Schumacher Retires, POV Slot Car Race, Bikes Outsell Cars in Italy (Videos)

Seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher is retiring—again—after three uneventful seasons. The Schu retired the first time at the end of the 2006 F1 season, from Ferrari, but came back in 2010 to race with Mercedes-Benz. Since his return, his results have been unremarkable, and some insiders grumbled that he was taking a seat away from younger, more deserving drivers, while others criticized him for risking his reputation by hanging on for so long after it was evident he wasn’t going to improve is meager finishes.

While Michael Schumacher’s performance in his last three seasons hasn’t lived up to his legend, it’s instructive to see how that legend was born. Here’s a video about his unique driving style, complete with throttle and speed data, that explains why he was so much faster than his competition.

Even wonder what a slot-car race looked like from inside the slot car? Audi of Canada mounted a camera on a slot car and took it for a spin. Hang on!

Italy, home to some of the world’s most exclusive luxury-car manufacturers, is going through rough economic times. How rough, exactly? Well, in 2011, for the first time in decades, bicycles outsold cars. Caught between high fuel costs (nearly $10/gallon) and high taxes and registration fees, more Italian drivers are getting rid of their second car and oiling up those old pedal-bikes in the garage. As a consequence, 2012 might be the year we see Ferrari produce its first 10-speed transmission.