rearviewmirror
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What do you lot think? I think it's good for the sport since it's been a rough year for F1.
Michael Schumacher returns to F1
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PINT of Stella. mate!
Many, many Scotches
I wouldn't say it's been a rough season. Sure there's been a lot of political bullshit in the background but at the end of the day this season has been one of the most exciting for years and this news is truly the icing on the cake!
I'm f***ing stoked!
As much as I dislike Ferrari and Schumacher I can't escape the fact that he is an absolute legend and it will be amazing to see how he fairs up against the new younger drivers like Hamilton and Vettel. THe Ferrari's have managed to regain their pace after a poor start to the season, as have the McLarens. Red Bull still have the best car on the grid but Brawn might pull something out of the bag and regain the form that they'd shown for the first half of the season.
Basically what this boils down to is that the performance difference between the big 2 and the 2 young pretenders is a lot less than it was at the start of the season and driver skill is going to be a much greater factor in the next few races!
Schumacher is going into the race weekend aged 40 without having spent any time behind the wheel of the car due to the in-season testing ban (although Fota are pushing to allow him a days practice under extraordinary circumstances). That could count against him, as could the drastic changes that have been made to the cars since he retired (he's not raced slicks since 1997 for starters and KERS was unheard of in his day). Still, he's a driving genius and seeing as Nigel Mansell won the world championship aged 39 (against both Senna and Schumacher, I might add), age isn't as great a factor as it might have been in that other great comeback story of the year - Lance Armstrong's case.
The only downside is I'm stuck on a boat that only receives Norwegian cable which doesn't appear to show F1...
I'm f***ing stoked!
As much as I dislike Ferrari and Schumacher I can't escape the fact that he is an absolute legend and it will be amazing to see how he fairs up against the new younger drivers like Hamilton and Vettel. THe Ferrari's have managed to regain their pace after a poor start to the season, as have the McLarens. Red Bull still have the best car on the grid but Brawn might pull something out of the bag and regain the form that they'd shown for the first half of the season.
Basically what this boils down to is that the performance difference between the big 2 and the 2 young pretenders is a lot less than it was at the start of the season and driver skill is going to be a much greater factor in the next few races!
Schumacher is going into the race weekend aged 40 without having spent any time behind the wheel of the car due to the in-season testing ban (although Fota are pushing to allow him a days practice under extraordinary circumstances). That could count against him, as could the drastic changes that have been made to the cars since he retired (he's not raced slicks since 1997 for starters and KERS was unheard of in his day). Still, he's a driving genius and seeing as Nigel Mansell won the world championship aged 39 (against both Senna and Schumacher, I might add), age isn't as great a factor as it might have been in that other great comeback story of the year - Lance Armstrong's case.
The only downside is I'm stuck on a boat that only receives Norwegian cable which doesn't appear to show F1...
PINT of Stella. mate!
Many, many Scotches
I doubt that'll be much of an issue.I look forward to him racing too.
The only thing which could stop him racing, is a motorbike crash he had earlier this year, which injured his neck and back. He needs a doctors OK or something to step in the car for a real race.
Armstrong broke his collarbone and still managed Le Tour and Mark Webber missed the whole off-season testing programme due to breaking his leg.
Both have done pretty well considering
elliotdhmcgeary
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Schumacher amazes me, i saw earlier in the year when he was doing some testing for Ducati, that he was one of the fastest test riders of all teams, does that man have a thing with motorsport or what?!I look forward to him racing too.
The only thing which could stop him racing, is a motorbike crash he had earlier this year, which injured his neck and back. He needs a doctors OK or something to step in the car for a real race.
Should be good to see him back driving, very interested to see how he does against the new younger guys.
elliotdhmcgeary
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Say what!?
W2ttsy
Likes Dirt
but lance armstrong wasn't subjected to the massive G forces that schumacher will have to deal with. even webbers leg wouldnt have been massively affected like schuwys neck will be.
PINT of Stella. mate!
Many, many Scotches
What?
An F1 driver's neck is one of the most well protected parts of his body! Between the cramped cockpit, the helmet and the massive support brace they have to wear, the neck gets to sit there as one cosy little bugger. It's pretty bloody static throughout the race (if it weren't, there would be a lot more cases of paralysed drivers, that's for sure.
Anyway the G-forces have their biggest effect on the drivers extremities (i.e the arms and the legs)
Now a f***ed collarbone getting put through an absolute beasting for 4-5 hours a day over a 3 week period is a different kettle of fish altogether. Going into a massive gruelling masochistic endurance fest like Le Tour with any injury us going to require some nerve!
elliotdhmcgeary
Likes Bikes and Dirt
That's what i was thinking, just didn't post it 'cause i wasn't sure
Those Hans devices (is that what most formula one drivers use?) seem to pretty damn good at doing there job! And as PoSM said, the necks are pretty static throughout the race, otherwise so many drivers would've thrown their neck out braking!Out of interest, if Schumacher had a niggling collar bone, is there any supports or what not that he could use? Does the collarbone get thrown around to much in the race? Or would he just be told he wasn't aloud to race altogether?
Ham
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Keep in mind he is German.
cleche name
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an f-1 drives neck takes a hamoring! thats why you seem them rest there head on the side of the car by the end of the race! who cares what scwhie dose. Alonso is the king in wating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PINT of Stella. mate!
Many, many Scotches
Rotorburn cooking tip#131:
Oven gloves are very useful things for handling hot dishes however they are removable and as such should be taken off before attempting other tasks. (such as typing)
elliotdhmcgeary
Likes Bikes and Dirt
... Passion and a love for it, maybe? Nah ... What are the odds he actually gas a passion for it.As for me, Schumacher won enough prizes not to come back in F1. Or he needs more flame or money? Why not just to have a rest and enjoy the life?
scblack
Leucocholic
Quite the opposite actually, POSM.
The head and neck are the only loose and exposed parts of a F1 drivers body. The way they fit a "seat" to an F1 driver is snug, precise and does not allow any unwanted movement of the body. The legs are cramped into place - I remember Jacque Villenueve talked about only having 28mm of movement in his accelerator pedal, from off to full throttle.
F1 drivers exercise their necks like no other athlete. Michael Schumcher used to laze around his house with helmet on, with bricks strapped to the top of it to approximate some more g-forces.
Watch the in-car footage of a race, and the drivers helmet/head bounces around a hell of a lot, and don't forget those F1 helmets are HEAVY.
The HANS device is the only item to help a drivers neck. It has to move around for vision otherwise they may as well be looking down a telescope.
The neck is the most UNprotected part of his body.
scblack
Leucocholic
I thought they were more than that, but clearly not. In-car footage does show them bouncing around a lot though. Still, 1.25kg being thrown around with the g-forces they face is a lot of effective weight. The neck cops a lot for an F1 driver.
PINT of Stella. mate!
Many, many Scotches
Alright, I'll concede a drivers neck does take a fair beating during a race but my original argument of it being incomparable to the effects of 3 weeks in the saddle at full pelt on an injury during le tour still stands.Quite the opposite actually, POSM.
The head and neck are the only loose and exposed parts of a F1 drivers body. The way they fit a "seat" to an F1 driver is snug, precise and does not allow any unwanted movement of the body. The legs are cramped into place - I remember Jacque Villenueve talked about only having 28mm of movement in his accelerator pedal, from off to full throttle.
F1 drivers exercise their necks like no other athlete. Michael Schumcher used to laze around his house with helmet on, with bricks strapped to the top of it to approximate some more g-forces.
Watch the in-car footage of a race, and the drivers helmet/head bounces around a hell of a lot, and don't forget those F1 helmets are HEAVY.
The HANS device is the only item to help a drivers neck. It has to move around for vision otherwise they may as well be looking down a telescope.
The neck is the most UNprotected part of his body.
And 1250g being heavy for a helmet?
try wearing one of these 14 kilo buggers
