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Schumacher says still in title race
By Ni Yinbin |
April 16, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
MERCEDES driver Michael Schumacher is hopeful of getting back on the winning track again but admitted it could be a while before that happens.
"It's going to be tough for sure," the German said in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, yesterday. "I guess that is because we are a pretty young team and in the development phase right now ... you need to give us a little bit of time.
"If we have quick enough development speed there's no reason why we cannot fight for the championship," Schumacher said ahead of this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix.
The 41-year-old is making a comeback to Formula One after three years in retirement.
After a decent enough performance in Bahrain where he finished sixth, Schumacher had poor outings in Australia and Malaysia.
"There is a long season ahead, development is so important, we all know how quickly the rate of development is. I'm pretty sure we have potential to develop this car," added Schumacher.
The seven-time world champion has just managed nine championship points from the first three races of the season - 30 behind championship leader and former teammate Felipe Massa of Ferrari, and 26 behind his current Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg.
"I won my last race here in 2006 but unfortunately I did not win the championship that year," Schumacher said of the last time he won a race in Shanghai.
"But who knows. Maybe we can win this year. Its far from thinking and feeling the season is over for Nico and myself."
Norbert Haug, Mercedes vice president, also said last night that the team would bounce back but needed time.
"We're still in a period where we need to catch up," Haug said. "We're very strong team yet still a young team."
Haug said team boss Ross Brawn's experience, his familiarity with Schumacher and the rising young racer Rosberg ensure a promising future for the team.
"My teammate is a good candidate for future championships," Schumacher said when asked to compare Rosberg to Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel.
Schumacher is unperturbed that many have already begun to write him off after three races.
"I have been around long enough to know the wave of emotion," he said earlier in the day. "In the winter, everyone was very emotional and supportive and positive and when you are up on this wave, its a natural happening that you fall over it.
"Yes, I would have loved to have better results, but the competition is high. Having all this experience, coming back after this break, I feel more than happy with what is going on," he added.
Meanwhile, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said he is pushing hard to take Formula One to Russia's Sochi as contracts with some European cities that soon run out will not be renewed, agencies reported.
Ecclestone has reportedly said he was also bidding to take the motor sport back to the United States, hopefully to New York for 2012.
"We've got two or three places in Russia which we're dealing with at the moment," Ecclestone told reporters before touring a circuit being built in South Korea for its first race in October. "There is a big push for us to do something with Sochi."
The Russian resort city hosts the 2014 Winter Olympics.
South Korea is working on the circuit on a massive plot of reclaimed land in the South Jeolla province about 370 km from Seoul.
Ecclestone rejected a report in a German magazine quoting the circuit's designer, Hermann Tilke, as saying it would not be ready for the race, adding he was confident works will be finished before deadline.
"I'm absolutely sure. No doubt at all," he said.
German magazine Focus claimed there was major problems with the construction of the new track designed by Tilke and quoted him as saying: "For the first time I fear that a circuit is not going to be ready in time."
Ecclestone said: "I've spoken to Tilke and he denies saying it."
Meanwhile, former BAR and Benetton team boss David Richards has ruled out seeking a return to Formula One with his Prodrive company next year.
"It's going to be tough for sure," the German said in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, yesterday. "I guess that is because we are a pretty young team and in the development phase right now ... you need to give us a little bit of time.
"If we have quick enough development speed there's no reason why we cannot fight for the championship," Schumacher said ahead of this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix.
The 41-year-old is making a comeback to Formula One after three years in retirement.
After a decent enough performance in Bahrain where he finished sixth, Schumacher had poor outings in Australia and Malaysia.
"There is a long season ahead, development is so important, we all know how quickly the rate of development is. I'm pretty sure we have potential to develop this car," added Schumacher.
The seven-time world champion has just managed nine championship points from the first three races of the season - 30 behind championship leader and former teammate Felipe Massa of Ferrari, and 26 behind his current Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg.
"I won my last race here in 2006 but unfortunately I did not win the championship that year," Schumacher said of the last time he won a race in Shanghai.
"But who knows. Maybe we can win this year. Its far from thinking and feeling the season is over for Nico and myself."
Norbert Haug, Mercedes vice president, also said last night that the team would bounce back but needed time.
"We're still in a period where we need to catch up," Haug said. "We're very strong team yet still a young team."
Haug said team boss Ross Brawn's experience, his familiarity with Schumacher and the rising young racer Rosberg ensure a promising future for the team.
"My teammate is a good candidate for future championships," Schumacher said when asked to compare Rosberg to Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel.
Schumacher is unperturbed that many have already begun to write him off after three races.
"I have been around long enough to know the wave of emotion," he said earlier in the day. "In the winter, everyone was very emotional and supportive and positive and when you are up on this wave, its a natural happening that you fall over it.
"Yes, I would have loved to have better results, but the competition is high. Having all this experience, coming back after this break, I feel more than happy with what is going on," he added.
Meanwhile, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said he is pushing hard to take Formula One to Russia's Sochi as contracts with some European cities that soon run out will not be renewed, agencies reported.
Ecclestone has reportedly said he was also bidding to take the motor sport back to the United States, hopefully to New York for 2012.
"We've got two or three places in Russia which we're dealing with at the moment," Ecclestone told reporters before touring a circuit being built in South Korea for its first race in October. "There is a big push for us to do something with Sochi."
The Russian resort city hosts the 2014 Winter Olympics.
South Korea is working on the circuit on a massive plot of reclaimed land in the South Jeolla province about 370 km from Seoul.
Ecclestone rejected a report in a German magazine quoting the circuit's designer, Hermann Tilke, as saying it would not be ready for the race, adding he was confident works will be finished before deadline.
"I'm absolutely sure. No doubt at all," he said.
German magazine Focus claimed there was major problems with the construction of the new track designed by Tilke and quoted him as saying: "For the first time I fear that a circuit is not going to be ready in time."
Ecclestone said: "I've spoken to Tilke and he denies saying it."
Meanwhile, former BAR and Benetton team boss David Richards has ruled out seeking a return to Formula One with his Prodrive company next year.
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