Schumi: Lack of testing has hurt

[lkjohnson1950]

If you didn't see Clark, Fangio, Stewart, Moss, Rindt, then you have no idea how good they were, or how good a driver can be. I think Rindt's victory at the 1970 Monaco GP may best the best piece of driving I have ever seen over a race distance. late in the race, on a track filled with marbles, he turned laps faster than his qualifying time. Lap after lap right on the edge. MS never showed me anything like that.

[Ian]

You forgot to mention Graham Hill Lonny, aside from that, in my opinion you can't compare drivers from different era's, that's why I would only say who was my favourite driver, not who I thought was the best. Different era's is different machines, levels of grip, track surface, etc etc, the list is endless.

[Jericoke]

If you didn't see Clark, Fangio, Stewart, Moss, Rindt, then you have no idea how good they were, or how good a driver can be. I think Rindt's victory at the 1970 Monaco GP may best the best piece of driving I have ever seen over a race distance. late in the race, on a track filled with marbles, he turned laps faster than his qualifying time. Lap after lap right on the edge. MS never showed me anything like that.

Schumacher's Ferrari's couldn't possibly complete a race in qualifying trim.  The engines and gearboxes were made paper thin to last 20 laps and weigh nothing.  If he made his race car match his qualifying time, then his qualifying time was terrible ;-)

Schumacher put up podium finishes in races where his transmission was jammed in one gear.  He piloted a car to the pits on three wheels for repairs.  He made it look like he was driving on dry pavement during wet races. 

He never had to be flashy.  He just had to get the job done, and he did that like clockwork.