Michael Schumacher optimistic over new Mercedes W03 prospects – Formula 1 news
Michael Schumacher has faith in the new Mercedes W03 to give positive results in the upcoming season.
Schumacher believes that the new car will better last year’s poor showing. Speculations of an improved Mercedes car were rife, with Red Bull technical director Adrian Newey went so far as to suggest that Mercedes did not unveil its car at the first pre-season
test at Jerez so that they can conceal some innovation that the team does not want others to copy.
Newey might have been let on by the similar incidents of 2009 when the team was known as Brawn GP and did not feature in the first two pre-season tests and went on to take the world title in the season.
Mercedes though quickly suggested that the new Mercedes does not have any surprises. They said that it is a nicely built package with a good base but nothing that will raise any questions or eyebrows for that matter.
Schumacher finished the day with the sixth best lap time at 1minute and 24.150 seconds.
“Reasonably positive,” Schumacher said. “This is the fourth day basically that we're in the car and it's actually the first day that we had a little issue on the hydraulics today, so it runs pretty well in terms of reliability. I have good potential, a good
feeling inside the car, difficult to give an exact feeling because of the rule changes - what it is worth that I'm feeling we will find out later in the week - but potential is good.”
Nico Rosberg will be driving the car on day two and it will be interesting to see what sort of speed he can generate from the car. The younger German driver of the team has been outpacing his veteran countryman for the past two seasons and has no qualms
over publicising his ambitions to beat his team-mate in the third year running.
The new car combined with some competitive driving from the German drivers it will shape up the 2012 season very interestingly. The season begins on March 18, 2012.
Tags: