Schumacher just isn't good enough - Herbert

[Mothers Worry]

Schumacher just isn't good enough - Herbert

From thef1times.com:

Schumacher just isn't good enough - Herbert

Tuesday 10th May 2011 

Michael Schumacher's former team-mate at Benetton in 1995, Johnny Herbert, believes it is time for the 42-year-old to hang up his helmet and call it a day.

Schumacher has struggled to adapt to modern Formula One, more often than not out-performed by his younger German counterpart, Nico Rosberg, who has built up a 14 point gap between the two.

Herbert is of the opinion that the seven-time champion returned to win, and that just isn't possible.

"He did not return just to run in the middle order," Herbert told The Nation newspaper. "His dream was to win again and make Mercedes race winners, but it has not turned out that way and I would be surprised if he chose to continue."

Whilst he hasn't lost any of his former skill, according to the Briton, the drivers around are 'just better' and have raised the bar in performance and talent.

"The simple fact is that he is no longer the best driver on the track," added Herbert. "Schumacher has not lost any of his skill – the new generation of young drivers are just better than him.

"It is a case that the level required to win in F1 has gone up and he is not at that standard anymore.

"In the past, Schumacher was able to be very forceful in races and his sheer presence would almost force cars to pull aside or back out of situations.

"But this is no longer happening and you are seeing this with the number of incidents he has been involved in both this year and last season as well."

Well it isn't just about being good enough. The type of car that is racing now is, in many respects, different to the ones the Shoe was racing at Ferrari.

Also, despite the fact that Rosberg has outclassed the old boy the Mercedes has not been a real winner of a car as the team's overall performance indicates. After all the hype about Mercedes coming back on the heels of Brawn Racing they have really been pretty average.

[Bumble1290]

I think Herbert sums it up nicely. Schumacher hasn't lost any of his skill, it's just the current crop of drivers are now a lot better than him. He has admitted he's not having fun at the moment. Unless something dramitic happens over the rest of the season, I can't see him wanting to hang around for another season of being a nearly ran.

[Mothers Worry]

To some extent what Brundle said during the last race commentary is correct. The Shoe was always driving from the front of the field for a lot of his career. He just hasn't had the mindset where he was mid-field and had to deal with it.

I must go back and check out the Shoe's form in his early days with Benetton before winning his first WDC and re-acquaint myself with that part of his history when he was still young and struggling.

I was talking to a Brazilian guy the other day and he was of the opinion that Schumacher's career may have been very different if Senna hadn't died.

As you say; possibly some contemporary drivers are as skilled now as good old Schumel but not all of them. For example; I'm not convinced the Russian Mafia is that hot a property............

[Ian G.]

He's certainly been struggling quoting Capt. Obvious,it was said at the time that it was a big mistake for Merc.to get involved with Brawn and a even bigger one for Shuey to make a come back.Now Merc. has to devote time & money to work out how to get out of this mess.

[Mothers Worry]

Schumacher admits all is not well at Mercedes

From thef1times.com:

Schumacher admits all is not well at Mercedes

Thursday 23rd June 2011    

Michael Schumacher has admitted that 2011 is shaping-up how the Mercedes team had hoped after an impressive winter testing period.

Mercedes GP, who bought out one-hit wonders, Brawn GP at the end of 2009, were up-beat over their chances this season after a strong testing period, however after 7 races, the German-based squad have yet to be on the podium with either of their drivers.

"Overall, it's clear that the season up to now has gone worse than all of us had hoped," Schumacher told Autosprint magazine.

Schumacher believes that the lack of pace is down to having to work on too many "work in progress" areas on the car at one time.

"We have several areas of work in progress," Schumacher said when he was asked what had gone wrong. "As long as we worry about solving those, the development suffers."

When asked what he, and the team, are drawing from all of this, the 7-time world champion said, "The positive thing about it is that this time we are able to take all these experiences and this knowledge towards next year."

"All our attention is focused on building the team. That's what we focus on at the moment, with no exception nor limitation."

[Mothers Worry]

Schumacher: My mindset isn't right for Mercedes

From thef1times.com:

Schumacher: My mindset isn't right for Mercedes

Friday 05th August 2011    

Michael Schumacher looks to be casting some doubt over whether or not he will activate his one-year option on his three-year deal to return to Formula 1 with Mercedes.

The 42-year-old admitted that his current mindset isn't right for Mercedes, a team which requires constant development to enable them to compete at the front of the grid.

"I arrived at Mercedes with a specific task: not winning at all costs but to grow this team," he is quoted as saying by Corriere Dello Sport. "We are working very hard, the car is in its second year and still has many areas of uncertainty, but it will grow.

"If anything, I am the problem - it is a fact that I am a bit more relaxed than I was before. I have experience, I can estimate when it is necessary to concentrate. But I do not know if my mindset is right for the team."

He added that he will soon make a decision on whether to retire at the end of the current season or continue through 2012.

"Soon I will evaluate whether to continue [racing] or stop."

Meanwhile, Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn, says he and the whole team are happy with the seven-time world champion, but they wouldn't want to force him to race if he didn't feel it was the right decision.

"We called Schumacher in to our team with the task of developing the car, he has a three-year contract and we are very happy with him," said Brawn.

"But if Schumacher does not feel more at ease, then we need to talk. You can not force someone to do something that they do not want to do. We believe in him, he is an important part of our team.

"I am convinced that eventually we can convince him to extend his contract ," he concluded.

[bpratt]

Sort of sounds to me that they really aren't happy with MS, and that as part of a face-saving exercise, they're saying that they want him there, and that it is completely up to MS to decide his future with the team.