Schumacher to drive Massa's car at Valencia

Richard (ex-MB_insider) · Schumacher to drive Massa's car at Valencia

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77418

SpecB

Should prove to be interesting however it goes for him.

Humphrey The Pug

I've never been a Schumacher fan but I'm looking forward to that.

It'll be interesting to see if be's lost any of his magic.

kraftwerk

Best news I've heard in hours. I always loved Schumacher and can't wait to see how he gets on. Brilliant.

Eff One

Who would have bet money on that a week ago?

"Going to Valencia? Well, you won't see Alonso... but you will see Schumacher."

Brilliant news and will be fascinating to see. He's got a busy three weeks ahead of him...

Dr. Hfuhruhurr

Makes it a race to look forward to - we get to see Schumacher vs. Hamilton for the first time.

The only person who won't be pleased is Vettel, who will be relegated to "also ran" by the German press.

Gurney

My, that's going to be interesting. Shouldn't imagine Kimi will be that excited about the prospect either.

Pkh72

Rodge

Dr. Hfuhruhurr

Rodge

I forgot about Villeneuve, mind you, Raikkonen has been very similar to him since he won his Championship.

Dr. Hfuhruhurr

boc70

woof woof

I wonder who's most likely to deliberately crash into the opposition.

BeN

Exciting stuff.

Parm

Another twist in the 2009 season. Excellent.

simonp

I notice no-one has mentioned the current championship leader. I wonder he makes of it? More points lost I'd imagine!

Should they not be using their test driver anyway? Surely you have to use a contracted driver?

DaveGibson

Eff One

Both of Ferrari's test drivers - Luca Badoer and Marc Gene - lack recent F1 race experience. I think Gene last raced in 2004, Badoer in 1999. And while both are solid enough wheelmen, neither has anything like Schumacher's genius. I think they can enter anyone they nominate, as long as they satisfy the FIA's superlicence requirements.

One problem is the testing ban, which should mean that before Friday practice, Schumacher's only experience of the F60 and the Valencia circuit would be in the simulator. However, as Andrew Frankel pointed out, while the regulations preclude them from testing current cars, that doesn't necessarily stop them from sending him out around Fiorano in a 2008 machine, perhaps fitted with slicks.

Dr. Hfuhruhurr

Obviously he may be a bit rusty at Valencia, but there's every possibility of him doing the rest of the season, so he'll obviously improve from race to race. And he's the last person you'd expect to be lazy about training. And if it rains at Spa ...

Eff One

Rodge

It opens up a new line of questions for the GP game. Which World Champion will finish highest/will pit first/will beat his team mate by the most places? etc.
How many Germans will be in the points?

Big TC

I'm looking forward to seeing who does better in the Ferrari - Kimi or Schumi. It'll give us a chance to see if Kimi really is rated as the fastest driver out there. Or, perhaps the presence of 'The Great One' in the other car will finally wake Kimi up....

Apex clipper

It certainly opens up plenty of questions. 'Now that the main teams are apparently now are 'up to speed' Do you think that schumi has a fighting chance?

3 years out of a F1 missile is an awfully long time, don't you thunk?

Apex clipper

Mike Amos

Very much looking forward to seeing the fur fly. Imho, the return to form of McLaren and MS returning to fill Felipe's seat for a while gives JB the best of supporting cast.

If they can take points off Vettel and Webber, his chances look a lot better. Wonder what the bookies say?

Eff One

He's currently blatting around Mugello in an F2007:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77445

the other ct

Now Ferrari have a boss who seems to understand F1 is not just a business it will be good to hear his radio.

His biggest fan (the cock) was always telling us how good he was at talking to the team.

Sav

Ferrari have requested that Schumi can test an F60 to the FIA. Personally that takes away some of the fun, I want to see how fast he is on Friday practice without any practice with the F60. Glad it is happening though, probably one of the most positive pieces of news for Formula One in ages.

Matt

I'd be very surprised if he hasn't driven the F60 around Fiorano during its development.

I don't buy F1 models, but I'll be getting one this year.

DaveGibson

Sav

Well Ferrari have got FOTA's approval, but the FIA's is another matter! Prior to his F2007 test today, he had not driven an F1 car since April last year and that was the F2008. To my knowledge he has not driven the F60...yet.

In fairnes STR never asked whether Alguersuari could test, but I cannot see the FIA breaking their own rules. But for a 7 times world champion...

There have been rumours that Mattel are going to release an F60 Schumacher return diecast, you can bet that it'll cost a bomb and be of poor quality though - as Mattel's usually are compared to Minichamps.

Matt

Gah, I was hoping Minichamps still made the 1:43s.

Sav

Sadly not, Hot Wheels has the contract now. Mattel will be releasing Kimi and Massa F60's 1/43's for £29.99 later this year, although the Schumi model is likely to be a lot more. The presentation base should be good though.

canadian bacon

Skyhook

BeN

Seems to be a 50-50 split on the decision based on the comments...

Big TC

I don't agree that he should get testing time. He would be able to some serious mileage on the Friday practice sessions - I'm sure he'll be pretty much up to speed after then....

Matt

The only thing I can see is, for safety reasons, him not having driven a car without traction control in a race situation, but then he's the greatest driver on record, so I doubt he's particularly handicapped by that.

Eff One

I agree absolutely with Williams and Red Bull et al - if Jaime Alguersuari wasn't allowed to test there's no reason why Schumacher should be.

He doesn't need it anyway - after a couple of days in an old car to sharpen himself up, and a doubtless intensive training regime over the next couple of weeks, I'd expect him to be there or thereabouts by the end of Friday practice at Valencia.

the other ct

Williams also pointed out that Ferrari could have chosen Badoer or Gene for the drive and have both driven the current car.

Dr. Hfuhruhurr

simonp

Pkh72

Ferrari have taken it quite well really ....................................

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8184424.stm

I particularly like the irony in the statement when talking of Williams -
'A team that hasn't won anything for years and yet didn't pass over the opportunity to demonstrate once more a lack of spirit of fair play.'

The cheek after all the stunts they've pulled over the years.

You've gotta smile.

DaveGibson

The corollary of the Ferrari argument is that breaking the rules is fair play.

Scouse

Twelfth Monkey

The Ferrari statement does come across as rather childish and petulant.

"him"

Schumacher's fitness called into question?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8186319.stm