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MS retireing

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wazojugs
1
Joined: 31 Mar 2006, 18:53
Location: UK

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yes good driver brought finess in f1 to a new level and is a hard worker but as an overall package no
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vEddY
vEddY
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Joined: 01 Feb 2006, 22:57

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kheopsb wrote:I can only thank MS for being the driver and competitor he is, regardless of all the contreversy surrounding him, he has been nothing but great ambassador for Formula 1 racing.
Thanks Michael for the great memories and emotions!!
Kuddos to kheopsb for this, and of course Michael, for his great career and results that do speak for themselves. I was there today at Monza to see him drive one last time. It was a pleasure to see him in action and yet again see what he's best at - performing at the top level while under immense amount of pressure. Hats off, Meister!
Check out my website at http://it-review.net - stay up to date with hardware, software, and other IT-related things.
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wrk
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Joined: 17 Feb 2005, 17:00
Location: gold coast, australia

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yes but did he jump or was he pushed??
gentlemen start your engines......
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emburmak
emburmak
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Joined: 23 Aug 2005, 22:04

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At almost 38 one does not need to be pushed! 8)
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emburmak
emburmak
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Joined: 23 Aug 2005, 22:04

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MS always said he would pick his own time to leave. In 2005 with no KR on the horizon when ferrari wanted a 2 year extension MS baulked. Even then he must have surmised that it would be difficult to maintain his level of consistency and motivation. Only then did Ferrari start looking for alternatives and really that boiled down to two or three at that time---FA KR (JPM?).

As MH and AP said once you start thinking about retiring that is the correct time to stop. For the first time in his career in 2005 the R word came out of his own lips. It was on his mind but how best to do it? He needed a great year to go out on a high still acknowledged as the best. Lo and behold we have the 2006 season a trully great one. Even if he does not win the WDC to come back from a 25 point deficit is not only incredible but one of the greatest comebacks in F1 history.

From 1994-2002 he was nonperil. 2002-2004 he was still the best but the young pretenders were snapping at his heels. By 2005 they were three with MS still marginally in front. This year it is too close to call. But the main thing is that MS's powers have been declining albeit slowly. More than anybody else the man can notice the decline. MS's greatest strengths has been the ability to string blistering laps at crucial times in a race. Can he still that? Yes he can. But can he still do that as consistently and as frequently? No he cannot.

The races at Bahrain & Turkey are perfect examples of MS now as against his prime. Let me concentrate on the latter. After the second pit stops inspite of his mistakes he started mounting one of his classic charges. After the final pitstops his was about a sec behind. Must ppl claimed he lost b/c of his earlier error. But an analysis of his attacking laps prior to pitting belies that. Instead of string of laps within a tenth or two and going consistently quicker as per the norm, his times were everywhere. IIRC the last two were 1.28.1 and 1.28.8. He literally lost the place b/c he was not as consistent as he used to be.

MS has given the reasons but still you cannot see. He is aging, his customary tools losing their extreme sharpness. Two or three years ago he would have eaten KR for breakfast had a nap and had FA for lunch. He cannot do that now and while he is still a match for them I do not think that is the best way for a trully great champion to leave the stage. He is leaving at the right time when he is still acknowledged as the best.
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