Ralf Schumacher is one of the top three F1 drivers

[jwielage]

Lets be fair to Ralfy, its tough to compair him to drivers in better machinery. You can't tell me with a straight face that Pedro De Larosa is a better driver than Ralf. Pedro scored 19 points to Ralf's 20 points, although Pedro raced in (6 or 7?) fewer GPs. That being said, if you are going to claim that you are one of the best 3 in F1, you have to be unanimously better than your team mate. Ralfy only outscored Jarno by 5 points, that is by no means unanimous. So either Jarno is also in the top 3 or Ralfy is Delusional.

Which could it be?

[Tom]

Honestly if i were a team manager going for an experienced driver I would always pick Pedro over Ralf. In a race Pedro may not be the fastest but he's committed as hell ('05 when montoya missed a few races, he rocked Bahrain, and what about Hungary '06?) whereas Ralf generally sits back, lets a few cars overtake, makes places from others problems and gets to the flag. He never really earned a seat, he got it by being a Schumacher.
He'll get the boot out one day, and I reacon it'll be public and humiliating, much like Juan Pablo Montoya's and Yuji Ide's ejection from the sport

[West]

I don't know about overrated. But I think that many people will jump on the bandwagon "just because."

He might command an unjustifiable salary, but whenever he wins, he makes it look like a walk in the park, as evidenced in 2003.

If you give anybody a great car they'll be motivated to win; sometimes fighting for 5th or 6th place all the time just sounds retarded.

[waynes]

but whenever he wins, he makes it look like a walk in the park, as evidenced in 2003

Races 162
World Championships 0
Wins 6
Podium finishes 27
Pole positions 6
Fastest laps 7

last win was France 2003 - nearly 4 years earning an obscene amount of money for not much in return

[West]

Races 162
World Championships 0
Wins 6
Podium finishes 27
Pole positions 6
Fastest laps 7

last win was France 2003 - nearly 4 years earning an obscene amount of money for not much in return

I was just saying that he is nowhere near the best, but whenever he wins, they're good wins. I remember him doing much better than Zanardi at Williams, and being almost on the same level as JPM.

He is far from my favorite driver; I actually never heard of this talk of him being overrated, but like anybody else, give him a winning car and he would probably do much better. Besides he has to live in the shadow of the greatest (subjective) driver the sport has ever seen.

[vyselegend]

I'm with West on this one.
The lackustre show of Toyota is more the matter of a poor car than bad drivers. Both Ralf and Trulli have already won a GP with good machinery. They're not the stars of the field obviously but they're ok as F1 drivers.
I really think the car lacks crucial performance every year, not that it's unstable or unreliable, but it is just too slow.

edit: On another hand it's true Ralf is inconsistent, and he should focus quickly or he will be sacked. I personaly held him responsible of JV's DNF at Montreal. Sometimes he's at the level of a JPM, and sometimes worse than Takuma in a bad day.

[waynes]

give him a winning car and he would probably do much better

he got a winning car by Williams and what did he do? got well and truly blown away by Juan Pablo Montoya (who in my opinion is a great loss)

the fact is, Toyota are paying for the name, he is overrated, overpaid, a shite racer and is quite frankly getting boring

why does Toyota not see what i see?

I'm with West on this one.
The lackustre show of Toyota is more the matter of a poor car

they sacked Mike Gascoyne because he bollocked the staff on a regular basis and the Japanese leadership got the full force too, hence, he didnt fit in with the "Japanese way" of doing things

its Toyotas own fault

[joseff]

... Sometimes he's at the level of a JPM, and sometimes worse than Takuma in a bad day.

You are doing Taku a disservice... at least he goes for it. How many times have we seen Ralf sitting behind another car lap after lap after lap? At least we see Taku tangling with Michael several times.

The new FIA brake lights must be Ralf's dream come true.

[Rob W]

...Surely Ralfy is forgetting Kimi, Fernando and Fellipe, most peoples top three

I strongly beg to differ that Massa is in most people's top three. I can't recall anyone I speak to about F1 mentioning him as anything other than the other guy at Ferrari.

He is good but I really can't see what the fuss is about at all - he has spent the last year in arguably the fastest car - and did a good job. This doesn't make him top three by any measure in my mind.

I totally agree with your comment about Pedro. Def a good driver. (assuming you meant Pedro De la Rosa and not Pedro Diniz )

Rob W

[ginsu]

That 'other guy at Ferrari' is turning out to be the way better than 'let's strip' kimi....Felipe has an open mind and an open heart and he will learn and be better than iceman 'let me drive' kimi...just wait and see...kimi has fallen off

[Ted68]

Was Ralf talking about salary and not ability?

[Rob W]

....Felipe has an open mind and an open heart and he will learn and be better than iceman..

Unless you know someone personally I don't how you can make a call like that on someone. We only see 1/1000th of their time.. Shyness, playing your cards close to your chest, or language barrier can make someone seem completely different. Kimi is no mug and plenty of F1 drivers who've looked stronger than their team mate in practice have gone on to have far less successful years than them.

Roger Federer never keeps his best tennis for practice... nor would a top driver.

Ralph is just showing his colours. He thinks he's a top 3 driver and t's part o his drive that he keeps that mindset... He must be frustrated as anything to not be winning races. And I can't see it changing either.

RW

[manchild]

And his specialty statistics:

Ralf Schumacher - Collision

Start number Races Car # Constructors Tyres Result Laps Comment

1 13 1997 - 13 - ITA 11 Jordan - Peugeot GY ret 39 - Collision
2 15 1997 - 15 - LUX " " " ret 0 - Collision
3 18 1998 - 1 - AUS 10 Jordan - Mugen-Honda " ret 1 - Collision
4 25 1998 - 8 - FRA " " " ret 68 - Collision
5 55 2000 - 6 - EUR 9 Williams - BMW BS ret 29 - Collision
6 57 2000 - 8 - CAN " " " 14/ret 64 - Collision
7 67 2001 - 1 - AUS 5 " M ret 4 - Collision
8 84 2002 - 1 - AUS " " " ret 0 - Collision
9 112 2003 - 12 - GER 4 " " ret 1 - Collision damage
10 122 2004 - 7 - EUR " " " ret 0 - Collision
11 125 2004 - 16 - CHN " " " ret 37 - Collision / puncture
12 153 2006 - 8 - GBR 7 Toyota BS ret 0 - Collision

Ralf Schumacher - Accidents

Start number Races Car # Constructors Tyres Result Laps Comment
1 5 1997 - 5 - MON 11 Jordan - Peugeot GY ret 10 - Accident
2 7 1997 - 7 - CAN " " " ret 14 - Accident
3 23 1998 - 6 - MON 10 Jordan - Mugen-Honda " ret 44 - Accident / suspension
4 37 1999 - 4 - MON 6 Williams - Supertec BS ret 54 - Accident
5 124 2004 - 9 - USA 4 Williams - BMW M ret 9 - Accident / puncture

Ralf Schumacher - Spins

Start number Races Car # Constructors Tyres Result Laps Comment
1 12 1997 - 12 - BEL 11 Jordan - Peugeot GY ret 21 - Started from pit lane
- Spin
2 19 1998 - 2 - BRA 10 Jordan - Mugen-Honda " ret 0 - Spin
3 20 1998 - 3 - ARG " " " ret 22 - Spin / suspension
4 42 1999 - 9 - AUT 6 Williams - Supertec BS ret 8 - Spin
5 48 1999 - 15 - MAS " " " ret 7 - Spin
6 56 2000 - 7 - MON 9 Williams - BMW " ret 37 - Spin
7 69 2001 - 3 - BRA 5 " M ret 54 - Spin
8 82 2001 - 16 - USA " " " ret 36 - Spin
9 114 2003 - 15 - USA 4 " " ret 21 - Spin
10 134 2005 - 7 - EUR 17 Toyota " ret 33 - Spin

[waynes]

put bluntly

he's a proven wanker (excuse the language)

[manchild]

put bluntly

he's a proven wanker (excuse the language)

No no, he nevev dvove wankev poweved cav. FIA veguvations pvohibit wankev engines.