Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher will retire from Formula One at the end of the season.

The German made the announcement after winning the Italian Grand Prix to reduce title rival Fernando Alonso's lead to just two points.

 

The Ferrari star's victory was the 90th in a career in which Schumacher has broken every single F1 record.

 

He will be remembered as one of the greatest, and most controversial, drivers in the history of the sport.

 

"I have decided that I am going to retire from racing. It has been an exceptional time," the 37-year-old said.

 

"What motorsport has given me in more than 30 years has given to me, I have loved every moment of it, good and bad.

 

"It has been a tough decision to not work at this level. The day has come and I felt this is the moment."

Schumacher, who will be replaced at Ferrari by Finn Kimi Raikkonen, has dominated the sport since the death of Ayrton Senna in 1994.

 

That was the year in which Schumacher won his first world title, with Benetton-Ford, and he added a further championship with the team in 1995, this time with a Renault engine, before moving to Ferrari.

 

His ambition was to return to the top a team whose results did not live up to its image and history.

 

He ended Ferrari's 21-year title drought with his third title in 2000, and went on to win another four in a row.

 

Schumacher added: "As well as timing the decision, I thought it was fair so Felipe [Massa, his Ferrari team-mate] has a chance to decide his future.

 

"He has done a great job, he is good team-mate and he had to decide.

 

"I was pleased that my future replacement was [Raikkonen] and now would like to concentrate on these last three races and finish it in style.

 

"We have done a big step to the championship today and I look forward to that now."

 

The records Schumacher has set will probably never be broken, and he set a new standard for F1 drivers with his extreme fitness and commitment.

 

But his legacy will also be as a driver who stretched the rules to their limit and sometimes beyond in his quest for success

Controversy followed him throughout his career, and he was involved in a series of incidents that left many observers questioning his sense of fair play.

 

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said: "Now that decision has been taken, I feel a sense of sadness.

 

"We have lived through some unforgettable times together, some good, some bad, achieving results that will be hard to equal.

 

"To Michael goes the thanks of everyone in the company and the supporters of Ferrari for all the dedication he has shown to our colours, for the determination and the courage with which he has worked which has provided immense satisfaction."

 

Source: BBC Sport

 

 

I ain't really a fan of F1 as it bores me, but even people who know nothing at all about the sport know about Schumacher and him quitting is going to be a loss to sport but I suppose its better to retire off your own back than be forced to retire through other matters.

 

 

About bloody time!

Who is there to hate in F1 now? :( Then again it'll be A LOT more competitive without him and so it'll be even more exciting to watch :cheer:

Huge loss to the sport, but he earns something crazy like £90,000,000 a year :o

Getting out at the top. Great decision and while I don't like the guy, I have to admit he is the best diver in the current era.

Who is there to hate in F1 now?

 

Here's how everything stands at the moment for 2007.

 

McLaren

 

#1 - Fernando Alonso [confirmed]

#2 - Lewis Hamilton , Gary Paffett or Pedro De La Rosa

 

Test Drivers :

 

Gary Paffett ?

Lewis Hamilton ?

Pedro De La Rosa ?

 

Ferrari

 

#3 - Felipe Massa [confirmed]

#4 - Kimi Raikkonen [confirmed]

 

Test Drivers :

 

Luca Badoer

Marc Gene ?

 

 

Renault

 

#5 - Giancarlo Fisichella [confirmed]

#6 - Heikki Kovaleinen [confirmed]

 

Test Drivers :

 

Nelson Piquet Jr

Ricardo Zonta

 

Honda

 

#7 - Jenson Button [confirmed]

#8 - Rubens Barrichello [confirmed]

 

Test Drivers :

 

Anthony Davidson ?

James Rossiter ?

 

BMW-Sauber

 

#9 - Nick Heidfeld [confirmed]

#10 - Robert Kubica or Sebastian Vettel

 

Test Drivers :

 

Sebastian Vettel ?

Robert Kubica ?

 

Toyota

 

#11 - Ralf Schumacher [confirmed]

#12 - Jarno Trulli [confirmed]

 

Test Drivers :

 

Franck Montagny ?

Christian Klien ?

Olivier Panis ?

 

Red Bull

 

#14 - David Coulthard [confirmed]

#15 - Mark Webber [confirmed]

 

Test Drivers :

 

Robert Doornbos ?

Christian Klien ?

 

Williams

 

#16 - Nico Rosberg [confirmed]

#17 - Alexander Wurz [confirmed]

 

Test Drivers :

 

Timo Glock ?

Narain Karthikeyan ?

 

Scuderia Toro Rosso

 

#18 - Vitantonio Liuzzi [probable]

#19 - Scott Speed [probable]

 

Test Drivers :

 

Neel Jani ?

Christian Klien ?

 

Spyker

 

#20 - Christijan Albers ?

#21 - Tiago Monteiro or Christian Klien

 

Test Drivers :

 

Christian Klien ?

Giorgio Mondini ?

 

Super Aguri F1

 

#22 - Takuma Sato [probable]

#23 - Sakon Yamamoto or Anthony Davidson

 

Test Drivers :

 

Franck Montagny ?

Sakon Yamamoto ?

 

Out : Michael Schumacher , Jacques Villeneuve , Christian Klien , Juan Pablo Montoya

I'm sure it'll be a good final 3 rounds with the champsionship for 1st & 3rd this close.

 

Championship Standings (Upto Italy)

 

Drivers

 

1. Fernando Alonso - Renault (1) - 6 Wins - 108

2. Michael Schumacher - Ferrari (5) - 6 Wins - 106

3. Felipe Massa - Ferrari (6) - 1 Win - 62

4. Giancarlo Fisichella - Renault (2) - 1 Win - 57

5. Kimi Raikkonen - McLaren Mercedes (3) - 57

6. Jenson Button - Honda (12) - 1 Win - 40

7. Juan Pablo Montoya - McLaren Mercedes (4) - 26

8. Rubens Barrichello - Honda (11) - 25

9. Nick Heidfeld - BMW Sauber (16) - 20

10. Ralf Schumacher - Toyota (7) - 18

11. Pedro De La Rosa - McLaren Mercedes (4) - 14

12. David Coulthard - Red Bull Ferrari (14) - 14

13. Jarno Trulli - Toyota (8) - 12

14. Jacques Villeneuve - BMW Sauber (17) - 7

15. Robert Kubica - BMW Sauber (17) - 6

16. Mark Webber - Williams Cosworth (9) - 6

17. Nico Rosberg - Williams Cosworth (10) - 4

18. Christian Klien - Red Bull Ferrari (15) - 2

19. Vitantonio Liuzzi - Scuderia Toro Rosso Cosworth (20) - 1

 

Constructers

 

1. Ferrari - 7 Wins - 168

2. Renault - 7 Wins - 165

3. McLaren Mercedes - 97

4. Honda - 1 Win - 65

5. BMW Sauber - 33

6. Toyota - 30

7. Red Bull Ferrari - 16

8. Williams Cosworth - 10

9. Scuderia Toro Rosso Cosworth - 1

But none of them are cheats :(

I might start to hate Alonso and Briatore if they don't stop moaning/ FFS the rules are fair. In Monaco, was Schumi punished? Oh, yes and it was a lot more harsh than his on saturday! :rolleyes:

But none of them are cheats :(

 

Renault technically are.

And Alonso is just a bit too whiney for my liking.

i have never liked michael schumacher