Michael Schumacher said he’s hoping for “a minimum of podiums and hopefully victories” after driving the W02 for this first time today.
Speaking to journalists in Valencia he said his first run in the car was:
Interesting but short. Obviously we had expected to do a bit more laps today but nevertheless it’s always exciting after a long winter break to get back into the car and drive.
It’s a beautiful car, from the look. And inside we had little running, obviously, but the feeling is positive. Tomorrow we’ll have a proper working day and hopefully proper running.
I’m very optimistic about this, absolutely. Nothing has changed from what we have learned through the winter from the couple of laps we have been doing today. Not being able to analyse what the others are doing, knowing fuel levels… I’m not worried in any way that we cannot fulfil our targets and that’s a minimum of podiums and hopefully victories.
Michael Schumacher
A hydraulic problem limited him to just 14 laps today, so he avoided drawing early conclusions about the car’s performance:
Never in history, that I remember, such a substantial change in tyres and regulations all together. And with the little running we have had today, no, I wouldn’t want to go one or the other way.
Michael Schumacher
He added that he had no concerns over the increased demands being placed on drivers by the arrival of KERS and adjustable rear wings:
No, that’s no particular issue. I’m not worried for safety.
Michael Schumacher
And he was positive about the new adjustable rear wing rules:
It’s certainly a step in the right direction, yes, because if you think last year in occasions that overtaking was not possible with the new rules it should be helpful.
It doesn’t mean that we will clearly overtake because we push the button and we pass the guy in front, that’s not going to happen, but it will at least bring us into position, which with these current cars has not been the case. So, yes, it’s the right direction and we look forward to using that with our car.
Michael Schumacher
2011 F1 testing
Image © Julien Leroy / firstlap.be
Zahir
1st February 2011, 18:37
Champions generally say they know they have a car that can win the world championship after the first but are never allowed to give anything away. If you bare in mind how poor mercedes were last season, especially after stating they were aiming for both the championships, I was expecting Rosberg and Schumi to be a bit more conservative it their statements.
They have both done hardly any laps but seem to be heaping on the praise for the car. I dont know if this is the usual PR rubbish but something tells me Schumacher wouldnt say he is aiming for wins with only 14 laps of testing after the cars preformance last year unless he really meant it.
Zahir
1st February 2011, 18:38
*after the first test
Shumi follower
2nd February 2011, 3:31
Go Schumi. I stopped watching F1 after your retirement. lol. Hope to see him win races!!!
SonJaM (@nosajm9bys)
2nd February 2011, 8:49
….but then that is what all drivers will say about their cars. Both drivers having hydraulic problems doesn’t really amount to much, but is then something. I’m not too optimistic, but then this is the first test, so I might just be too harsh on the Mercedes, and I hope I am defo wrong.
BasCB (@bascb)
1st February 2011, 18:57
They definetily look more relaxed and positive about the car than last year at the same time. I suppose they do not really have anything to lose.
Bendanarama (@bendana)
1st February 2011, 18:59
That is,, honest to god the best analysis of the adjustable rear wing I’ve seen. Theres been a bit too much of this “Push to Pass” mentality about it, tbh.
schumi supporter
1st February 2011, 19:02
i think michael will do better this year..redbull ferrari and mclaren will b the teams to beat but i think that michael and nico wont be outclassed like last season…the WO2 certainly looks more like a f1 car …last year it was horrible…v badly designed ,…so i believe schumi when he says hes optimistic…ive been his fan since 1992 and hes always got a way of pullin sumthing out the bag especially after a full season or racing after his return to the sport…..go schumi…even at 42 u r still something really special…you have allot of heart!!guts!!
Icemangrins
1st February 2011, 22:06
In 2006 right before the european grand prix, he gave a statement that Ferrari is ready for the championship and what happened following those statements were “goosebump” moments.
Back to Back victories; Equaled the points with Fernando Alonso in China 2006 until Japan threw the tool.
He is cautious this time unlike last year.
Shumi follower
2nd February 2011, 3:32
He is confident now. Hope to see Schumi in a winning car!!!
Icemangrins
1st February 2011, 22:10
I hate to say this being a Schumi fan.
Watch for Renault (Kubica drives for Renualt right)…. they are serious contenders !!!!!!!!
Todfod (@todfod)
1st February 2011, 19:13
You cant judge much about the car’s potential within 14 laps. Schumacher is just trying to save Mercedes’s reputation by giving optimistic comments. Its not like he can just say that he doesn’t know where the car stands, and it succked that he couldn’t get any running in it either.
flyingcracker
1st February 2011, 19:18
Hopefully this quote from Michael contains a typo: “I’m not worried in any way that we cannot fulfil our targets and that’s a minimum of podiums and hopefully victories.”
Presumably Mercedes is looking for a “maximum” of podiums and victories.
David BR
1st February 2011, 19:44
I’m guessing he means the least the team expects are regular podium finishes, and ideally wins.
Dianna
1st February 2011, 21:38
Michael’s mother tongue is German,his mind has to translate a difficult language into another.Sometimes translations appear awkward or completely different.It happens.
SSF Shumi Follower Forever
2nd February 2011, 3:39
I agree! Like me an egyptian sometimes my comment appear too lousy! lol Hope good people can understand. Go Schumi! I stopped watching F1 when you retired. Am dying to seehim winning races and perhaps WDC if possible!
Burnout
2nd February 2011, 5:11
I suppose he means a minimum of podium finishes and a maximum of winning both championships?
Lt HELI
2nd February 2011, 5:22
Michael’s comment is grammatically correct.
He is expressing that the targets of the team is to achieve a minimum number of (X) podiums, hopefully some wins.
Makes perfect sense.
Damon (@damon)
1st February 2011, 19:41
“Never in history, that I remember, such a substantial change in tyres and regulations all together.”
That’s a weird sentence. Anyway, the changes made in 1998 were a bit larger. These in 2009 were too.
sam3110 (@sam3110)
1st February 2011, 22:39
He wasn’t racing in 2009 so he wouldn’t know them, and I’m not sure they banned and introduced so many things that change the way a car is setup in 1998, different diffuser, no F-duct, different tyres, different rear wing, different rules in-race, re-introduction of KERS, there is a lot to deal with this season!
Mike-e
1st February 2011, 22:55
i would say changing the shape of the car completley, making it higher, thinner tracked, grooved bridgestone tyres only (previously slick goodyears being the tyres to have) was probably a bigger change than banning a couple of aero concepts that were mostly hastily introduced mid season and changing brand of slicks.
Burnout
2nd February 2011, 5:13
Goodyear supplied tyres in ’98 as well. ’99 and 2000 were the Bridgestone-only years before the single supplier rules were introduced.
f1geek
1st February 2011, 19:55
Video from today
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Qt_EvE6JRSw#
Gridlock
2nd February 2011, 1:35
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the reintroduction of MSC combined with the introduction of the MRW means 2 things; we’re in for an exciting year, and I wouldn’t want to be the guy Michael is less than a second behind. Anyone want to bet Rubens’ wing mirrors are twice the size of his teammates’?
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
2nd February 2011, 2:14
He is one of those driver who never minds having more buttons on the steering wheel. He think that car can do what he is saying then trust him he is telling the truth.But we have to wait until Bahrain to find that out.