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Schumacher does not regret return
Source: Agencies |
May 8, 2010, Saturday
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MICHAEL Schumacher has no regrets over his decision to return to Formula One, although the seven-time champion is pleading for patience as he continues to come to grips with his Mercedes car after a three-year absence from the sport.
Schumacher sits a disappointing 10th in the standings -- 50 points behind leader Jenson Button -- but is "absolutely confident" his stock will rebound, starting with the Spanish Grand Prix.
"I'm on the right path," Schumacher said on Thursday as he looks to recover from a 10th-place finish in Shanghai. "Things will improve. Naturally the joy is bigger when you win races. In China I was very disappointed, I was very angry at myself. But things will be different."
Schumacher, a six-time winner in Barcelona, said it is wrong to judge him on his past results because of the many changes in F1.
"I'm coming to a completely new structure, and to restart where I had finished with Ferrari is a process," the 41-year-old German said. "The only perception I can have (now) is what is the experience of the past. I know where we can improve and where we will improve and with time that will be obvious."
Former Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa said he would bet on Schumacher, too.
"In this sport we forget quickly what someone's done in the past. So we have to respect what he did," the Brazilian driver said. "He's achieved what all of drivers dream of achieving. We have to give him time."
Still, some drivers were not quite sure what to make of the all-time great's form so far.
"Somehow I think we are all surprised that he is struggling. But it shows he's a human being," Renault driver Robert Kubica said.
"Everyone was expecting Michael to be right there from the start. It hasn't been the case right at the beginning, but it's not so easy."
Meanwhile, Mercedes' major upgrades appeared to give Schumacher a boost as the German finished third ahead of local favorite Fernando Alonso of Ferrari during yesterday's second practice at the Circuit de Catalunya.
Sebastian Vettel led a Red Bull 1-2 as the Austrian team carried its dominant early season form into Europe.
Vettel set a fastest lap time of 1 minute, 19.965 seconds to edge teammate Mark Webber by just over two-tenths of a second. Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top-five after having led a McLaren 1-2 in the morning session.
Overall F1 leader Jenson Button, who has 60 points, was ninth-fastest with a lap of 1:21.364 in his McLaren, which is among the pack of front-runners that all arrived with aerodynamic upgrades.
Schumacher's teammate Nico Rosberg was seventh behind Kubica.
Schumacher sits a disappointing 10th in the standings -- 50 points behind leader Jenson Button -- but is "absolutely confident" his stock will rebound, starting with the Spanish Grand Prix.
"I'm on the right path," Schumacher said on Thursday as he looks to recover from a 10th-place finish in Shanghai. "Things will improve. Naturally the joy is bigger when you win races. In China I was very disappointed, I was very angry at myself. But things will be different."
Schumacher, a six-time winner in Barcelona, said it is wrong to judge him on his past results because of the many changes in F1.
"I'm coming to a completely new structure, and to restart where I had finished with Ferrari is a process," the 41-year-old German said. "The only perception I can have (now) is what is the experience of the past. I know where we can improve and where we will improve and with time that will be obvious."
Former Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa said he would bet on Schumacher, too.
"In this sport we forget quickly what someone's done in the past. So we have to respect what he did," the Brazilian driver said. "He's achieved what all of drivers dream of achieving. We have to give him time."
Still, some drivers were not quite sure what to make of the all-time great's form so far.
"Somehow I think we are all surprised that he is struggling. But it shows he's a human being," Renault driver Robert Kubica said.
"Everyone was expecting Michael to be right there from the start. It hasn't been the case right at the beginning, but it's not so easy."
Meanwhile, Mercedes' major upgrades appeared to give Schumacher a boost as the German finished third ahead of local favorite Fernando Alonso of Ferrari during yesterday's second practice at the Circuit de Catalunya.
Sebastian Vettel led a Red Bull 1-2 as the Austrian team carried its dominant early season form into Europe.
Vettel set a fastest lap time of 1 minute, 19.965 seconds to edge teammate Mark Webber by just over two-tenths of a second. Lewis Hamilton rounded out the top-five after having led a McLaren 1-2 in the morning session.
Overall F1 leader Jenson Button, who has 60 points, was ninth-fastest with a lap of 1:21.364 in his McLaren, which is among the pack of front-runners that all arrived with aerodynamic upgrades.
Schumacher's teammate Nico Rosberg was seventh behind Kubica.
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