The new rules, cars and rivals Michael Schumacher will have to get to grips with
F1 cars and rules have changed hugely in the three years Schumacher's been away
When Michael Schumacher makes his return to F1 in three weeks’ time, he’ll find a lot has changed since he parked his 248-F1 after his last race on October 22nd, 2006.
That car had grooved tyres, traction control and much less restricted aerodynamics than today’s cars. Not only that, but race weekends have changed, three of the remaining tracks are new to him, and there’s a host of new opponents as well.
Slicks
He may have ended his career on grooved tyres but Schumacher won his first two championships on slicks in 1994 and 1995. He made 101 of his 248 starts on slick tyres.
True, the current generation tyres are much different to those he last sampled in 1997. But his working relationship with Bridgestone was never anything less than first-class, and he we surely be up to speed quickly.
What he will find different is that, for the first time since 2000, he will have to use the same tyres as everyone else. And he will have fewer tyres to use over the course of a weekend than he was used to.
Reduced downforce
Michael Schumacher in the Ferrari 248-F1 at Suzuka in 2006
Schumacher’s last F1 car (above) was festooned with many of the aerodynamic appendages now banned: bridge wings, flip-ups and all manner of different flow conditioners. Plus, larger and more complicated surfaces for the front and rear wings.
Compare the 248-F1 with the current generation F60 (below) and it’s easy to see how far aerodynamic devices have been cut back this year. That means less grip and, in particular, a more lively rear end to contend with.
The current Ferrari has much simpler wings and less downforce
No traction control
Disappointingly for racing purists, the most successful driver F1 has ever seen was a staunch defender of traction control. Happily, the introduction of a standard ECU last year has made traction control extinct – Schumacher will have to rely on all the dexterity of his right foot to ensure the F60 doesn’t get away from him.
He won’t have engine braking to help keep the car stable under deceleration either. All in all, we could see a far greater demonstration of his skill than we did in his previous seasons with Ferrari.
KERS
He’s got some new buttons to play with as well, including the most controversial of all: KERS. Ferrari along with McLaren are the only team left using it, but the one-two for KERS cars at Hungary suggests it could now be the thing to have.
He will be treated to its already famed utility in helping drivers make up places at the start. And the man wh pushed the boundaries of defensive driving further than anyone will now be even tougher to overtake.
Adjustable front wing
The other major innovation on the 2009 cars is their adjustable front wings, which have drawn conspicuously less attention than KERS has. What – if anything – will Schumacher make of them?
Among the other technical changes to the cars since Schumacher last raced are 18,000rpm limiters and
Qualifying and race rules
Beyond he technical tweaks to the cars, what else has changed?
There have been many small tweaks to the rules of competition since Schumacher last raced in F1. The madness of ‘fuel burn’ qualifying, for example, is gone.
The restrictions on spare cars introduced in 2008 will be new to him, and he will take on Felipe Massa’s limited allocation of engines.
And the safety car rules are much changed compared to what was in place in 2006, with lapped cars now able to un-lap themselves
Read more
Tracks
Schumacher has never raced on the Valencia street circuit before
Valencia is the first of three circuits remaining on the calendar that Schumacher has never driven at before. If he remains in the seat for the rest of the year he will also have to tackle Singapore, where he will race at night for the first time since the 1991 Le Mans 24 Hours.
The season finale at Abu Dhabi will also be new to him – and everyone else on the grid, for that matter.
However he will get to race at two of his favourite venues: Spa and Suzuka.
Rivals
Michael Schumacher has never raced in a Grand Prix with eight of the active drivers in F1 today. They are Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalainen, Jaime Alguersuari, Sebastien Buemi, Sebastian Vettel, Kazuki Nakajima, Adrian Sutil and Nelson Piquet Jnr (though the latter may not get to race at Valencia).
For us, this gives us a chance to measure him against recent emerging talent like world champion Hamilton (who he did once race against in karts) and ‘new Schumacher’ Vettel.
For him, these are opponents he has little experience of at best, and any of them will delight in putting one over the old master.
Team mate
Schumacher’s new team mate will be the man who replaced him in 2007 – and who won that year’s championship: Kimi Raikkonen.
The suspicion on Schumacher’s retirement in 2006 was that he didn’t want to take on a driver of Raikkonen’s talent. But after winning the championship two years ago, Raikkonen has since suffered a slump in performance.
The Finn faces the unenviable task not only of being Schumacher’s team mate but also – having much more experience of the F60 – being expected to give him a run for his money.
Ferrari personnel
The Ferrari team Schumacher returns to is much changed from the one he won five championships with. Jean Todt is no longer at the helm, nor will he have the organisational ability and tactical cunning of Ross Brawn to fall back on.
Under Stefano Domenicali, Ferrari has been much more warmly regarded by its rivals than it was under Todt. But how will Schumacher perform without the uncompromising Todt?
And who will be his race engineer? Rob Smedley may not want to return to action without Massa, and Schumacher’s old engineer Chris Dyer is now on Raikkonen’s side of the garage.
Despite this, the F60 is arguably more competitive now than it has been all year – Raikkonen finished a solid second behind Hamilton at the Hungaroring. Even considering all the changes to F1 in the last three years, it’s not inconceivable Schumacher could win on his return.
What do you expect from Michael Schumacher’s return to F1? What changes will give him trouble – and which ones will play to his strengths? Have your say in the comments.
More on Michael Schumacher
- Official: Michael Schumacher to return for Ferrari in the European Grand Prix
- Michael Schumacher’s F1 career in pictures
- Michael Schumacher’s F1 career in stats
- Michael Schumacher career retrospective
- Michael Schumacher’s last Grand Prix: Brazil 2006
- Debate: Which of Schumacher’s titles was the best?
- Michael Schumacher biography
don deele said on 31st July 2009, 10:21
A lot of “scores” could be settled with this development. Schu vs. Barrichello, of course we know this one. Schu vs. Alonso, with Alonso having a not-so competitive car. Schu vs. Hamilton, two “overtakers”. And Schu vs. Raikkonen, now teammates. Wow, first time in Mike’s career he’s had a “real” teammate who’s a champion. Very interesting. All the “real” greats went up against fellow champions on the same team. Mike’s the only one who hasn’t.
nick said on 31st July 2009, 10:31
ive previously commented on schueys return ,but after reading allot of negativaty on a teletext page from suposadly f1 fans i just felt i had to comment again.why are so many people being negative about it ,for most f1 fans who grew up with the sport like myself its fantastic that the guy who ruled the world of f1 comes out of retirement for one last fling,and anybody who folowed the sport back when he retired no’s he retired not because he feered raikonen as a team mate but because ferrari had signed raikonen and schuey had become great friends with massa and if he had continued like he wanted to, massa would of been out ,and he felt hed had his carreer and massa’s had just begone ,so he did what he felt was fare to the team and fair to massa.most of the negative comments in my opinion seem to be comeing from the people who only started following the sport when lewis arrived.its great to have a new generation of fans but its also great to show respect drivers past and present because without drivers like schumacher the sport would not be what it is today,and when he drives in the forthcomeing races his performance can only be mesured against raikonen ,not button and not hamilton theres to much speed and handling variations in the cars for any other comparison
A Singh said on 31st July 2009, 10:50
With “a more lively rear end to contend with”, Schumacher will be in the zone: no one was a better manipulator of the car than he was.
Thommo said on 31st July 2009, 17:43
Even if you hate him, you have to admit that Michael Schumacher was one of the exceptional talents in F1 – in my books he and Ayrton Senna, is/was the greatest driver that I have seen racing.
If you have watched some of his greatest races (either live or on TV) and yet hate him as a driver, I wonder what you are doing watching F1?
Sri said on 31st July 2009, 21:20
@ThommO
Well said Thommo. There are a few out here, who may be are ****** for various reasons. None of them logical, seemingly. Schumacher WAS/ IS (thank the lord) the best of our generation. We were previliged to view him ply his trade, which he doth best. Here we have a few, who are trying to play that it will be difficult for him. F1 is difficult. Who didn’t know that?
Then there are those who actually are saying something entirely devoid of any thought. Let me not waste any more time on those.
Schumacher, in the modern era, was peerless. He hates comparisons and avoids any discussion on the same feverishly. However in my eyes there’s no doubt that he is the best grand prix driver that has ever lived and yes that list includes Hamilton and Vettel(flame on).
Schumacher had the best of machinery in years 1995, 2002 & 2004. In his 4 other championship years, he didn’t always have the fastest car around.
Let us start with 1994. I know, Hill was behind on track, and Schumacher ran into a wall. However, Schumacher was ahead on track and was turning in, Hill could and should have had waited. He could have easily overtaken Schumacher later on, but he didn’t. He rushed in, and Schumacher closed the door, like any self respecting racing driver would. Hill, in my belief was just as much at fault as Schumacher in that incident. Given that he could have easily overtaken him after that corner and rather easily. Well, but hindsight is indeed 20-20. Now during that year, they also banned him from a couple of races and all. They (FIA) were more or less pushing for Hill to get it, Hill who even had a faster car. Yes, they didn’t always favour Ferrari/ Schumacher.
2000. Ferrari had a good car. Mclaren had a better handling and a faster car. Yes, am saying that Mika, was close, was good, but not as good as Schumacher. Schumacher, he won the championship, but again most wins were down to superior driving skills and excellent strategy than superior machinery.
2001. Schumacher won the championship again. He yet again manages to equal his record of most number of wins. Astonishing. A better car compared to the competition, it is questionable at best.
2003. Kimi ran him close. Even in an old car, Kimi kept up with Schumacher. A testament to Kimi’s speed and the fact that though a year old, the McLaren was no slouch. Which makes me wonder, why they weren’t doing as good in 2002?
Now, he also has the record for fastest laps. Let us face it. Even Senna was not so consistent at maximum speed. The only one who comes close in my memory is Fangio. The great Argentine though, he switched teams and had the benefit of having the best machinery on the grid, through all championship winning years of his. It is debatable, i know.
However, the point that am making is, we have watched a great man ply his trade once. Now, we have an opportunity to see him do it again. Where’s the effin’ problem? Those who do have a problem with this, you have an easy option to hand. Switch the bleeding telly off and spare us fans the hate.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 31st July 2009, 21:40
I basically disagree with your view of Schumacher’s career. But I agree 100% with this bit.
dartfrog said on 31st July 2009, 22:03
Sri, you hit the nail on the head. His record of records is only surpassed by his talent.
additionally, schumacher is a complete x-factor having him at the wheel of the F60 will give ferrari a huge moral boost, invaluable set-up and performance advice, not to mention a huge boost to F1 in general.
besides it’s impossible to overlook the fact that the last 4 champions will be on track together. plus i’ve always wanted to see how hamliton would deal with schumacher’s opening chop. as steely nerved as these guy’s are, i bet there will be some sweaty palms come 23Aug.
eshman said on 1st August 2009, 2:42
Valencia was struggling to sell tickets .I bet they are selling like hotcakes now.F1 was a little dull lately; Schumi will stir things up a little. For sure. A win in spa going flat out through “On Rouge” without traction control like in the old days.yehaw
Paul Sainsbury said on 1st August 2009, 9:57
“On Rouge”
Now that is a corner I have not heard of before…….:)
martin ash said on 1st August 2009, 22:51
Sorry for my french. Perhaps you know “Eau Rouge” better?
Thommo said on 1st August 2009, 17:43
Spa is perhaps Michael’s favourite circuit 6 wins 3 runners up and who can forget 1998 when he crashed into Coulthard while leading the race by a country mile!
I am sure KERS will give the Ferrari and Michael a competitive edge at Spa. I’m keeping my fingers crossed
Rob Wilson said on 1st August 2009, 22:50
i hope hamilton beats schumacher :)