Michael Schumacher

"With the car we had, getting a pole was sort of obvious."

"I think we lose and we will miss a great champion on the track. He beat all the records so he has the best numbers in Formula One but I think maybe F1 will focus more on sport after that."

"I am sure he has thought long and hard about his decision and I respect it. Ive enjoyed racing with him and I wish him all the best both for the championship and the future."

"I always said that the decision to retire would be his alone but now that decision has been taken I feel a sense of sadness. We have lived through some unforgettable times together, some good and some bad, achieving results that will be hard to equal."

"Its a brave decision to stop doing something he loves.... We sort of know how hell be remembered but over time his successes will mark an era when his dedication to winning gave the championship colour. I think hell be doubly motivated to win the championship. Hes certainly capable of winning races. I think its hard to give that up. I think hes doing the right thing for himself."

"I don’t think anyone can take Michael’s place. Michael is Michael and he always will be. To the sport he’s a legend, like other legends, like other great champions – Prost, Senna – you know, he’s in the same league and there’s no way you can replace someone. [...] For sure Michael is the one that everyone is looking up to in Germany and that won’t change for quite a long time. I think the records he has set are quite unique, so even though at the moment he gets a lot of shit, he probably knows what he’s doing. I think if you look at his face, he seems relaxed, so he knows what’s going on and I think that’s also a quality a champion has to have."

"Im Michael Schumacher. I dont need to test my driving ability"

"If the best guy in the world retires it is certainly a sad day. You can say whatever you want, he won seven world championships and he might win another one. There is nobody like him in the world, he is unique. Its sad that he retires. But I know you have to retire one day and I respect that."

"Just being a mediocre driver has never been my ambition. Thats not my style."

"Michael has been the author of a unique chapter in the history of Formula 1 and of Ferrari in particular. It has yet to reach its conclusion and what he has achieved extends over and above the results obtained. He is an exceptional man and will become a legend as a driver."

"He is incredibly professional. If you had to go for a heart operation youd want somebody who was the Schumacher of the heart surgery world to do the job, because you can rely on him.... He laughs as he considers the dominance of his old enemy. Fortunately Michael wasnt like that in 1996! The fact he is still winning makes me feel a lot better. Its not so bad to be beaten by the best driver whos ever lived. Nobody really knew that then. I was first into the arena, the first Christian thrown to the lions"

"Im looking forward to F1 without Michael and hoping that we will see some real competition again between drivers within teams as well as drivers against each other in other teams."