good.

I must remember not upset you when you've got a cobb on!

[r5YOPDyk]

Guys, can I just say.. great debate!. So many valid points coming from all sides of the fence and you are all mature with it, thats why I keep coming back here, great stuff!

On one hand I can apreciate that looking after the tyres is part of racing but should it be such a large part of F1? Isn't it a more apropriate feature of endurance racing? Personally I think I want to see the quickest drivers being rewarded more than those who can look after their tyres the best... I think it has gone too far in the wrong direction and find myself agreeing with MS. Whether I rate him, like him or hate him is irelevant to me.

[Mr Andrews]

2009 scored 1/2 of the points of his team mate.
2010 scored 5/6ths of the points of his team mate.
2011 so far has scored 1/16th of the points of his team mate.

I think it is pretty apparent why he has scored 1/16th of Rosberg's points, it doesn't take a genius to figure it out if you were watching the races.

Now he's moaning about a set of tyres that the rest of the field has to work with and feels it's unfair. He's probably right. In the past he's had illegal electronics, illegal cars, preferential treatment from Bridgestone, a rear gunner to give him points and cover his ass and FIAssistance. No wonder he's not happy now that he's on a level plain wth everyone else. Funny, I don't recall him throwing the toys out of the pram when he didn't have the best car or tyres on the grid. It is clearly just a successful driver giving his opinion on what he thinks formula one tyres should be. It was a level playing field the last two years and he didn't object then, so why now?

I think you are frankly still unhappy about all the years Schumacher was the best driver on the grid by a clear margin.

There's always going to be excuses for Schumacher and his fans but he should just STFU. It's about time this serial cheat retires for good. His comments don't display any level of hypocrisy like you are suggesting, nor does it have anything to do with his career. I think the only excuses we are seeing at the moment are from people who want to denigrate his past achievements.