Schumacher shines in MotoGP test
November 15th, 2007 | by Farzad |Last week Michael Schumacher set a lap time just 5 seconds shy of the times set by top riders in MotoGP. Schumacher rode Casey Stoner’s Ducati GP7 around the Valencia track just five seconds slower than Dani Pedrosa’s fastest lap during the final race of the season.
Five seconds off the pace is an eternity in any speed sport but think about this;in 2005 Schumacher ran a MotoGP bike at Mugello and was 15 seconds off the pace. Se he’s improved. Now I’m assuming these bikes are hard to ride. For example I know how to drive a car (very well if I do say so myself) but that doesn’t mean I can jump in an F1 car and get within a decade of a race fastest lap. This guy hops on a MotoGP bike and runs within seconds of the fastest lap. It’s not like he is getting out everyday to practice. Anyway I find it pretty amazing and combine this with his recent success at testing the driver-aid less F2007 and I sure do wish he would come back to racing. Watch for yourself.
All credit to the original poster of this video clip.
Tags: motogp, schumacher, test, valencia
By NooDle on Dec 27, 2007
Well he’s probably been around Valencia more than anyone else ever, so that will have helped, but it’s still an amazing performance
I think he quit F1 just so he could do this sort of thing without everyone around him being scared that he might break a bone or something
By Desmodrew on Jan 8, 2008
There is NO WAY that during that video he is only five seconds a lap slower. His corner speeds and lean angles would probably make him at least ten seconds a lap slower. It is tough to transition from cars to motorcycles. After all, it is just driving a car. Once strapped in, drivers are just along for the ride. Sure talent and reflexes are very important, but it takes very little atheletic ability. Hell…..they could outfit an F1 car so that Stephen Hawking could drive it. Motor bikes are a lot of work to ride fast. No doubt Schumacher is fit, but his presence on a MotoGP grid will just make him a novelty, not a MotoGP racer.
By RoBbO on Feb 15, 2008
definately agreed desmodrew…u can tell just from his posture that he isnt riding the bike fast enough to be 5 seconds short of pedrosa(at least on this lap)…
he is too slow entering and exiting the corners and he hardly has any revs….but well done to him definately has no fear:)
By phil on Feb 25, 2008
i agree that this lap wasnt exactly quick, but obviously they didnt show the lap that he was just 5 secs of the pace. another thing that was a pretty stupid comment is that driving an f1 car requires very little athletic ability. is just total nonsense as they need a very high level of fitness just ask martin brundle when he tested the f1 car for itv. “drivers are just along for the ride” so your implying it takes no skill as you put it steven hawking could do it. idiot.
it doesnt seem to bad a time if you ask me seeing as he doesnt practice racing moto gp bikes much. since you guys are such pros could you go any faster. oh btw he was using steel brakes instead of carbon so that would of obviously slowed him down a bit.