Rosberg vs Schumacher

Bram Hengeveld · Jan 3, 2012

Will MSC be able to find back his qualification speed this year? Or will Rosberg outpace him in both the qualy as in the races.

If the Mercedes GP car is good this year I put my money on Schumacher

Lars Brugman · Jan 3, 2012

MSC shown he still has the speed so i think he can do better than last year.

Chris Jenkins · Jan 3, 2012

I think the fact that he'll be surrounded by more familiar faces from his Ferrari days will help Schumacher.
I kind of hope Rosberg stays ahead though, for the sake of his own career.

Hampus Andersson · Jan 3, 2012

I think Rosberg is naturally quicker but Schumi is the better racer with loads of experience at the upper end of the field.

Michael Brown · Jan 3, 2012

Schumacher's slower in qualy pace but he makes up for it with his opening lap efforts, gaining around 4 positions on the first lap, sometimes more.

Despite this, Rosberg would still beat him.

If Schumacher improves next season as he did last season, he could potentially beat Rosberg. It's hard for me to decide who's the better driver. Rosberg is more consistent but Schumacher can get the better single race result.

TheHemps · Jan 3, 2012

Michael Brown said:
Schumacher's slower in qualy pace but he makes up for it with his opening lap efforts, gaining around 4 positions on the first lap, sometimes more.

Despite this, Rosberg would still beat him.

If Schumacher improves next season as he did last season, he could potentially beat Rosberg. It's hard for me to decide who's the better driver. Rosberg is more consistent but Schumacher can get the better single race result.

What's more consistent than 5 world championships in a row!!??

But really, I see what you mean. Schumacher is a bit up and down these days

Eric Stranne · Jan 3, 2012

Rosberg. Schumacher still thinks back of his glorious years, and still thinks that he's there. You can't just take a break from F1, for even as little as a year, and then come back and be top notch. He's had it I think.

Markus Neumann · Jan 3, 2012

Schumacher seems to have lost the ability to perform right when he needs to - something Vettel and Rosberg are insanely good at. Neither of them do particularly great laps in Practice, Q1 and Q2, but in Q3, when they really need to, the performance is suddenly there.
In addition, Schumacher almost always manages to muck up his laps in Q1 and Q2 which then forces him to do another run, which then hurts him even more later in Q3.
Sure, half of the time he's got some kind of technical problems that are not his fault (DRS not working, KERS not working, vibrations in the tyre etc.) but Rosberg has problems too sometimes and apart from Japan, where he couldn't drive at all, he still managed to put the car into Q3 every single time.

Still, if Mercedes had the fastest car, I think Schumacher would beat Rosberg to the WDC.

Thomas Dougherty · Jan 3, 2012

I think Rosberg was improving almost every race last year but Schumacher has done pretty good for someone who is past their prime. He's had some great races, but in reality Rosberg is better and with a career long ahead of him. He has had a gradual but consistently good season. But MSC will hopefully provide some excitement in the mid pack. Mercedes GP seem to give them solid cars so I think they will.

Ho3n3r · Jan 4, 2012

Interesting that this discussion was started on Schumacher's birthday... Coincidence?

Anyway, I think if he gets a sniff of winning the championship, he will be his old self again, which Rosberg won't - he doesn't have that killer instinct found in really great drivers.

But I have to say F1 is very different than 2006, that's why he has struggled in 2010, and in 2011 it changed even more, although it was the same for everyone from 2010.

Mercedes must just get their house in order and start producing a championship contender.

But age is very against Schumacher.

Chris Jenkins · Jan 4, 2012

True, he is 43 now!

David O'Reilly · Jan 4, 2012

I will confess up front that I am not a fan of Schumacher. I never forgave him for what he did to Hill in Adelaide which I was watching live on TV or for what he did to Villeneuve. I have seen some very ruthless moves from him (Rubens this season nearly into the wall).
So I will get that out there early so no one else can accuse me of bias once I already have.

Schumacher is fast but won his early titles (including his first from the fence after he ran Hill off the road) with a cheating traction control system on the Bennetton which BTW they acknowledge was in the car they just said they never used it! Oh no of course they wouldnt have used a system at their disposal to make the car faster they would have just said "no we wont use it its just not right to do so". Thats how it works isn't it Flavio.

When he broke his leg and Irvine/Salo were in the cars Irvine could have won the title but the team from nowhere developed a "problem with the floor" or similar and Irvine was nobbled. Ferrari had annointed their saviour and no way was a cheeky Irishman with a way with the girls and a midas touch going to be the guy that brought Ferrari in from the wilderness.
We then have the Austria ring team orders affair (which promted the recently cancelled rule on team orders) where very early in the seaon Rubens is denied a win.
When you are in the best car with a great team who won't let the #2 beat you you will win.
Ferrari budget and influence Ross Brawn, Jean Todt, tame #2.
He wasn't dominant on the road, Who remembers Hakkinens stunning pass on Schumacher at Spa after Eau Rouge.

Then Ferrari had a fast car, fast enugh for Rubens to be on the podium too whenever he finished the race.
Schumachers tactic was Vettelesque: get pole and clear off.

Ferrari have had a right of veto for years and used i whenever it suited them and to Schumachers advantage.
So my point, we now have a car that isn't the fastest and so now no neither is Schumacher.
The qualifying ace is now outqualified nearly always by Rosberg who after the six super cars is nearly always 7th.
The Brawn touch has allowed Schumacher to often make up some in races and yes I have to admit his starts are very good.
I don't think age is a big factor at 43 but must have some influence.
But Rosberg is faster than Schumacher that part is clear. He has pulled ahead in 2011 after all the talk in 2010 about Shumacher influencing car design/setup around him.
Rosberg is faster lready and getting better.

So in summary, its too close to call, two great drivers I will sit this one out.

Ho3n3r · Jan 4, 2012

Regarding Schumacher: He may have his doubters, and his age, but I know it was performances like this that made me a Schumi, and indeed Formula 1 fan:

He may not have it anymore, but boy, he had it!

And I do not believe Rosberg would ever be able to do things like that.

Chris Cronshaw · Jan 4, 2012

Dewald Nel said:
And I do not believe Rosberg would ever be able to do things like that.

What! Get pole with the best car?

Rosberg in a sense has proven he can do that. He qualified 3rd in 2009 Singapore Grand Prix In a midfield running Williams

Ho3n3r · Jan 4, 2012

Chris Cronshaw said:
What! Get pole with the best car?

Rosberg in a sense has proven he can do that. He qualified 3rd in 2009 Singapore Grand Prix In a midfield running Williams

Look how far back Barrichello was. I'm talking about the margin to the others, despite probably having sealed pole already.

I still think a driver like Rosberg would've struggled to stay on pole in that Ferrari.

But I still respect your opinion.

Chris Cronshaw · Jan 5, 2012

Yeah I suppose, I see your point.
It's difficult to measure Schumachers true pace in that era. Everything was designed to his taste.

Even down to the Bridgestone tyre's.

Adam Hartwell · Jan 7, 2012

@ David O'Reilly I'm sorry but i can't agree, he dominated the noughties and at points his car wasn't even superior, he is one of if not the fastest outright drivers to grace Formula 1, it's a privelage to have him race each weekend because he's the only one who still races with his balls, you don't see the defensive manouvers that people like Senna used to do anymore and Schumacher in Monza was abit of a flashback, and his 43 years of age is a -big- factor. Irvine bottled it in 1999 while Schumacher was even trying to help him, he had a **** car in 97 and he almost won, and in 99 if he had not broke his leg he probably would of won that title.

O.T: 2012 Schumacher will beat Rosberg, car will be better, it's being developed to suit Schumacher because he's the one they're paying most and i see a bright year coming for him.

David Ignjatovic · Jan 7, 2012

I started watching F1 in 1994....and Schumy proved to be one of the best, however, he's now 43yrs old, that must be taking some toll on his eyesight/fitness/reflexes etc, but it seems obvious, that if the Merc GP car was competitive schumy would be a genuine threat.
Btw, who can forget his domination in Spain 1996 with one of the worst Ferrari's ever built......he also won 3 races that yr, but Burger and Alesi couldn't win a single race between them with schumy's 95 winning benneton.