F1 is biased towards Schumacher - Discuss!

[Methanoid]

He gets away with driving others off the road...

He gets minor penalties when others get harsher ones.

Rules get adjusted when MS is not winning.

??

[jon bda]

F1 is all money...and who is the biggest and bestest in the crowds eyes...

[gobbo]

Ditto. Its not about the driver anymore, its about the team with the most money that can make the best car.

Probs a chance that Ferrari own the shares in ITV, or own shares in some company that have somethingm ajor to do with F1?

[Methanoid]

So basically, you agree that MS is up Bernie's bottom?

[Skii]

He's the best driver in the world.

Get over it

[nichomach]

Helps having two members of the FIA bought, though, doesn't it...

[Methanoid]

He's a good driver, yes but the best... only MAYBE. Is he a sportsman? No..

[Skii]

Unfortunately I don't really follow F1 these days as the spark has gone.

However, yes, the ruling team always gets away with blue murder during the period of their domination - this has always been the case throughout F1 history, Mclaren, Williams, Ferrari etc

Now Schumi - he is the best driver on the planet, probably the most naturally talented driver since Senna, and yes, single handedly responsible for a lot of Ecclestones income - the revenue that Ferrari generates is enormous,

So with regards to your argument, yes there probably is bias towards Ferrari - after all, you disqualify a Ferrari at Imola or Monza, you've got a riot on your hands...

But I remember Senna and Prost getting away with blue murder too

[Joel]

F1 is less about the driver these days, although i do have to say, MS gets away with an awful lot

[Methanoid]

The bookies odds for both this weekends race and for the title are IDENTICAL for SCUMacher and for the FULL MONTY ...

[RocketmanX]

Ditto. Its not about the driver anymore, its about the team with the most money that can make the best car.

Unfortuantely that's true in about all forms of motorsport.
But if you look back through the short history of motorsport that's always been the case. It's the nature of the sport, it's mostly dependent on equipment. That inevitably makes it about money.

I believe Michael is one of the most talented drivers in the world but not the most. It's hard to say that when there are so many other drivers in so many other types of racing that are equally talented but choose to drive the cars they do out of love for the competition they have. Look at Marcus Gronholm, Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, and quite a few of the other WRC guys, all VERY talented. I think Shumacher loves F1 but also, like a lot of other F1 drivers past and present, loves the high esteem that comes with being tops in F1- at least in Europe anyway. It's really hard to compare when only Mario Andretti has ever really driven everything there is to drive and been great in them all. JPM and Jeff Gordon attempted to compare but really only proved they are both very talented, just driving a different type of machine.

As for the favoring Michael well, just about any professional sport coddles and takes care of its stars. They have to have stars or the series will probably die. Unfair advantages are no good of course but with the view from the outside it probably seems as though it's favortism or "letting them get away with murder".

I can think of several instances where I thought (I'm always pulling for Ruebens to kick his butt and want to see someone else make him look not so spectacular) MS should have been given a penalty but after a quick rules review it turned out Michael did nothing outside the rules. Seems to me the mans just very bright and is very well versed in what he can and cant do.

As for the forcing someone else off the road. I dislike his style on starts when he's on the pole- forcing the other driver to either back off or get wrecked- but I also love it when someone like JPM does it to him. I think the whole driving style thing comes down to michael having the balls to know when to take advantage of the other guys lack of confidence in his car or driving ability. It's called intimidation and the only other guy I've seen with the same confidence is JPM. This is also a pretty common practice by all the best drivers in the world, or should i say successful. Like it or not it's part of the mental game in racing and the best drivers are always good across the board.

[oddytomtom]

schumi is just the best and people moan

and btw mclaren didnt get away with everything when they where dominating - remeber the infamous "3rd brake pedal" in 98 when they kicked so much ass
anyone remeber that ? they didnt get away with it