Ralf's five-year F1 deal

[Shiba-Kun]

21 November 2005

Ralf's five-year F1 deal


Ralf Schumacher will keep pedalling a Toyota in formula one until the end of 2009, the German driver has revealed. Although the Cologne based team announced a three-year deal with the 30-year-old starting in 2005, 'Schu Jr' has now told a British magazine that his agreement is actually for longer than that.

He let slip the information when asked if switching to another F1 camp was on his mind. "At the moment I see no reason to think about moving," Ralf told F1 Racing. "I have a five-year contract and feel pretty lucky to be with this team -- so far it's running better than expected."

Paddock sources agree that Schumacher enjoys one of the highest annual salaries in grands prix racing, behind elder brother Michael Schumacher. Estimates put Ralf's wage bill at around the $16.5m a year mark, meaning that by 2009 he will have banked nearly $83m from Toyota.

He is presently resting at home with wife Cora and son David. "We do not get a huge break before the winter test phase begins," Schumacher, who lives in Austria, told the magazine.

[adnohrepus]

He makes a lot of money for someone who's never won an F1 race. Why do they pay him so much? Because his last name is Schumacher? That doesn't mean anything. He's a great driver but why pay him so much?

[Hotlavaaaa]

Originally Posted by adnohrepus

He makes a lot of money for someone who's never won an F1 race. Why do they pay him so much? Because his last name is Schumacher? That doesn't mean anything. He's a great driver but why pay him so much?

Learn your shit before you speak(type). Ralf has 6 wins. I don't think he deserves to be the second highest paid driver, but if someone is willing to pay him then more power to him.

[adnohrepus]

Oh yeah ok, bad post. I should have said that better. I didn't mean he's never won a race ever, I meant he's never won for Toyota. I'm not sure why I didn't say it that way though. That's what I was thinking.

[Hotlavaaaa]

Originally Posted by adnohrepus

Oh yeah ok, bad post. I should have said that better. I didn't mean he's never won a race ever, I meant he's never won for Toyota. I'm not sure why I didn't say it that way though. That's what I was thinking.

You can't really blame him for not getting a win for Toyota as their 2005 car wasn't really capable of winning races. We'll have to see how Ralf and Jarno do when and if they get a car capable of winning.