Nico Rosberg insists that he is still being pushed to his limits by seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. The 25-year-old has been quicker than his more experienced Mercedes team-mate throughout the 2011 season so far, out-qualifying him at all four of the races. At the Turkish Grand Prix last weekend, Schumacher laboured to 12th place while fellow German Rosberg took an impressive fifth position. But Rosberg has brushed off suggestions that he is having an easy time, saying the former Ferrari driver is still a formidable opponent. When asked by German magazine Auto Motor und Sport whether rivals were losing their respect for Schumacher, Rosberg was quick to defend his team-mate. "No, not at all. He is and remains the most successful racing driver of all time. It is still very difficult to be quicker than Michael," he said. "I have to work hard in every practice session. For me, everything must fit together in order to stay ahead. "I'm happy that it has worked well so far against him. But I also know that at the next race it may be different." I am sure this will put aside the idea that he is a walkover, and that Spain may bring some surprises.
Good stuff. That's a better response than hurling abuse. I am conscious that so much criticism about Schumacher is beginning to sound as if we're brushing his consummate driving skills under the carpet and making out that he made no contribution to achieving his overwhelming statistics. I'm thinking of at some point doing a review of what I liked about Schumacher, just not yet.
It would be funny if Schumacher actually was driving as well as he did back in his day and it is just that Rosberg is driving amazingly well to make it seem that Schumacher is rubbish.
Mifune, this could well be part of the reason Rosberg is motivated to say it. Obviously it is in his interest to talk up a team mate he knows he can beat, since such a perception makes him look (even) better. Conversely, it is extremely rare for the second best driver (or under-achiever) in a team to play up the strengths of the guy who is beating him. It also shifts the focus more in Rosberg's direction; something which has been sorely lacking throughout his pairing with Schumacher. As I have said on plenty of occasions already, he is in an unenviable situation where, regardless of his efforts, he cannot really increase his stock against this particular team mate. If he loses to him, he's beaten by an old 'has-been'. If he beats him, it suggests almost anyone could beat him. Either way, Rosberg remains something of an enigma at best until he gets a new, strong team mate. ââ¬Â¦He has probably the least potential to be seen to be doing something 'special' of any current F1 driver.
Well Norbert has said that he wanted to get Nico's profile up while driving for Mercedes. This just might be him doing it...or he's really being honest
Manny - did you expect any driver paired with that man to say he is past it? There's a handsome contract involved. Get real.
Yes I completly agree. Another thing that annoys me is that even when Rosberg beats cars which are better than the Mercedes the media still focus on how rubbish Schumacher has done again, like it is a surprise anymore, and they do not mention Rosberg beating drivers in better cars, Turkey and China being good examples.
Michael Schumacher has been facing more questions from the media in Spain keen to know if he is regretting his comeback for Mercedes. Schumacher had a poetic answer in Barcelona, saying: "At the end of a storm the sun always comes out." Or Cantona's 'When the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea.' However the gulls have no sense of smell !
I remember (I think) Frentzen saying after his San Marino victory for Williams, "it is like oil on my soul." To this day I have no idea what he meant (beyond the obvious - I'm well chuffed) but I do remember Schumacher's smile so maybe he got it. Irvine just glared.
I've changed my opinion on Schumis comeback, I was all for it initially and clinging onto a hope that he would be able to compete, but it's not going to happen now and he should retire gracefully and admit that he's too old.
I've been thinking a while with this, is Mercedes "real" plan to groom Nico into top 3 driver? No pressure, teammate is struggling, equal footing with a 7xWDC, no talk of replacing schumacher, getting tons of Mercedes support. Maybe I've been looking at this all wrong....It's like he has an easier job than Alonso at the moment.
The trouble is, SilverArrow, that in his current situation, Rosberg is not doing his stock value any good for the reasons I outlined earlier. Until this situation becomes resolved, he will remain an enigma, trapped in a Catch 22 which he appears (at least to the outside world) to have little influence over.
