Michael Schumacher Retiring from F1

[Northwoods]

Schumacher just announced in the Monza post-race press conference that after the end of this season he's retiring from F1.  7 Drivers World Championships, 90 race wins, plus most poles, fast race laps, laps led and every other stat one can think of.

Personally I think he should have stuck around for next year, especially if Ferrari does bring Kimi Raikonnen on board.  Prove to the world that he can beat a top driver in equal equipment without team orders for the other driver to play second fiddle.  But, hey, I don't make $50mil per year, so who am I tell him what to do.

Never cared that much for him, but there was no denying his skill.

[Dannyboy]

I just posted the same thing.  I hate to see him go.

That might end up being 8 championships, when all is said and done.

[Fly320s]

$50 million a year?  Damn, I never knew that F1 was that big a sport.

[Guest]

Including endorsements Shumacher is (according to one soruce, other lists put him a hair behind Tiger Woods) the highest paid athlete in the world. Another big namein motorsports celebrity Valentino Rossi (moto-GP) is high up on the list as well. Racing is a *huge* sport outside the US. It makes our oft-cried about basketball-player salaries seem downright paltry.

[Art Eatman]

I think it was in 2003 that I ran across the datum that Ferrari's budget was $220 million.  Another article said that Shoomie got a salary of around $20 million.  He then went to $30 million; I hadn't run across a number for last year or this.  

Williams' 2003 budget was $160 million.

You can run a competitive Nascar Nextel Cup car for a mere $20 million per year.  No idea what it costs to qualify at the back of the pack, but it still ain't cheap.

Art

[crt360]

I saw it.  I thought he should stick around for another year, too.  He's certainly not lacking in skill or fitness.  He might as well go ahead and run for some top political office in Italy.  His resurrection of Ferrari might be the single greatest acheivement in Italy in the last few hundred years.  I heard that they will be creating a special company position for Schumacher, but I haven't heard what it is yet.  If they keep him close to the racing, and keep Todt, Braun, and Byrne around, I can see them still being competitive with Raikkonen and Massa for a couple of years.

[Dannyboy]

If they keep him close to the racing, and keep Todt, Braun, and Byrne around, I can see them still being competitive with Raikkonen and Massa for a couple of years.

That might be the problem.  There's been a rumor that Ross is taking the next year off and with Michael gone (in the racing sense) he might not come back.  Todt says he's made his decision but we have to wait until the end of the season when they traditionally announce their organization for the next season.  I hope Michael staying on will keep the other 2 around.  I think Kimi will do well at Ferrari and Massa will be even better next year.