Rosberg expects a level playing field at Mercedes

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

I agree that he seems to be the best starter on the grid. But apart from that, I've seen nothing that would make him stand out from any of the other drivers. Were he a rookie, we'd say decent season, no real disasters, kept pretty close to his team mate and even challenged him on occasion. But nothing to make anyone take notice. Interestingly, we'd probably have said the same of Rosberg before this year.

No doubt that he'd do better in better car. So would Nico.

The fear for Schumacher this year wasn't that he would be slow, but that he would destroy the myth surrounding him. And unfortunately for him, I think he's done just that. Schumacher was the great qualifier, great team builder, always fighting, most adaptable, etc. We've seen all those myths destroyed.

That was always going to be the case. Too many things counted against Schumacher for there to be a fairytale. Saying that, I havent seen him do anything that suggests an 8th title is impossible.
Rosberg has shown he is faster in a car not capable of winning. But can he carry on in a capable car? Will Schumachers "racing brains" bode him well in these situations?

The myth of Schumacher was dispelled by Hakkinen(IMO) and possibly Alonso. He is a great and always will be. This venture will not tarnish his previous successes, it will only rile the tifosi and for that I salute him.

[ahmedvortex]

it depends on the motivation , this year the car doesn't fit Schumacher and it's slow for fighting for wins , i'm sure that Rosberg pray every night before sleeping to be faster than Schumacher in each session , he need to do that to forge a name on the fields that why any point ahead of Schumi count , Michael is here only for a title not to make stats ,i'm sure Rosberg is a fast driver but he suffer from the same problem as Heidfeld they seem very perfect and boring .
if Michael still racing , that he know with telemetric prove that he might be faster than Rosberg if all the condition are there , or he will leave .

[Pup]

I tend to agree that he'll be more motivated with a better car. Show me a driver who isn't. But I haven't forgotten the harsh criticism thrown at Kimi from all quarters for not living up to Schumi's ability to remain motivated no matter what the circumstances.

There are plenty of us who never bought into the Schumacher myth, and I've always maintained that the pedestal his fans placed him on wasn't built so much out of character or ability as it was of really fast cars. So, for the record: I told you so.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

and I've always maintained that the pedestal his fans placed him on wasn't built so much out of character or ability as it was of really fast cars.

I agree with that totally. Earlier a poster made a good point in suggesting Rosberg has a bigger carrot by beating Schumacher than Schumacher has a stick beating him by losing.(If you know what I mean )

Rosberg will have a tougher time of it next year, Im sure.

[siskue2005]

On all the drivers circuits :Monaco,SPA,Suzuka Schumacher matched or beat Rosberg.

Faint praise. Schumacher wasn't special in any of those races. He jumped Rosberg at the start in Monaco, was passed by Rosberg at Spa, and couldn't get around him at Suzuka despite having 20 less laps on his tires.

At Spa MS started 21st and Roseberg started 9th , and despite that MS was ahead of Roseberg,...which is brilliant IMHO
And Roseberg passed him coz of a backmarker blocking Schumy in the Eu rouge

At Suzuka he said if it was not his teammate he would have tried to pass him
and where in F1 have seen overtaking ?? unless you have some significant advantage!

MS was passed in great style by a Force India at Spa, was he not?

MS was passed by FI coz they were around 15 KPH faster than Merc cars all weekend
They did the same to some other cars also, i dont remember which team

[siskue2005]

and I've always maintained that the pedestal his fans placed him on wasn't built so much out of character or ability as it was of really fast cars.

please watch all the 90s and early 2000s races first, then lets see u come and say it was all coz of superior car !
MS's reputation was built in his great drivers during the 90s not from his dominant era

[Pup]

I credit Schumi with earning 4 WDC's through talent, 2 through having a car that anyone could have won in, and 1 through cheating. That still makes him a pretty darn good driver.

It's not the driver that's in question; it's the myth (which obviously some still cling to).

At Spa MS started 21st and Roseberg started 9th , and despite that MS was ahead of Roseberg,...which is brilliant IMHO
And Roseberg passed him coz of a backmarker blocking Schumy in the Eu rouge

Roseberg might have started 9th, but Rosberg started 14th, and both made up their places through the safety cars and retirements. The only reason Schumi had gotten around Rosberg in the first place was because Petrov had forced Nico off the track. Nothing brilliant about it.

At Suzuka he said if it was not his teammate he would have tried to pass him
and where in F1 have seen overtaking ?? unless you have some significant advantage!

Having your team tell Nico not to defend is what I'd call a "significant advantage", but that's me.

[marcush.]

I was no fan of schumacher ..found the guy as affected as Vettel with his finger .Schumacher the qualy king ?That was Senna ,none else.€Schumacher had to wait for his first pole till Ayrtons death.
Schumacher the ultimate driver?Frentzen had the edge on him in Group C ..so even before him reaching F1 he had to learn and accept there are quicker drivers around.
But he is a guy who is able to forge the team and team members around him .He was not blasting Marty away at bennetton ..he was a tad quicker in qualy but Brundle usually matched him in race pace or was sometimes quicker.But the longer he was in the team the more all was polarised or turned towards him cullminating in championship wins .
I think the wins at Ferrari in the first year were more due to circumstances (winning in monsoon conditions on 7 or 8 cylinders...and the falling from grace of Bennetton and Mclaren that year...

[aral]

There seems to be conflicting statements from Schumacher and Rosberg.
Schumacher claims that he did not always have the "same car" as Rosberg, whereas, Rosberg says that the tyre problem was the same for him, and that he had to deal with it. I must say, that he dealt with it far better than his more experienced teammate. The two drivers will both be starting with a clean sheet next year, so tyres will not be able to be used as an excuse.
It will be an interesting 2011 in Mercedes GP!

[marcush.]

at least schumacher can not fall far from his current status.
To me he will likely pack up if the wintertesting reveals similar trouble than this year.
What strikes me is Rosberg was all positive and talking about a winning car whereas Schumacher was from day one a bit concerned and realised a win will not be possible.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Will there be a 1/2/3 day season finale test this year?

I ask as perhaps Schumacher will be doing alot of the duties there seen as though he struggled most. Also, if there is a season finale test, will the teams be showing off this movable rear wing?

[Giblet]

Going back to read the first few pages of this thread is hilarious.

Most people that expected Schumi to wipe the floor with Nico stopped posting long ago.

[747heavy]

Will there be a 1/2/3 day season finale test this year?

I ask as perhaps Schumacher will be doing alot of the duties there seen as though he struggled most. Also, if there is a season finale test, will the teams be showing off this movable rear wing?

as far as I know, there will be a test post Abu Dhabi (at least that was the plan at one stage), to give teams the first impression on the Pirelli tires.
I doubt, that they will use the new rear wing, but I could be wrong.
I think, it is more a first "toe in the water" test for the tires. They knhow the cars where on the Bridgstones at the same place, so the teams have a comparsion of what to expect.

[PlatinumZealot]

I think Schumacher is going to get annihilated next year. Rosberg is just too fast for him. He has met his conqueror.

[Pup]

Nico Rosberg, Killer Rabbit.