Is MS comeback bad for older drivers?

[mike]

I think F1 has certainly changed a lot, back than Michael Schumacher can do whatever he wants to the car and test it whenever he wants. Now its teams make parts and you go out and drive, you cant even have the weight distribution that you desired or the "special tyres" you wanted.

I believe that so much of his success was down to how he manages his resources, and since today's F1 is more about handling your resources its hard for him to adapt the the situation. I think he is doing alot better compared to last year, but 1 thing still stands true is the fact that he is not out performing the car, I think that is down to driving styles, where as in the past he always had the preferences that he wanted, even if the car is low on downforce he is comfortable in the car and thats why he was able to push hard in those days.

[jamsbong]

I read somewhere that MS does not use simulator to improve the lap times because he gets dizzy. Not sure if that is just a rumor.

The lack of testing means more simulation time. All F1 drivers practice the tracks with simulated new parts for countless of hours. Thats why even when new parts are introduced per race, the drivers get used to it after a few laps.

[spadeflush]

I think Schumacher has improved a lot this year. He has scored 4 more points than he did last year whereas Rosberg has scored 53 points less. I'm sure there are many explanations for that, but here's another interesting point. Schumacher has three 5th place finishes and a 4th place (his best since his comeback) finish this season compared to Rosberg's two 5th place finishes. While i do believe that schumacher is not the same driver that he was before he retired, i think he still has the skill and determination to win, if provided with a capable car. Also, Rosberg has been the strongest teammate schumi has ever had. Fingers crossed for next year.

[yener]

To compare the 90 season and cars with the 2010 and 2011 cars is just stupid.
Those days the cars are getting more important then the driver every second of the day. Ofcourse a good driver is still important, but you cant write MS of for the fact he ruled out others with a slower car in the mid 90's and now these days he can't.

Ofcourse he lost a little bit of his strength.. but he still can drive as a beast thats for sure. If Michael had a Ferrari last season he would be even stronger then he is now. But the car is just nog good enough to say that he is not the old MS anymore.
I really hope they can build a good car for the 2012 season.

[spadeflush]

+1
beat vettel in ROC (equal machinery), that should count for something

[raymondu999]

As has been mentioned in Silly Season; RoC does bring a few good comparisons in but is utterly rubbish at other times. Kovalainen was quite dominant in 2004 before he even got into GP2...

[ahmedvortex]

I think that the performance of MS was compromised by more than one factor . ill try to rank them :
1 the car ; Michael need a very strong car in the front ( static and aero grip ) it was never the case since the comeback .

2 tires ; the grid were complaining about 2009 front tires ( too much grip at the front compared to the rear ) Michael was ready to replace Massa , and they change the front tires size for 2010 at the last moment ......

3 performance tips ; EBD and DDD , were adding stability to the rear , many drivers ( alonso , button , di resta and others ) have benefited from that to sort their problems with oversteery cars and naturally they've shined and over performed compared to their teammates. neither Schumacher or Hamilton needed a stable rear , those tips hurt their rear tires if they set their cars to the essential happy tail for them .

4 time-out ; after 3 years out of f1 with so many changes in rules ,( not anymore a reason next year lol) .

5 time-wear ; at his age he still very competitive vs a younger generation . and also you cant compare MS with the other old drivers .

[Gerhard Berger]

I think F1 has certainly changed a lot, back than Michael Schumacher can do whatever he wants to the car and test it whenever he wants. Now its teams make parts and you go out and drive, you cant even have the weight distribution that you desired or the "special tyres" you wanted.

I believe that so much of his success was down to how he manages his resources, and since today's F1 is more about handling your resources its hard for him to adapt the the situation. I think he is doing alot better compared to last year, but 1 thing still stands true is the fact that he is not out performing the car, I think that is down to driving styles, where as in the past he always had the preferences that he wanted, even if the car is low on downforce he is comfortable in the car and thats why he was able to push hard in those days.

Complete rubbish. Please go watch the 96 and 97 seasons, where the Ferrari designed by Barnard had the complete opposite of the characteristics that Schumacher preferred, yet still Schumacher was able to perform brilliantly and win multiple races.

[Raptor22]

yes but it was at least consistent in 1997.

Also the level of downforce in 1996/7 is at least 40% lower than what it is today. more downforce means theres less chance for a good driver in a poor car to make up the difference.
Schumacher is simply suffering from a lack of testing.
Last year it was all car
This year he is better with the car and tyres in race trim, but suffers in qualifying trim.

[dren]

I'm going to guess that is mainly down to set-up preferences between Rosberg and Schumacher. Although I do think Rosberg has him in qualification slightly.

[samoth]

Simply, tyres, Schumacher style is over-steering, the today car is better if you understeering. See Button versus Hamilton. The mercedes f1 slow car had the smallest wheel-base. What a failure for a 2011 f1 car!!!! Rosberg is a heck of a driver. But i hope as a longtime Schuey expert (since 1980) that he improves for a podium. but he worked unbelievable hard for better results. The age is not a factor. In Champcar they drove like Andretti or Foyt until mid-50 years. And they had power a lot in their heydays!

[Mr Alcatraz]

Alonso chirps in:

Despite two relatively challenging seasons with Mercedes GP, Michael Schumacher has nothing left to prove in F1. This is the view of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, who believes his rival will always remain ‘a champion’ to the rest of the field.

The Oviedo man says Schumacher’s less impressive results during his second stint in the sport have largely been caused by the car he has driven, rather than there being a distinct lack of personal performance on the experienced German's side.

"We know that in F1, the car is the most important part and Mercedes did not have a very good year," he told TotalRace. "But I believe that if they have a competitive car, capable of winning races, both Rosberg and Michael can be favourites. We have to respect them."

When asked to pick a driver he would like to go up against in any form of motorsport, Alonso said seven-time Champion Schumacher would be his firm choice.

"I would choose Michael Schumacher, who will always be a champion for all of us, because we respect a driver who has won seven world championships. He is a driver who has nothing more to prove and was always very fast."

Personally I don't see the down-side, especially in the arena of affecting what other older drivers should do.

[xpensive]

I think it might be bad in a serious way, when younger afficianados were not there, watching as he deliberately took Damon Hill out in the last race of 1994, neither did they behold his ever so blatant attempt to do the same to JV in 1997.

In support of manchild, the man was a cheat created by MrM, no doubt a competent driver, but still a cheat.

I think if you scroll back in the records of Mercedez-Benz "junior team" some 20 years ago, Karl Wendlinger and Heinz-Harald Frentzen were just as fast or even faster than MS, but somehow something happened in a hotel that night in the Ardennes.

Something sinister cooked up by MrE, MrM and Flavio Briatore, with Fast-Eddie making out like a bandit on the way for his Tullamore nightcap.

[jdlive]

Schumacher is still better than Rosberg will ever be, at Mercedes they know this and will make sure next year's car is built around Schumacher (more). He will be back!