Michael Schumacher avoids simulator tests
Seven-time Formula 1 World Champion, Michael Schumacher’s inability to work in a driver simulator was also one of the main reasons behind his failure in 2010 according to some recent reports.
He was unable to prepare for the races and this started happening after his motorcycle fall in 2009, which caused him to suffer from motion sickness.
Michael finished in 9th place while his teammate Nico Rosberg, who obviously had the same piece of machinery finished in 7th place in the drivers’ standings with over 70 points ahead of the seven-time world champion.
Nico drove superbly throughout the 2010 Formula 1 season and he was clearly the better driver by a mile.
“Nico spends a lot of time in the simulator preparing the car for the grand prix weekends. Michael begins with a basic setting … [it is] is one of quite a few very good reasons why Schumacher was sometimes at a disadvantage to Rosberg”, according to a report.
As a result, Rosberg’s set-up work was mainly done before the first practice session of the grand prix weekend, which takes place on Friday.
However, it seems that this report contradicts Ross Brawn’s statement from December, in which he stated that “Michael would have been more competitive in 2010 if Mercedes truly had a top driver simulator”.
He added that the team is working on a new simulator, which is under construction at Brackley, but it would not be useful for the team until 2012.
Nevertheless, it is expected that the team is going to be one of the top running teams and a potential “threat” in the championship race in the 2011 Formula 1 season.
The team will keep the same drivers’ line-up once again and since the crew has been working on their 2011 car way before the rest of the teams, they have a better understanding of their car.
Red Bull Racing Team, Ferrari and McLaren might have to worry about it since the team of Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher has been the most competitive team in the sport.
It would be interesting to see the new Mercedes at the first pre-season test session, which is expected to take place in Valencia on the 1st of February 2011.
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