A statement has been released that confirms that Schuey will retire at the end of this season but he should have a new role at Ferarri.
I don't really like the man and I have to agree with what DC has said in certain papers today that his record is tainted by the way he has won some of his titles.
Stats show him to be the best ever GP driver but not the grea-*test*-('") in my opinion.

This is from ITV-F1

It's official: Schumi to retire
Sunday, 10, September, 2006, 14:37


Michael Schumacher will bring down the curtain on his glittering Formula 1 career at the end of this season.

Ferrari confirmed the momentous news moments in a press release issued moments after Schumacher sped to a glorious victory at Monza and slashing Fernando Alonso’s world title lead.


"Michael Schumacher will retire from race driving at the end of the 2006 world championship," the statement began.


Speculation over Schumacher’s future plans has dominated the 2006 season to date.

Schumacher burst onto the F1 scene as a 22-year-old in 1991, qualifying seventh on his debut with Jordan at Spa.

His instant pace, and the awesome confidence with which he tackled F1’s most daunting circuit, immediately marked him out as a star of the future.

A year later at the same circuit, and now driving for Benetton, Schumacher scored his maiden grand prix win.

His partnership with the Enstone-based squad yielded back-to-back world championships in 1994 and 1995 despite what was generally acknowledged as a car disadvantage to Williams rival Damon Hill.

But the manner in which he won the ’94 title – unceremoniously turfing Hill off the track after making an error at the previous corner – set the tone for a career that would be dogged by controversy and question marks over his sportsmanship.

Schumacher moved to Ferrari in 1996 and brought with him the tight-knit nucleus of key figures including Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne with whom he had formed a close relationship at Benetton.

The car was initially a long way off the pace but Schumacher is credited with galvanising the Maranello team’s revival and subsequent period of dominance over the next decade.

The German’s five successive world titles from 2000 to 2004 ripped up the F1 record books; he eclipsed Juan Manuel Fangio’s long-standing mark of five titles in 2003 and set a new record of 13 wins in a single season in ’04.

By the end of that year Schumacher towered above all rivals in the pantheon of the sport in statistical terms.

But the rise of a generation of young stars – principally Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen – showed that even his seemingly immortal career would have a shelf-life.

After Raikkonen came close in 2003, Alonso finally dethroned Schumacher in ’05, an event that proved the catalyst for a maelstrom of media speculation about the date of his retirement.

The 2006 season has encapsulated the flawed nature of Schumacher’s genius.

On the one hand, he has demonstrated undiminished speed, skill and above all desire to win.

But that same all-or-nothing attitude saw him roundly condemned by F1 stars past and present after he was found to have intentionally parked his car during qualifying in Monaco to protect his pole position.

But, love him or loathe him, the statistics – and the countless stupendous drives over 16 years – -*test*-('")ify to Schumacher’s other-worldly talent for racing drivers.





Obviously the red paragraph is the main reson I have a disliking for him.

I have never liked Schumi and I'm pretty sure I never ever will. He's got that same mysterious aura about him, that Ballack also has. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's something about those two that makes me wanna get on my soapbox and...



I know...it is annoying to have Ballack at Chelsea, but at least I will have some one to blame if we lose. I'll blame him even if he's not on the pitch...better yet, I'll blame him for just that.



Schumacher seems to be quite good footballer too...
























...for an F1-driver!

Good riddance to the cheat !!!!


Hell of a driver though - so he deserves some respect

what i want to know is how the hell can he aford to retire?

i mean c'mon he only earned £100 million in his career

Do we have any German members on this Forum???




This is a serious question if I get the answer I'm looking for the next question won't be serious!

statistically he'll go down in history as the BEST DRIVER EVER.


however...

Senna was far more talented

Prost was the supreme tactician and competitor


I think he's not as good as either of the above two..

fair play to him though... he's been the best over the last decade

my father is german.. acording to some people.... with a name like romais he could be from anywere tho