'Mercedes Make New Car To Fix Schumi'

[goodf1fun]

http://www.planetf1.com/news/3213/6114741/-Mercedes-Make-New-Car-To-Fix-Schumi-

The introduction of a radically-revamped Mercedes car at the forthcoming Spanish GP has been depicted as a make-or-break lifeline for Michael Schumacher in his second incarnation as a F1 driver..
The revamps include a substantial aerodynamic upgrade and a significantly longer wheelbase. The effect of this will be to provide greater front-end grip and, it is hoped, will help dial out the understeer that has so severely hindered Schumacher in the first four races of his return to the sport.
While the official line from Mercedes is that the new car is being introduced to rectify a weight distribution imbalance - "We got the weight distribution wrong. When we got to test these tyres we realised we didn't have the correct weight distribution and we went to the limit with what we could achieve with this car" team boss Ross Brawn has explained to Autosport - the revamp has inevitably been depicted as a make-or-break attempt to cure Schumacher's all-too evident struggles.
'If the new car doesn't deliver the characteristics Schumacher says he needs to be competitive, serious doubts will be raised over him seeing out his three-year contract,' reports The Sunday Times.
'Schumacher needs a car that changes direction sharply, which has so far proved elusive with the Mercedes. His attempt at creating that artificially has worsened his problems, if the observations of a former F1 technical director are accurate: "Michael always liked a car with a positive turn-in. He was at his fastest with no understeer. If a car inherently understeers then you can only get it balanced by artificially degrading the rear grip. This means less overall grip and Michael's car in Shanghai had visibly awful traction, making me suspect that he has screwed up the rear just to try and get it to turn in."'

[ShiftingGears]

Interesting, but PF1 are wrong yet again, because F1 teams make upgrades of this magnitude to make the car faster, not to tailor it to a driver being very outperformed.

[Zico]

For me it was noticable in his demeanor that they had identified what the problem was and he had accepted the situation.. in fact I think he may even have said that?

Maybe now the balance will shift in Schumis favour? If a grippy front end is ultimately faster then it will be interesting to see how Nico deals with a chassis possibly not suited to his style if he chooses to use it.

[goodf1fun]

can they have both chassis on race? i mean the long one to schumi and the old one to nico?

[ioan]

can they have both chassis on race? i mean the long one to schumi and the old one to nico?

They can, but they can not afford to develop both of them in parallel for the rest of the season.

[Mia 01]

MS didn´t came sheap.

[truefan72]

They can, but they can not afford to develop both of them in parallel for the rest of the season.

then again this is mercedes and as much as I dislike to bring it up, but they view themselves ( as do the the german media) as the "german national team" so their pride is involved, thus I am sure that Haug is getting the green light to spend what is necessary to get both drivers to the top.

I think Mercedes misjudged exactly how good that brawn gp car was going to be and though they simply needed to make minor modifications for 2010. Nevermind that honda had spent an entire fortune and more than 18 months developing that car. Until the other big 3 caught up by years end.

Everybody over there, including MSC misjudged how well that car was goign to be. And while Nico has performed admirably, in all honesty, he is still some ways behind in pace compared to Ferrari, RBR and Mclaren. Right now their on track competitor is Renault.

[Saint Devote]

The change will assist Schumi, but it is not a primary reason. It may be the one offered into the public domain, but also evident is that the current W01 is not competitive with the Red Bull, Mclaren or Ferrari on slower corners.

The downforce in such a corner is why Alonso got so excited at Jerez. Hence a driver as skilled as Schumi and being so much more sensitive to a car's handling than Rosberg will compensate - to his disadvantage.

Also, Rosberg with a new direction chassis will also benefit because his style too centers more around oversteer.

These days we have to bear in mind, what was previously done privately in testing by teams, is now carried on in public, on Fridays.

With a Schumi probably had there been testing allowed, this problem would have been sorted in the first few weeks before the season even began.

Frank Williams said when Schumi joined Ferrari that if he got the car sorted, everyone else may as well go to church on Sundays. That still holds true.

The job these days because of the silly testing ban is more difficult, but Schumi will find his "firing solution" - anyone watching him fight Hamilton in Shanghai, will agree.

[Dzeidzei]

Frank Williams said when Schumi joined Ferrari that if he got the car sorted, everyone else may as well go to church on Sundays. That still holds true.


Nopes it doesnt and youll see that. The question is: if this doesnt make Schumi faster than Nico are all the MS fans ready to admit that Nicos simply faster? Or that the MS era is over?

(btw, he is and it is)

[ioan]

Nopes it doesnt and youll see that.

You meant to say: 'I say no, but I can not support my views so I hope that I might get lucky later!' ?!

[ioan]

Right now their on track competitor is Renault.

True that.

[i_max2k2]

Nopes it doesnt and youll see that. The question is: if this doesnt make Schumi faster than Nico are all the MS fans ready to admit that Nicos simply faster? Or that the MS era is over?

(btw, he is and it is)

I don't agree, schumi was himself again, in those 2 laps, hamilton was much faster than schumi, and he still held him very cleanly, something we saw in 2006 European gp, that time Alonso couldn't overtake him for almost the entire race.

[Dzeidzei]

You meant to say: 'I say no, but I can not support my views so I hope that I might get lucky later!' ?!

Are you asking proof for opinions now?

How about the question then? What if Schumi fails to deliver even now?

[Mia 01]

Are you asking proof for opinions now?

How about the question then? What if Schumi fails to deliver even now?

Indeed. The Pf1 rumour is that he then is out.

[Saint Devote]

Nopes it doesnt and youll see that. The question is: if this doesnt make Schumi faster than Nico are all the MS fans ready to admit that Nicos simply faster? Or that the MS era is over?

(btw, he is and it is)

The Schumacher era ended back in 2006 with control tyres and now the new rules from 2009 onwards. He is having to learn this new situation.

As he discovered with the wet tyres at Sepang - he said that during the stint he found he had to drive differently compared to what he was used to.

And despite everything he still held Hamilton at bay in a remarkable way until he was finally passed.

So just as anyone else, without testing and having to find his firing solution, lets not rush him and give him time to figure this one out.

There will never be a need to shove Schumacher - he will leave on his own accord if it is not working and it will never be a disgrace.

Is Rosberg quicker than Schumacher? So far yes. But the season is still young and it is not the quicker driver that wins a race neccessarily, it is the cleverer.

[ioan]

Are you asking proof for opinions now?

I am asking for proof for a statement cause you didn't say it was an opinion anywhere, you just stated it in a very cocky way.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I think this new car wont change much. I think you cannot be away from the sport in your late 30's, come back at the age of 40 and be competitive again...

I Don't care WHO you are....it isn't happening.

[Firstgear]

As he discovered with the wet tyres at Sepang - he said that during the stint he found he had to drive differently compared to what he was used to.

Indeed, seemed like driving without TC for the first time was quite a challenge for him - one he wasn't up for.

[i_max2k2]

Indeed, seemed like driving without TC for the first time was quite a challenge for him - one he wasn't up for.


I don't think he is driving without tc for the first time, wasn't tc not there when he came to the sport? I guess its more of adapting to the new cars then anything else.

[truefan72]

I don't think he is driving without tc for the first time, wasn't tc not there when he came to the sport? I guess its more of adapting to the new cars then anything else.

actually I think he drove with tc for most of his career.

but this was the 3rd wet/tricky race and then there was all that wet weather testing in the winter, so I doubt that is the only reason. To me it comes down to getting re accustomed to the rigors of f1 racing an adjusting his attitude to one that now understands that the car is not the best, the team is not all about him and the competition all view him as the driver that they want to prove something to. For most on the gird, driving against MSC is like the opportunity to play against Jordan. You hustle a bit harder, you try a bit harder, you now have an opportunity to outshine a legend. Add to that the media coverage and his own personal slow/unlucky start to the season and you get these ridiculous threads about who should replace him after 4 races.

Its fairly early in the season and TBH its going about how I expect. Nico dominating early, MSC getting his feet wet and by the end of the year he will be up there. Perhaps not the world beater but probably a race winner.

[F1boat]

Or that the MS era is over?

(btw, he is and it is)

Well, hear I will answer. If with the improvements Michael is not able to keep up with average driver like Barbie ;) , I will say that he is well over past his prime and it will be best to retire.

[F1boat]

But the season is still young and it is not the quicker driver that wins a race neccessarily, it is the cleverer.

Although I have to say that Nico is quite smart, collecting points and gaining from the mistakes of his rivals.

[Dzeidzei]

I am asking for proof for a statement cause you didn't say it was an opinion anywhere, you just stated it in a very cocky way.

My dear Romanian friend, I think we need a lesson on logic and reason here.

I was talking about something in the FUTURE (ie. MS not getting faster than Nico even when the car is been made for him). I thought everyone realised that you cannot state a fact about something that hasnt yet occurred. I thought even you might understand this.

My mistake and I apologise. So heres the new formulation: I dont think MS will get faster than Nico with the new car thats been made to suit his driving style more. I cannot know this for a fact since its something that will happen in Barcelona.

And the question: if MS fails to deliver will you admit Nico is faster?

[Dzeidzei]

Well, hear I will answer. If with the improvements Michael is not able to keep up with average driver like Barbie ;) , I will say that he is well over past his prime and it will be best to retire.

Is Barbie Nico?

[F1boat]

Is Barbie Nico?

Yes, ioan invented the nickname, I think that the drivers call him "Britney" ;)

[SGWilko]

The Schumacher era ended back in 2006 with control tyres and now the new rules from 2009 onwards. He is having to learn this new situation.

As he discovered with the wet tyres at Sepang - he said that during the stint he found he had to drive differently compared to what he was used to.

And despite everything he still held Hamilton at bay in a remarkable way until he was finally passed.

So just as anyone else, without testing and having to find his firing solution, lets not rush him and give him time to figure this one out.

There will never be a need to shove Schumacher - he will leave on his own accord if it is not working and it will never be a disgrace.

Is Rosberg quicker than Schumacher? So far yes. But the season is still young and it is not the quicker driver that wins a race neccessarily, it is the cleverer.

Hhhmmmm, but Schumacher IS THE GUY that is God, and can drive a dog of a car blah blah blah.....

Actually, now he is not driving a cotton wool cocooned team geared solely around him, we get to see the real MS. If he was THAT good, he would match Nico....

[SGWilko]

Is Barbie Nico?

Variation on a theme. When the two were at Williams, Webber's moniker for Nico was Britney.

I think what Ioan is suggesting is that Barbie is FAR brainier than the real Britney, and prefers that Moniker for Nico!!! ;)

[ShiftingGears]

Hhhmmmm, but Schumacher IS THE GUY that is God, and can drive a dog of a car blah blah blah.....

Actually, now he is not driving a cotton wool cocooned team geared solely around him, we get to see the real MS. If he was THAT good, he would match Nico....



Michael Schumacher is 41 years old and has been out of the sport for three years - give it a break, please.

[SGWilko]

Michael Schumacher is 41 years old and has been out of the sport for three years - give it a break, please.

Don't suppose it was the money he came back for do ya?

I imagine he's taken a hit in the credit crunch......

[ShiftingGears]

Don't suppose it was the money he came back for do ya?

No. He does not strike me as someone who drives merely to pick up paychecks.

[Retro Formula 1]

Michael Schumacher is 41 years old and has been out of the sport for three years - give it a break, please.

Perhaps a bit of reality rather than a break.

MS is a superb driver and how he is now compared to how he was when he retired is subject to opinion.

The people that disrespect his achievements have no respect for the sport. It is possible to question some of his tactics, his preferential treatment and some of the alleged unfair advantages he experienced but the man was one of the greats.

To temper the above statement, we also need to recognise that MS is a superb driver. Not some sort of God that can walk on water or that can make a car go 1 sec faster than anyone else. All the hype about "put Schumy in that car and he'd win the championship" crap is just for the silly fanzine type of supporters.

Yep, a bit of reality and perspective.

[Big Ben]

So NR's number and garage didn't do the job... maybe he sould ask for NR's car.

[Dzeidzei]

Yes, ioan invented the nickname, I think that the drivers call him "Britney" ;)

Okay, that is funny. Just think about that... being pretty AND kicking the sheit out of 7 time wdc. MS must feel he´s having his ass kicked double hard. :)

[Koz]

"but he drove without traction control in his early career"

I thought Benetton had illegal traction control in their cars? :)

[ShiftingGears]

(ie. MS not getting faster than Nico even when the car is been made for him).

There's no evidence of the car being made for him.

[Dzeidzei]

There's no evidence of the car being made for him.

Well, they almost fooled me to think so:

Mercedes changing 2010 car to suit Schumacher
By Motorsport.com/GMM

Mercedes is modifying its 2010 car to better suit Michael Schumacher's driving style.

While the seven time world champion has struggled with the W01 on his return to the sport, teammate Nico Rosberg is second in the world championship after finishing on the podium at the recent Chinese Grand Prix.

But team boss Ross Brawn is worried about the car's basic characteristics.

"New regulations have made the front tyres narrower, which means you need to generate more downforce at the front than before," he is quoted as saying by The Times.

"Michael needs to be able to lean heavily on the front of the car to make his driving style work," Brawn added.

The front of the car has therefore been the focus of Mercedes' big upgrade for Barcelona, featuring a longer wheelbase.

"We've got a modification of the car coming for Barcelona which puts us into a better range for the weight distribution we can achieve," Brawn confirmed.

But Niki Lauda thinks it should be up to Schumacher to adapt to the car.

"He must change his driving style as quickly as possible," the former triple world champion is quoted as saying by Blick newspaper.

"The new Formula One with the much narrower front tyres obviously surprised him, while Rosberg has had no problems and is doing a sensational job," added Lauda.

Schumacher's former title rival Mika Hakkinen is backing the 41-year-old to bounce back and even win a race in 2010, but he also concedes the sport's famously fickle lack of patience.

"F1 will not give him any time," he told Bild am Sonntag newspaper. "It knows no mercy and allows you no excuses."

[SGWilko]

I thought Benetton had illegal traction control in their cars? :)

Oh perlease, don't wake Tamb up, for gawds sake..............

[SGWilko]

That was rumoured in 1994 but was not proven at the time. Senna famously sat on the chicane at one race listening for the traction control on Schumi's car. A Benetton B194 came up for sale on ebay last year and had traction control listed on its spec ironically. Someone either paid an awful lot of money to have it incorporated into the car, or that little gem became apparent years later when nothing could be done about it.

Anyway thats irelevant really, but Michael still drove for the majority of his career with the asistance of TC and his style developed as a result. :)

Yes, option 13 - go faster stripe - is apparently a hidden 'easter egg' in the car's electronics.

[Sleeper]

The W01 suffers too much understeer, everybody can see this. Nico has dealt with it better so far, probably because he has a lot more experience on Bridgestone slick tyres and is very much race fit. Ross Brawn has admitted they got the weight distribution (its on the ITV-F1 website if anyone wants proof) so they are changing this by making a longer wheelbase version of the car. This is not taylering to suit one driver over another, but a development to fix an inherent problem with the design. If it works as well as the team hopes, the result is that both drivers should end up doing better.

[ShiftingGears]

"Michael needs to be able to lean heavily on the front of the car to make his driving style work," Brawn added.


The only suggestion in that article that the car was redesigned because of Schumacher comes came from that one statement, which was Brawn pointing out the obvious.

The primary objective is introducing a car to make it on par with the frontrunners, not to cater to a driver who has a fifth of the points that his teammate has. But if it works for the slower driver - added bonus.

Brawn isn't stupid. The car is being updated so that it is faster. If it suits Schumacher more than the old car, added bonus.

[CNR]

Ross Brawn has admitted that Mercedes Grand Prix's early-season difficulties in F1 2010 are down to a fundamental weight distribution design issue - albeit one that the Englishman hopes will soon be rectified
http://www.crash.net/f1/News/159120/1/brawn_admits_mercedes_got_weight_distribution_wron g.html


Ross Brawn has admitted that Mercedes Grand Prix's early-season difficulties in maintaining the pace right at the front of the field in F1 2010 are largely due to a fundamental design error in the W01's weight distribution – an area the Englishman hopes will be improved for the forthcoming Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

Understeer has plagued the reigning double world champions' efforts thus far this season, affecting returning legend Michael Schumacher in particular. The fault for that has now been pinned on the failure to achieve a perfect weight distribution on the team's short-wheelbase challenger in the light of the narrower front tyres in 2010, a situation that Brawn hopes will be rectified by way of a significant upgrade package set to be introduced for the beginning of the European leg of the campaign around the Circuit de Catalunya next weekend.

“The problem actually is not the wheelbase per se,” he told ITV (http://www.motorsportforums.com/motorsports/in_depth/106/itv.html)-F1. “The problem was that we got the weight distribution wrong. When we got to start trying these tyres we realised we didn't have the correct weight distribution. We immediately went to the limit of what we could achieve with the car.

[F1boat]

Okay, that is funny. Just think about that... being pretty AND kicking the sheit out of 7 time wdc. MS must feel he´s having his ass kicked double hard. :)

Honestly, I don't think so. Michael is obviously unhappy with his results, but I doubt that he has any hard feelings for Nico. He might be even happy for him, it sounds so from the interviews, and in the dying moments of his old career he was also genuinely happy for Massa. At the podium of Turkish GP at 2006, when Michael finished behind Fernando and the race winner Felipe, our commentators were surprised about how cheerful Michael looked.
So while I am sure that Michael does not like being beaten by a teammate, I don't think that he has any ill feelings for Rosberg, he is likely more puzzled about the lack of speed he suffers.
And about Nico, well, to be handsome and to perform well in Formula One, it must feel OK ;) Although I am sure that Nico will not be really happy until he wins that elusive first win...

[ioan]

I think this new car wont change much. I think you cannot be away from the sport in your late 30's, come back at the age of 40 and be competitive again...

He is competitive, so I don't see your point.

[ioan]

My dear Romanian friend...

My dear friend, what need to bring nationality in this conversation?
Sorry, I won't lower myself to the level where forum member's nationality is invoked.

[ioan]

Interesting bits from Brawn:



"It's not a new chassis per se, it's a chassis we used in testing," Brawn was quoted as saying by Reuters on Monday.

"The one he had got damaged during the first few races and we repaired it as best we could at the races. But now we are back at base we are going to re-introduce the test chassis and he will be using that in Barcelona."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/83149

[Dzeidzei]

My dear friend, what need to bring nationality in this conversation?
Sorry, I won't lower myself to the level where forum member's nationality is invoked.

My dear Romanian friend, my post was not about your nationality. I was trying to be polite and only pointed to you being illogical. Which of course you ducked. In this day and age its good to know we can count on something, like our Romanian friend.

[Zico]

My dear friend, what need to bring nationality in this conversation?
Sorry, I won't lower myself to the level where forum member's nationality is invoked.

You display your national flag next to your name Ioan, you should be proud of your nationality and not take offence if someone mentions it.. I wouldn't.

Am I alone in not being able to understand why it could be taken as an insult? :/

[ioan]

You display your national flag next to your name Ioan, you should be proud of your nationality and not take offence if someone mentions it.. I wouldn't.

Am I alone in not being able to understand why it could be taken as an insult? :/

I am not offended by my nationality or such otherwise I wouldn't use the flag under my name.
I just wonder why someone needs to involve one's nationality, for whatever obscure reason, when he can use my name?!

[henners88]

I am not offended by my nationality or such otherwise I wouldn't use the flag under my name.
I just wonder why someone needs to involve one's nationality, for whatever obscure reason, when he can use my name?!
Its quite a common used term of endearment if someone knows where you are from. I don't think any offence was intended in this instance and it was simply a phrase which has been taken out of context. If he had used your name directly, there is every chance you would have thought he was being condescending. :)

[Mark in Oshawa]

He is competitive, so I don't see your point.
He isn't competitive with the front of the grid. HE hasn't threatened to even take the lead. Sorry, He isn't in his prime no more. That isn't an insult, he is human, and he took 3 years off. Sorry, the track record of drivers coming out of retirement and starting again in their 40's isn't good.....no matter what the series. This is F1 in the modern era. Most guys are washed up in their 30's. Michael is a terrific driver and a great driver in his day, but now he is fighting to hang onto the top 10...

[i_max2k2]

He isn't competitive with the front of the grid. HE hasn't threatened to even take the lead. Sorry, He isn't in his prime no more. That isn't an insult, he is human, and he took 3 years off. Sorry, the track record of drivers coming out of retirement and starting again in their 40's isn't good.....no matter what the series. This is F1 in the modern era. Most guys are washed up in their 30's. Michael is a terrific driver and a great driver in his day, but now he is fighting to hang onto the top 10...

This is exactly what I would say If I just saw the results, nothing else, however someone coming out of retirement after 3 yrs, its a decent time, couple that with the enormous difference in the cars, when Fisichella merely changed his team he became so noncompetitive with a slight different car, based on same specs. do u think he suddenly lost all his talent in between weeks? or suddenly became older, You have to understand the context, before judging someone so quickly, I'd still say quickly cause its 4 races, it seems the car is not to his liking.

And he was competitive in the first race, If its true that this car was damaged after Melbourne, and they could only fix it as much, they also tried making the car artificially do oversteer, which terribly failed in China, in Bahrain it seems when most teams had least coming out of the car, most drivers had the car least tuned to the drivers, he was very much maximizing the car, I don't see it as a failure, he has been unlucky, couple times, and that could happen. So the best way to judge him would be say 10 races down, when everything has been fixed.

[truefan72]

He isn't competitive with the front of the grid. HE hasn't threatened to even take the lead. Sorry, He isn't in his prime no more. That isn't an insult, he is human, and he took 3 years off. Sorry, the track record of drivers coming out of retirement and starting again in their 40's isn't good.....no matter what the series. This is F1 in the modern era. Most guys are washed up in their 30's. Michael is a terrific driver and a great driver in his day, but now he is fighting to hang onto the top 10...

actually he is competitive at the front. His race lap times (except china) are just as competitive and his FP and qualy form suggest that he is constantly in the top 8. So I'd say his pace is there. Is it the Vettel/Hamilton/Alonso pace ? probably not, but it is right there with the other top guys.

Far from being washed up in my book. as to the age thing, it is simply a number as many drivers have proven. Most recently Rubens who had a realistic shout at the WDC last year.

I wonder when fighting to be in the top 10 is considered to be a bad thing.
This year we have 6 teams with cars that on any given sunday could and should be in the top 10.

Jeez, I can't believe I am defending MSC so hard. What a topsy turvy world :)

[truefan72]

So the best way to judge him would be say 10 races down, when everything has been fixed.

thats my view. I'd wait until the end of the season to pass judgment. It would be a different case if he were languishing in the bottom, producing the kind of drives we saw from the 2 ferrari replacements in 2009.

[ioan]

Jeez, I can't believe I am defending MSC so hard. What a topsy turvy world :)

:D

[Mark in Oshawa]

thats my view. I'd wait until the end of the season to pass judgment. It would be a different case if he were languishing in the bottom, producing the kind of drives we saw from the 2 ferrari replacements in 2009.


Now see, I didn't say he was washed up. He just isn't a race winner potentially at every track. For any other driver, this would be a great start, but this is Michael Schumacher. He was far and away the best driver in his time in the sport, maybe one of the greatest 2 or 3 of all time. Win's wise, it is no doubt that he is. However...this is 3 years on, and while the Mercedes isn't the best car, it is pretty good. Nico put it on the podium at China. So Michael is now a mortal with the rest of them....and there isn't any shame in that. I just know that if anyone thinks he is likely to rip off 4 or 5 wins this year, they are dreaming...

[CNR]

what if this year's car is more like the setup that nico has had for the past 4 years at williams

[Ari]

...maybe if they'd given him a car to suit his driving style in the first place?

[Saint Devote]

Lets just wait and see. Schumi is not a mystical magical entity.

He has to use logic and reason to assess and adapt accordingly in an era where no testing is allowed, the control tyres are the devils own work and looking at how others have performed entering the sport cold turkey, he has not performed badly at all.

The expectations were too high and remain so.

In China I caught glimpses of the Schumacher expected by so many. He IS dialing himself in.

Anyone knowing Schumacher will know that there is nobody harder on himself or more self-critical than the great German driver. If he arrives at the conclusion it is not possible, then he will be the first to say so.

Making up the numbers is not the Schumi way at all.

[Saint Devote]

...maybe if they'd given him a car to suit his driving style in the first place?

That is not possible - a team cannot design special cars for a particular driver.

The car is designed to be neutral - under power the wheels face forward - and from there the driver dials it in accordingly.

The Brawn-Illien is a shorter wheelbase car and they have discovered that it is at a disadvantage compared to the longer ones like the Mclaren - I would think that Rosberg is going to race a new chassis too if or when the wheelbase is lengthened.

It is MAYBE there is a problem with chassis W01-03 which Schumi has been racing since Sakhir. Schumacher is a an overtly sensitive driver to changes. Button "suffers" from this too.

So the team have to find a chassis that Schumi can work with and changing the chassis is a significant act in that direction.

Anyway, it was also pitwork and incident. He was hit by Alonso's rear wheel which deranged his car's nose and Schumi's pitstop in Melbourne was a disaster because three wheels had been changed when the the left-front crew had barely taken off the tyre warmers. This dropped him back and he left the pits AFTER everyone.

Catalunya is the start of sub-season 2.

[Roamy]

I think this new car wont change much. I think you cannot be away from the sport in your late 30's, come back at the age of 40 and be competitive again...

I Don't care WHO you are....it isn't happening.

tell that to fangio

[Roamy]

That is not possible - a team cannot design special cars for a particular driver.

The car is designed to be neutral - under power the wheels face forward - and from there the driver dials it in accordingly.

The Brawn-Illien is a shorter wheelbase car and they have discovered that it is at a disadvantage compared to the longer ones like the Mclaren - I would think that Rosberg is going to race a new chassis too if or when the wheelbase is lengthened.

It is MAYBE there is a problem with chassis W01-03 which Schumi has been racing since Sakhir. Schumacher is a an overtly sensitive driver to changes. Button "suffers" from this too.

So the team have to find a chassis that Schumi can work with and changing the chassis is a significant act in that direction.

Anyway, it was also pitwork and incident. He was hit by Alonso's rear wheel which deranged his car's nose and Schumi's pitstop in Melbourne was a disaster because three wheels had been changed when the the left-front crew had barely taken off the tyre warmers. This dropped him back and he left the pits AFTER everyone.

Catalunya is the start of sub-season 2.

Normally your posts are a little brighter than this one. Yes they can and do design cars to accommodate driving styles. And don't worry if this trick doesn't work they will go get TAD and start putting air sensors in the cowling again.

[F1boat]

However, from what I heard, Michael and Nico do not have such differences in their driving style, so the new car will make life easier for Rosberg as well. So it's up to Michael to improve. Reading the argument there, yes, he had better results than Fisichella and Luca Badoer, who were in similar situation (in the case of Luca, the situation was worse, though), but still he is not close enough to the leading pack and he had winter testing. If he is not up to speed, to say, in Montreal, he will not come back IMO. Of course, he may improve and become a good solid driver like Heidfeld, but even that is well behind his phenomenal ability before.

[truefan72]

However, from what I heard, Michael and Nico do not have such differences in their driving style, so the new car will make life easier for Rosberg as well. So it's up to Michael to improve. Reading the argument there, yes, he had better results than Fisichella and Luca Badoer, who were in similar situation (in the case of Luca, the situation was worse, though), but still he is not close enough to the leading pack and he had winter testing. If he is not up to speed, to say, in Montreal, he will not come back IMO. Of course, he may improve and become a good solid driver like Heidfeld, but even that is well behind his phenomenal ability before.

I think you hit at the crux of the matter

Many are judging him from his performance 3-4 years ago in a dominant car with an entire team at his back along with explicit & implied team orders. This is both an excuse and a slight condemnation, but to me it is what it is. I think MSc is smart enough to adjust his outlook and finally tune out all the talk and commotion around him. If he adopts the mindset of just being a hungry driver with a point to prove then he will be back to his old form sooner than later.

[ArrowsFA1]

So the team have to find a chassis that Schumi can work with and changing the chassis is a significant act in that direction.
From what I've read the problem with the Mercedes for Schumacher is that it suffers with understeer. In simple terms the increased fuel weight, and narrower front tyres, have combined to produce a condition that he hates.

I remember Alesi and Berger finding the Benetton they inherited in 1996 to be very difficult to drive, and many of Schumacher's team-mates have found the same. He drives the car on the nose, and deals with the oversteer. He can't do that with the Mercedes.

Whether the revised Mercedes will solve this problem, and whether Rosberg will suffer as a result, will be interesting to see.

[ioan]

I remember Alesi and Berger finding the Benetton they inherited in 1996 to be very difficult to drive, and many of Schumacher's team-mates have found the same. He drives the car on the nose, and deals with the oversteer. He can't do that with the Mercedes.

While at the same time MS found the 1995 Ferrari to be an impressive race car, strange isn't it?!

[Mia 01]

No matter what car the drivers in a team drives, the fastest (or best) will come out on top.

We will see.