Michael Schumacher explains 2011 F1 changes

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Michael Schumacher explains the key changes ahead of the 2011 F1 season in this video from Mercedes:

Schumacher shows the Drag Reduction System on the Mercedes W02 up-close and in action on the Rockingham track in Britain during a filming day.

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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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57 comments on “Michael Schumacher explains 2011 F1 changes”

  1. Oh no. He said KERS system.

    1. WOW. nice.. Merc can fight for a win. Just hope! :) Go Schumi!!

    2. Kinetic Energy Recovery System Systems are all the rage it seems.

      1. Great username! ;)

      2. Just like when people refer to a VIN as a VIN Number (drives me nuts).

        Vehicle Identification Number Number.

        1. Let me just put my PIN number into this here ATM machine…

          George Carlin had a whole list of those types of annoying redundancies in one of his books.

      3. Nowhere near as good as Kinetic Energy KERS Recovery Systems ;)

    3. LOL! I too thought this straight away.

    4. He’s got RAS syndrome :P

  2. Sounds like he said CURSE system :D

    1. Of KERS he did.

    2. A witch has put a KERS on you.

      1. The curse of KERS.

        1. Enough KERS’ing guys

        2. Maybe that’s why the Black Pearl was the fastest ship afterall in “The KERS of the Black Pearl.”

          1. Brilliant.. :)

  3. Ivan Vinitskyy
    22nd March 2011, 8:50

    F1 car sliding, that looked weird.

    1. wierd…..? that was the most awesome drift i have ever seen in a F1 car….

      1. … in a modern F1 car at least.

        1. That was the first thing I noticed! It looks so cool! Apparently Michael likes to have the back of the car a bit loose. According to F1Racing magazine, anyway.

        2. Great to see it again, never thought I would see a modern F1 car do them!

  4. He looked a bit lost for words there at times, maybe they have a German version as well?

    Nice to see the teams showing some footage and presentations.

    1. There should be a German versions, there was when was the explaining the changes for 2010. It seemed a lot more fluid although I didn’t a word!!!

      1. *get a word….It’s early.

        1. Not a good early RISSEr, eh? ;-)

          1. Frick, RIISER, the irony…

          2. Good effort =D

    2. A great driver he is, but not exactly made for presenting television programs. I’ve seen and heard much worse, though. At least it was understandable.

      And going sideways in an F1 car? Holy awesomeness.

    3. I found the German version isf anyone’s interested. A little less befuddled, but he was still at a loss for words trying to describe the possibility of an overtake with the DRS:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhUe1e9P0lQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

      1. Thanks. It is a bit more fluent AND they have an even better close up of the rear flap.

  5. If Mercedes paid someone to produce that, they need to be getting their money back. More likely it was Mike and the Mechanics on a lark…

  6. I don’t know about anyone else, but Michael really does seem rejuvenated this year. All last year I never really got the feeling that I was actually watching the Michael Schumacher (maybe his “strange twin” Luca was on about). But this year, somehow, it seems different. With everyone talking about maybe McLaren surprising everyone at Melbourne (or not), maybe we’re ignoring a more obvious candidate?

    1. And it’s not only Michael, also Ross Brawn seems to be a more optimistic in interviews, especially after the changes before the last testing days.

      1. Agreed. Last season they knew that they would not be quick at the first race and they gave reasons for it, but actually they weren’t that bad. This season there seems to be more optimism, and less talk about problems.

        1. I agree, there seems to be a genuine feeling of optimism at Mercedes this year. A Scumacher win in Australia….who knows.

          1. It is really hard to say, judging from what we have seen so far.
            Personally I still see Red Bull and Ferrari pretty far up there, because they were constantly fast all through the winter. But as you said, who knows… The more drivers are able to win a race the better.

  7. Looking at the budget, resources, drivers and technical staff they have, Mercedes clearly has only one goal: winning.
    Daimler definitely wants to see results. They made that clear last season already. This year, the team has to start delivering with minimum the regular/occasional podium.
    Can’t wait to see if they are up for it.

  8. “Overtaking has not been very (pauses and thinks about Hungary) often” lol.

    Is it me or does Schumy seem more friendly and likeable now??

    1. Is it me or does Schumy seem more friendly and likeable now??

      It’s you. He’s been exactly like that for the last 20 years.

      1. Yeah exactly, he’s the same as he has always been.

        Mark my words if a driver slows down in front of him and makes him crash in the wet they will feel the wrath of Schumi.

        1. I bet there are people who would like to punch Coulthard in the face for less than that.

  9. I think I saw a glimmer in Schumi’s eye when he talked about the movable wing. If anyone can think up a crafty/unethical/illegal/brilliant way to deploy that thing, it’s Schumi. In the immortal words spoken (of) The Outlaw Josey Wales: “I seen him do things!”

  10. They were going to film that with Britney, but her eyebrows got messed up by her helmet and her personal staff forgot the hairgel. They were all fired of course.

  11. WOW! that’s some nice drifts from Schumi!!!

  12. Shall watch this later when I can benefit from glorious sound.

    1. I had the pleasure of hearing him bezzing around a couple of weeks ago (I work about a mile away), he certainly seemed to be giving it the beans considering it was a filming day.

      1. When was this filmed?

  13. I liked how Schumi explained that the wing could not be stuck in the “up” position. I was concerned about this as it did create the potential for a situation where when a driver went to brake the wing would stay up and cause him to go careening into the back of the car in front of him. Now the question is making sure that the electric system doesn’t cause the wing to stay up. That being said, I am interested in seeing how this plays out on the track and if it really makes as big of a difference as they say it will.

  14. Saturday is very close it’s been a lifetime waiting this whole winter and last season, now it’s time to take what belong to us. Go Mercedes & Schumi, true fans are here to support you.

  15. Schumi, Schumi, Schumi. What about Nico? He’s the lead driver on that team. I think that Mercedes are a lot faster than they have let on in testing, and its Nico who will show the way in Australia, unless team orders come into play.

  16. Does anyone know the date when this was filmed?

    1. Ask George on the previous comments page, he should know :)

      1. How do I do that?

  17. Good video :) He seems very relaxed. Hopefully this video will help kill off rumours that the DRS is not safe. You can see it’s begging to snap shut and you can hear it at one point.

  18. AndrewTanner, How do I ask George on previous comments page? Where is that?

  19. George, when was this filmed?

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