what Villeneuve has to say about Schumacher

[2ndclasscitizen]

Geez, that makes it so much better doesn't it? That's like going to play footy and saying "I'm going to studs-up two-foot that guy" or "I'm going to spear tackle that guy" and then saying, "it's ok, I told you I was going to do it."

[Coventrysucks]

Geez, that makes it so much better doesn't it?

I think the point that Villeneuve is trying to make is that, in his opinion, whilst both have cheated during their careers, Senna had the guts to admit he wasn't playing fair, whilst Schumacher merely offers an unconvincing denial of any wrong doing on his part.

Therefore, whilst he doesn't admire either Senna or Schumacher's antics, he does admire Senna's honesty about it.

[Daz27]

Exactly, at least Senna had the nads to say what he was going to do and then do it. Not like Prost didnt get warned was it. If you were warned that youre town was going to have a direct hit by a Category 5 cyclone, would you stay there and wait and say oh **** and have a whinge and a cry afterwards? or would you get out the way? He was warned, he chose to stay...

[Nazmacher]

Exactly, at least Senna had the nads to say what he was going to do and then do it. Not like Prost didnt get warned was it. If you were warned that youre town was going to have a direct hit by a Category 5 cyclone, would you stay there and wait and say oh **** and have a whinge and a cry afterwards? or would you get out the way? He was warned, he chose to stay...

Hmmm... Yeah i think after being warned Prost should have quit F1 immediately (before the race itself) and joined NASCAR!

[RacingManiac]

Exactly, at least Senna had the nads to say what he was going to do and then do it. Not like Prost didnt get warned was it. If you were warned that youre town was going to have a direct hit by a Category 5 cyclone, would you stay there and wait and say oh **** and have a whinge and a cry afterwards? or would you get out the way? He was warned, he chose to stay...

So if I warned someone about my intention of killing them and they ended up dying it is their own fault....kinda like they commited suicide since they did nothing about it...

I'd like to see that argument used in the criminal justice system....

Someone refresh my memory, after the Jerez 97 incident Schumacher was stripped of his points and DQed from the 1997 WDC. Was Senna punished after he ran Prost off the road in Suzuka?

[Jack_Bauer]

Someone refresh my memory, after the Jerez 97 incident Schumacher was stripped of his points and DQed from the 1997 WDC. Was Senna punished after he ran Prost off the road in Suzuka?

No he wasn't. The result was allowed to stand, meaning Senna won the WDC. But then again, Prost wasn't penalised for his contentious move on Senna the previous year at Suzuka that helped him toward his '89 WDC, in fact it was Senna who was controversially DQ's from that race.

[Nazmacher]

No he wasn't. The result was allowed to stand, meaning Senna won the WDC. But then again, Prost wasn't penalised for his contentious move on Senna the previous year at Suzuka that helped him toward his '89 WDC, in fact it was Senna who was controversially DQ's from that race.

F1 should do away with stewards. They are probably responsible for makin F1 appear more controversial than it actually is. Use them instead of tyre walls.

[hanz blix]

ah coventry sucks i seriously doubt u know villuneve well enough to talk on his behalf. in his exact words that was just stupid what he said and a driver like him who cant do shit all in that bmw and is out done by kubica should be keeping his comments to himself in the first place. he will be forgotten quickly. no schumacer

[hanz blix]

what mcreis said sums it up perfect. and he didnt talk on any drivers behalfs

[fpv_gtho]

ah coventry sucks i seriously doubt u know villuneve well enough to talk on his behalf. in his exact words that was just stupid what he said and a driver like him who cant do shit all in that bmw and is out done by kubica should be keeping his comments to himself in the first place. he will be forgotten quickly. no schumacer

Well you definately dont know him well enough. JV's been on Heidfeld's pace all year. I wouldnt be surprised to see Heidfeld faster than Kubica for the majority of next year, let alone the remainder of this year.

[Kooper]

Schumacher is human. Humans sometimes make mistakes, and sometimes they make really huge mistakes.

Senna admitted to his mistakes and shortcomings, mostly anyways (to my mind at least).

Schumacher doesn't seem to do the same. Maybe he is being sincere when he claims things like his car spun at Monaco and that's why he parked it in the middle of the track, or he didn't mean to take Hill out in '94, or that it was instinct that took over when he tried to take JV out in '97. All I hear when he says these things is "BS BS BS BS BS BS and some more BS". Maybe he just lies without knowing he lied? Doesn't mean I don't like the man any less, it's just who he is. Brilliant racer, even better politically, really bad at telling lies. Hey, he's gotta suck at something.


For me, JV's got some good points in that article. He is a tad harsh, but that's just how I got to see JV as - hard-boiled -. He speaks his mind, and I salute him for that. Besides, he'll be remembered, at least by some loyal fans, me included. How can I not respect a man that basically gave up racing for the best teams that were available in '99, instead opting to drive for a new outfit (fair enough, part of it was his own) and sticking with them until new owners took over the outfit and dropped JV? That's determination and loyalty for you right there.

JV is definitely wrong about one thing though: Schumacher will be remembered, and for a long time to come. I just don't think many people will be smiling when they think of him though.

[Nazmacher]

Senna admitted to his mistakes and shortcomings, mostly anyways (to my mind at least).


JV is definitely wrong about one thing though: Schumacher will be remembered, and for a long time to come. I just don't think many people will be smiling when they think of him though.

However, there is something that always puzzles me, and I mean not just in sport, even music for instance- How many people are willing to admit that the guy standing next to them, be it a friend/foe/team mate, acquaintance etc is the best ever... the numero uno of all time?

It is far easier to admit to that 'someone' being around before you were, so as to avoid direct comparison.

Admitting to your mistakes makes you more human (lovable if you wish), but your still equally guilty! Announcing a mistake before you commit it... he should have been institutionalised for that!

[Kooper]

However, there is something that always puzzles me, and I mean not just in sport, even music for instance- How many people are willing to admit that the guy standing next to them, be it a friend/foe/team mate, acquaintance etc is the best ever... the numero uno of all time?

It is far easier to admit to that 'someone' being around before you were, so as to avoid direct comparison.

Admitting to your mistakes makes you more human (lovable if you wish), but your still equally guilty! Announcing a mistake before you commit it... he should have been institutionalised for that!

Yes, yes, I hear ya. It's like the kid in school that expects softer punishment for his transgression by going all big-eyed and saying he's sorry for what he's done. Simply admitting to a mistake doesn't make the mistake dissappear. True.
Not owning up to a mistake at all is another matter entirely, it in itself being a mistake as well.

I have to point out that I don't remember Senna saying that he definitely was going to take out Prost. To my memory what he said was something more along the lines of if he has the racing-line and the other guy (he might have specified Prost) didn't give way he'd take him out. If. Not definitely. To my mind, it could be argued that Senna and Prost took out eachother, since neither wanted to give up the racing-line.

Schumi on the other hand had no intention of passing Hill in '94 or JV in '97, he simply drove into them with the goal of taking them out of the race and thereby winning the championship. For me, that's dishonourable. I can't think of an argument that can defend what he did in either case, "racer's instinct" included. He got away with this 50% of the time, which is too high a success rate for this kind of thing if you ask me.
The Monaco debacle wasn't that big an issue for me to be honest, since if the FIA really wanted to they could've gotten Schu's car out of the way and given everyone else 5 extra laps. Heck, 1 extra lap would've sufficed. Instead, the world seemed to have demanded Schu's head for something I personally didn't think was that big hairy a deal. Maybe what he did in the past (in '94 and '97 specifically) was more the issue?

What kind of pi$$ed me off about Schu in the past is that he's gotten away with too much. More than any other F1 driver that comes to mind. This could be one of the things that's made him so great if you think about it: the ability to get away with things.

Anyway, what's done is done. Schu has many other admirable qualities, and on average I think it's safe to say that F1 would've been less of a spectacle without him. I will miss him when he retires, since he's one of those characters you either love or love to hate, which is always good entertainment. Just ask any soapy writer.

[Nazmacher]

[QUOTE=Kooper]
Instead, the world seemed to have demanded Schu's head for something I personally didn't think was that big hairy a deal.

Maybe what he did in the past (in '94 and '97 specifically) was more the issue? QUOTE]

Yes its more of a case of the FIA showing who's boss. It's no secret that people (even the FIA maybe) believe that Schumi is rather powerful. And I think that bugs the hell out of them. And qualifying at Monaco (highly debatable) was their chance to try and hammer the one individual they feel was getting slightly bigger than the sport.


Which other sport accompanies a participants antics with disrepute?... even doping allegations

Which other sport (thats including Federer's tennis and Wood's golf) changes rules while someone's dominating?

[MrKipling]

http://www.grandprixdiary.com/