Currently, the Mercedes is completely ****. The car is clearly lacking downforce and apparently Rosberg's fastest time was a qualifying simulation, and Massa wasn't when he set his best. One person who went to Barcelona for a couple of days said: "The Merc is awful, it looks slow and very dificult to handle. It seems to suit Schumacher more than Rosberg." Haug even admitted that if a race was held now, Mercedes would "struggle to finish in the top ten" - which gives us a good indication of just how far they are behind Red Bull and Ferrari, but a German media report says that Mercedes made a solid step forward last week and is "the leader in terms of top speed". Haug, admitting that a straightline advantage is "important" in light of the close combat expected in 2011, is also sounding more positive than earlier.
I'm giving in to the fact, they are talking out of their arses, an will have something else to show in Australia.
Yeah the pre-season is all mind games, and there are a few who are good at that in the sport. We should let their cars do the talking come Australia, and not read anything into testing times and comments
Sarge, If Nico left, where would he go? No top team would want/need him. Same applies for most drivers in competitive teams.
He should have seen the signs in early 2010 when Schumacher was allowed to take the 'odd' car number off him on spurious 'superstition' grounds before the season had even started, making it clear who was the team's favourite; then, after trouncing Schumacher at the beginning of last season, they came up with an 'improved' car which interestingly suited Michael better (for a time, at least). Maybe, if he had made overtures in the right places behind the scenes back then, someone might have made a place for him for 2011. Who's to say that, for example, a deal with Red Bull couldn't have been struck, at a time when their relationship with Webber was at its most difficult? Or Renault, given Petrov's lacklustre performance for most of the season? And, as if to rub salt into the wound, even after Nico beat Schumi hands down over the whole 2010 season, scoring double his teammate's points, the team still give Schumacher the 'team leader' car number for the new season, and design the car around him. For what good it'll do them.
Don't you think Schumacher deserves these accolades, he is one of the greatest drivers to have ever lived, it would be the smallest of chances for Rosberg to be seen on the same level as him.
