Tycoon

Bernie Ecclestone has advised veterans Ralf Schumacher and Giancarlo Fisichella to quit formula one rather than push for an uncompetitive seat at the Force India team in 2008. Silverstone based Force India, bought and renamed recently by Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya, announced on Wednesday that the beleaguered duo are set to drive at the upcoming Jerez test.

Also pushing for the vacant seat for next year are Christian Klien, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Franck Montagny, Roldan Rodriguez and Giedo van der Garde, who will all also drive at the last test of 2007 in Spain.

But Ecclestone, F1’s 77-year-old chief executive, advises Schumacher and Fisichella to now leave the sport to up and coming racers. “Both were at decent teams for some time when they should have been doing better jobs,” the Briton told the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport. “They should think about whether it is intelligent to change to small teams,” he added.

Ecclestone made it particularly clear that he does not rate Fisichella, 34, who revealed on Wednesday that he has been given “permission” by Renault to explore other options for the 2008 season. “Look at Renault,” Bernie continued. “If in 2005 and 2006 they would have had only Fisichella in the team, they would not have known that they had a car good enough to win the championship.”

Schumacher, meanwhile - and also Frenchman Montagny - know Force India owner Mallya through the Indian’s sponsorship of the Toyota team this year with his Kingfisher brand. “For any driver, driving for a young dynamic team with high ambitions is a good opportunity, but at the moment it is just one test to see how we get on working together, and whether this is possible,” the German, 32, said on Wednesday. “I think I can help the team with its development programme but we will see,” he added. (GMM)


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Centurion

I don't think Bernie needs to advice Shumi to quit. After this years fiasco I doubt that any team wants to hire him.

coolraoul

It is really an affront. He basicly says to Ralf and Fisi that they are bad drivers and that they should leave to do something else than driving a F1, how does he dare to say that? Knowing that himself should leave because he and Max are the worst that happened to F1!!?
This is a shocking statement.

bmer

Now who would advise Bernie to retire...

Bartek Sikorski

Fisi hits back at Bernie

Giancarlo Fisichella has reacted angrily to claims by Formula One ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone that his ability behind the wheel is limited at best.
Ecclestone said that the 34-year-old Italian and fellow veteran Ralf Schumacher, who are both looking for a Force India drive next year, have not performed well enough recently and have no future in the sport.
But Fisichella, a three-time Grand Prix-winner, was incensed by those claims, made to German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, and hit back at "the daddy of Formula One" immediately.
"Like a father you have talked about your children, including me," Fisichella said.
"I wanted to remind you dear Daddy, I mean dear Bernie, that I am the one who won the first grand prix in Melburne in 2005 with Renault and therefore I was the one who first discovered the R25 as a winning car."
"In the two seasons I spent alongside (Fernando) Alonso, in full agreement with the strategies of my team, I have contributed to two constructor titles, taking home the fourth place in the drivers' championship just like (Ferrari's Felipe) Massathis year.
Fisichella, who finished eighth in the championship this year, has been released by Renault and, like Schumacher, will test for Force India in Spain next week in the hope of securing a 13th season in Formula One.
Jamie O'Leary / Eurosport

Bartek Sikorski

Schumacher tells brother to quit

Michael Schumacher has advised his brother Ralf that it might be better to retire from Formula One rather than crawl around in an uncompetitive car.
Ralf, younger brother of the seven-times world champion, suggested this week that he could be about to leave the sport after an unsuccessful test with Force India in Spain.
Michael, who retired last year as Formula One's most successful driver after winning 91 grands prix, made clear he would support that decision.
"I don't know what his ambitions are, but crawling around in this car, I don't even know what it's called... He should not do that to himself," Michael Schumacher told Auto Motor und Sport magazine in Jerez, where he was testing for Ferrari last week.
"I've been saying to him for a long time that there are so many things in life you can do that are fun. He could still deliver good results but at the moment he doesn't have the right options."
Schumacher, winner of six Grands Prix with Williams from 2001 to 2003, left Toyotaat the end of the season in October and has yet to find a drive for 2008.
He said after his test on Friday: "It's possible that today was my last drive in a Formula One car."
Reuters