Schumacher: we can still fight for title

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Michael Schumacher says he can still fight for the world championship despite having only scored nine points in the first three races.

Schumacher believes the new points system introduced this year will help him get back in touch with the leaders – if Mercedes can develop the W01 quickly enough.

Speaking in today’s press conference he said:

If you take the points system, and you have seen that Fernando had a retirement in Malaysia for whatever reason, it can happen to all of us. I had my retirement in Malaysia, so at one point in the season, most likely, that will hit the guys who are fighting for the championship.

If we have a quick enough development pace, there’s no reason why we can’t fight for the championship, it’s far too early and there’s such a long season ahead. Development is so important, and we all know how fast the rate of development is. I’m pretty sure we have good potential to develop this car, so it’s far from feeling and thinking that this season is over, for Nico (Rosberg) and even for myself.
Michael Schumacher

He also played down concerns about his performance in the first races of 2010. He said:

You see, I’ve been around long enough to know what I call the wave of emotion.

During the winter everybody was every emotional and very supportive and positive and once you’re up on this edge of the wave, there’s a natural happening that you start to fall over the edge and whether you are the reason for it, or whether it’s just a natural happening, it’s not always important and because the results have not been as great as some people have expected and even myself, yes, I would have loved to have better results but then the competition is very high and in this respect it’s a natural happening to not have the same positive feedback in the media.

But you know, I know exactly what I’ve been doing, I know what’s been going on and I’ve no reason from my side to be disappointed, quite honestly. I still feel very happy. Whether people like it or not is their own choice.
Michael Schumacher

Read the full press conference with Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, Adrian Sutil and Sebastien Buemi below:

Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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15 comments on “Schumacher: we can still fight for title”

  1. That is one thing that isn’t spoken of too often; that is, the increased ability for the drivers to make up points margins quickly. Though I somehow can’t see Michael Schumacher as the 2010 World Champion… Maybe Roseberg- if the car is improved soon.

    1. *Rosberg. Not Roseberg!

    2. Because it’s pointless to say so. The margins grow quicker than before too. Overall there is virtually no difference.

  2. So tired of the Schumey this Schumey that. Still not up to form, ohh will soon be up to form, is as good form he ever been, he can win the championship, after race xyz he will be in winning form. Honestly who cares? Of course he can still win the championship as of right now all he need is a win and he will be 20ish points from one of the people in top 8 if that person finish 2nd. But to really have a chance first he have to beat his team mate and finish races in the top 5 point scoring positions.

    So what is next? Did everyone put in their predictions for the upcoming race? Vettel for pole and Rosberg in the top 5 again (I predict 4th).
    Will Karun beat Senna? How many of the new cars will finish the race? How many laps down will the best of the new cars be behind (Sauber) the last of the old teams?

    1. I am struggling with the predictions… Keith, or anyone; how on Earth are we meant to predict the pole time? It may or may not rain and the cars are so different to last year so how can I predict it? Please help.

      1. I suppose it’s part of the fun, If it helps at all, you can get an indication of what is a potential good guess, by looking at lap times from the past…. of course….. that won’t help if you don’t think about how to analyse them.

        Keith, on the next results report, can you announce who was closest to the correct time? just for ragging rights of course! :D

      2. that is the fun part.

        If it rains they will be 10-15 second slower then if it don’t rain. Also with 3 Q’s all in low fuel runs one of the seasons might be semi dry allowing a faster time or it’s completely dry and then question is will they be even faster then 2 years ago with different cars in the dry… Like in Australia Vettel beat the lap record Schumacher set in 04. If it’s dry can anyone beat Schumachers lap record in China from 04 again???

      3. The pole time is unimportant anyway. It’s only a decider in the case of a tie isn’t it?

        Just make sure you have the only prediction that is spot on and the pole time won’t mater :)

  3. That’s the spirit a 7 time world champion needs to have.Way to go Michael Schumacher.

  4. Hmmm, he has had one retirement so far, and of course he can have some more before the end of the season….
    I read his ‘wave of emotion’ to mean that he was brought in to do a job, and was introduced as the right man to do it, but so far his team mate has been better than him all round, so the ‘start to fall over the edge’ can be translated as Mercedes asking what they are paying for……. :-)

  5. I don’t know about anyone else, but I miss having Brawn GP on the grid.

    If Mercedes give him the car, I’m sure Schumacher can challenge for the title., but it’ll probably (ironically) be akin to Barrichello’s charge last year or Massa’s attempt in 2007, in with a shout but ultimately with too much of a gap to make up at the end.

    1. Wow! What optimism. Before we crown the mighty schumi shue, shouldn’t he at least beat Rosberg once?

      1. Hey, it’s implied! I just think it’s too soon for Rosberg, given that the Mercedes is not the dominant car. I’d be happy to see him repeat his father’s feat though :-)

  6. The problem for Mercedes (and Schumacher in particular) is that they are now not fighting just one opponent. There are 3 teams better than Mercedes at the moment.

    A team might outdevelop another team, but the chances that Mercedes will outdevelop all 3 other topteams are incredibly slim.

    BTW for every time someone says that the new points system makes it easier to catch up, a kitten dies …

  7. “Schumacher: we can still fight for title”

    Sorry Schumi, but the way you are going against Rosberg you cant!

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