we are just limited by our imagination and what we think is reasonable..

 

I can't believe that he'd be prepared to spend a year in an uncompetitive car, no matter what the money. It's not like he's struggling for cash as it is, and if anything there's more money to be made by continuing to milk his association with Ferrari for as long as possible, rather than BMW.

Wasn't MS a Mercedes sports car driver?

 

I think BMW had planned to get in there before Merc tried to buy him back into the family.

Oh, and I very much believe in the "Ferrari is bigger than any driver" philosophy, and why they haven't branded any of their cars after him. I doubt they would spend the kind of money they currently do on him outside of Formula 1. They don't even advertise their cars, FFS!

 

they do the advertising by association..

in the same way Honda used Senna with the NSX.. Schumi was used for the very high end models..

I doubt Ferrari pay much of his retainer nowadays.. surely malboro/shell/vodafone and friends look after that..

 

You're right, and Voda are off to McLaren next year, not sure what Marlboro's plans are. I think they still believe that colouring the car red and white is enough to justify their crazy investment. Ferrari must be laughing all the way to the bank at being paid to paint their cars red.

 

true.. though it is a malboro red and not the ferrari red from days gone past..

I guess the cig thing washes over me because I don't smoke.. can't see how it works when you never see their name??