Michael Schumacher drives taxi in airport dash

[Grand Moff Yenchin]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... umi111.xml

By Tom Chivers and Sarah Marcus
Last Updated: 2:42am GMT 12/12/2007

It seems that you can take Michael Schumacher out of racing, but you can't take racing out of Michael Schumacher.

The seven-time Formula One world champion took over from his taxi driver in order to make it to the airport in time for a flight, it has emerged.

Michael Schumacher has ruled himself out of any return to Formula One
Cabbie Tuncer Yilmaz watched in awe as the racing legend, 38, showed him how his job ought to be done.

"I found myself in the passenger seat, which was strange enough, but to have 'Schumi' behind the wheel of my cab was incredible," Mr Yilmaz told German newspaper the Muenchner Abendzeitung.

Schumacher, who lives in Switzerland, had flown in to an aerodrome near Coburg, Bavaria, on Saturday and taken a taxi to Gehuelz to pick up a new puppy.

On the 30km (19 mile) return journey, however, Schumacher felt they were short on time, and made a polite request to Mr Yilmaz that he be allowed to take over.

Unsurprisingly, and perhaps with a view to bettering himself professionally, the driver did so.

With his wife, two children and new addition to the family Ed, the Australian Shepherd pup, on board, Schumacher proceeded to put pedal to metal.

Famously, German autobahns have no blanket speed limits, so the driver was able to put the cab through its paces.

Although he was driving an Opel Vivaro, a minivan-style vehicle which has a top speed of 163km (101 miles) per hour, Schumacher managed to get the most out of it, according to the cabbie.

"He drove at full throttle around the corners and overtook in some unbelievable places," said a white-knuckled Mr Yilmaz.

The retired champion gave the taxi driver a generous 100 euro (71.76 pounds) tip on top of the 60 euro fare.

Despite helping out as a test driver at old team Ferrari, Schumacher has ruled himself out of any return to Formula One.

This is like a fucking "TAXI" movie. But instead the passenger is the kickass driver

[Edi]

Can't say as I think this is awesome at all. The fucking moron actually put the other people on the road in danger if he acted as described on the corners and overtaking, because those other people on the road are not race drivers who can react as fast if something unexpected happens. He may not have broken any laws, but that does not mean he deserves approval.

[Joviwan]

But they ARE far better trained than any american counterpart, certainly. I can cut him some slack, considering the driver's tests to get you ON the autobahn are so much harder than the ones here in the states, and also considering he was driving on, you know, the autobahn, where that kind of thing isn't particularly unheard of.

[Bounty]

If he raced on the Autobahn *only*, I don't see how he could have done any "cornering". Those things have very gentle turns as far as I know. It sounds like the cabbie is using quite a bit of hyperbole here.

[FSTargetDrone]

Can't say as I think this is awesome at all. The fucking moron actually put the other people on the road in danger if he acted as described on the corners and overtaking, because those other people on the road are not race drivers who can react as fast if something unexpected happens. He may not have broken any laws, but that does not mean he deserves approval.

I'm wondering why the cabbie agreed to let him drive in the first place, if it is anything other than some sort of emergency. That's got to violate some rule, I would think.

[Edi]

But they ARE far better trained than any american counterpart, certainly. I can cut him some slack, considering the driver's tests to get you ON the autobahn are so much harder than the ones here in the states, and also considering he was driving on, you know, the autobahn, where that kind of thing isn't particularly unheard of.

Oh, I know that and can relate, since the driver's license isn't exactly easy to get here either.

FSTargetDrone, why would it break any rules? If the cabbie is an independent entrepreneur or a member of a cab company but owns his own car, there should be no problem at all.

[FSTargetDrone]

FSTargetDrone, why would it break any rules? If the cabbie is an independent entrepreneur or a member of a cab company but owns his own car, there should be no problem at all.

I wasn't sure it did violate any rules, but it just seems strange.

[Phantasee]

For some reason, I picture Schumacher in 20 years as a bitter old cabbie, who lost his fortune and his reputation in a drunken orgy in a minibus on the Autobahn.

And then: he will save the world.

[weemadando]

Heard the cabbie interiewed on BBC. Sounds like Schumacher was driving well within the law and tolerances of the car, but was really showing what decades of precision driving practice will let you do within road rules and with a crap car.

[Thunderfire]

If he raced on the Autobahn *only*

There is no Autobahn in that area. Only the Bundesstraße 303 wich has a speedlimit of 100 km/h or less most of the time.

[Bounty]

Heard the cabbie interiewed on BBC. Sounds like Schumacher was driving well within the law and tolerances of the car, but was really showing what decades of precision driving practice will let you do within road rules and with a crap car.

That was my first impression of the incident. Only a complete tool would risk his family's life to catch a flight and while Schumacher is many things, a tool he is not.

[muse]

He's still one of the best drivers in the world so you'd think he knows how far he can safely push the limits. Overall it's a bit show-offy, but it's not something I'm going to get upset about.