Alonso says Schumacher still the benchmark
29 December, 2011
Fernando Alonso with Michael Schumacher
Dec.29 (PVM) Michael Schumacher is still held in high esteem by one of the best Formula 1 drivers of the current generation, despite the seven times world champion’s lacklustre return to F1, Fernando Alonso still regards him as the sport’s benchmark.
When asked, by TotalRace, which F1 driver he would most like to challenge in any form of race, Alonso did not hesitate in his response, “I would choose Michael Schumacher, who will always be a champion for all of us, because we respect a a driver who was seven times world champion. He is a driver who has nothing more to prove and was always very fast.”
Even though 42 year old Schumacher has not yet scored a podium finish since returning to F1 in 2010, Alonso believes that the Mercedes GP car has done little to help the German in his comeback.
“We know that in Formula 1, the car is the most important part and we know that Mercedes did not have a very good year. But I believe that if they have a competitive car, capable of winning races, both [Nico] Rosberg and Michael can be favorites. We have to respect them,” said Alonso.
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I have always thought that 95 was one of the best years of Schumie because he never had the easiest of cars to drive and to win the title that year in that Bennetton was i think just incredible.If Michael does win his 92nd GP this year it will be in my honest opinion his greatest race win ever.Go Michael Schumacher and Happy Birthday too!!!
I’ve always been a Schumacher fan and while I think he was one of the greatest of all time during his younger years, I fear that he’s not as good as he once was, which is not surprising seeing as though he’s 43, which is very old for an F1 driver.
I don’t know if you can have the same kind of reactions in your 40′s as you did in your 20′s.
For this reason I don’t think you can judge his past performances based on his current form
He’s still one of the best but perhaps not in a class of his own as he once was.
Back in the day he could win in almost any car, now like most other good F1 drivers, he needs a great car to win.
Those who say that Schumacher only won his championships because he never had the quality of competitors we have in the sport today are delusional.
He has faced and beaten competitors from more eras of the sport than any other driver on the grid today from Senna to Hakkinen to Button.
Let’s not forget he beat the great Senna, finishing higher in the WDC in ’92 and in early ’94 was blowing Senna away.
The Benetton B194 wasn’t that great of a car either, just look at how far down Verstappen finished and basically everyone who’s ever had the chance to drive it has commented on what a difficult car it is to drive.
After winning 2 WDC, instead of playing it safe, Schumi elected to move to Ferrari and rebuild the struggling team.He achieved an enormous feat!
You don’t win 7 WDC’s by accident – Schumi is the greatest driver ever to get behind the wheel of an F! car!
Well said!!!
visz963fag is wrong, as usual, because if Vettel takes the title that means Ferrari’s 2012 challenger is a dog, not Alonso’s fault.
TotoBono – you are 100% correct (about Alonso’s blabla). He may keep his myth for a while by talking, but if Vettel brings on a 3rd title than this will not help anymore.
The fact is that Alonso has won two WCs during the reign of dominance of Schumi. It is therefore the one who stopped the hegemony of Schumi. With this, Alonso is still considered the best driver of the current plateau. And now the young Vettel tied the track record of Alonso. Then, voices rose to say that Vettel is currently the best driver. Since this does not help matters of Alonso, he brilliantly prefers to refer to the one he is beaten and is seven-time world champion in the person of Schumi.
Moreover, to go through with his logic, it seems that the name of his new girlfriend would be the Russian Xenia Tchoumitcheva (or “Schumi”-tcheva). LoL
Nice little side-swipe/dig at Vettel…… playing the mindgame game :0)