21/04/2010
NEWS STORY
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In an interview with the official Formula One website, Bernie Ecclestone says that Michael Schumacher will turn his season around. Indeed, the F1 supremo is confident that the seven-time champion will soon be winning races.
Four races into his much publicised comeback, the natives are getting restless, particularly the media which is making much of the fact that the German has been out-qualified by his teammate Nico Rosberg at every round thus far and subsequently out-performed in the races.
Despite the German's assurances that he is still getting used to his new car and the new rules, sections of the media are already calling on Schumacher to quit while others, most notably the British media, revel in schadenfreude.
However, Ecclestone, who, as boss of the series, has a vested interest in the German's success, remains confident that he will come good.
"Anybody who criticizes Michael is wrong," said Ecclestone, "He deserves better. Michael would have never returned had he not been convinced that he can do the job. He is not a tourist in the paddock - he's here to win. And he will win again."
Asked why Rosberg is outperforming Schumacher, Ecclestone said: "Nico is very talented and Michael was on holiday for three years. Ask me the same question after another two races.
"At the moment I would say, don't underestimate Michael. Give him time to adapt to the new car and the new tyres. At the moment he's something of a newbie who has to get accustomed to the trade again.
"Michael's Mercedes comeback has a touch of magic," he continued. "I don't know any other combination that on the one hand is so fascinating and on the other has a huge potential to be extremely successful. Maybe the only other that springs to my mind is Fernando Alonso and Ferrari.
"Michael is an asset to every team, and Mercedes can save a lot of money because they can get rid of the team manager, as Michael has already been the team manager at Benetton and Ferrari!"
Mercedes boss Norbert Haug was also keen to defend his driver. "At the moment we don't have the best performing car on the grid," the German admitted. "We have known that fact since the first day of testing, but we are in good shape for the future. Other teams are still working with double the headcount that we do. This should not sound like an excuse but rather an explanation. We will definitely be fighting for victories soon."
Asked what made him so convinced, Haug replied: "Ross Brawn knows how to execute, so does Michael, and Nico is enormously talented and already hugely experienced for someone so young. I have been in Formula One since 1994 and have had my own experiences. Our engines failed at times in the past, which caused McLaren-Mercedes to lose three championships. But today the Mercedes engine is one of the most reliable and strongest on the grid. I know that we will succeed with Mercedes GP.
"We all know that Michael would be his first and foremost critic if he realized that this job is not for him anymore," he added. "But that's not the case. Within the team, Michael is extremely constructive. I think at the moment he's realizing how much he has missed all that. If you are a rock 'n' roll star you want to be on stage and not contemplating life from your sofa. This enthusiasm is firing up the whole team."
Asked about the criticism from the media, the German said: "He doesn't deserve that. He stimulates everybody, including Nico. To work together with him and to profit from his experience can only be positive. Who can match Michael Schumacher's benchmark? He is truly one of the best.