Norbert Haug believes podium gives the edge Michael Schumacher needed for the season – Formula 1
Mercedes’ head of motorsport Norbert Haug thinks that Michael Schumacher’s podium finish at the European Grand Prix could prove to be the push the former champion needed for the rest of the season.
Schumacher’s podium finish was his first since his return to the sport back in 2010. There has been a lot of criticism over his return with most suggestions that the German does not have what it takes to win races anymore.
Schumacher was speculated to do well in 2012 since Mercedes looked to have developed a car that could challenge the top teams. The season though did not kick-start for Schumacher like he hoped and in a shocking display of team errors combined with a dash
of bad luck the Mercedes driver found it very hard to finish races and score points.
Out of the eight Grands Prix completed in the season so far there have been seven different winners. This means that Schumacher has a good chance of making up of lost time and on paper, he can still challenge for the drivers’ championship. It may seem unlikely
at this point but the unpredictability of the season has shown that anything is possible.
“It is important and more podiums will come when we give him the car he needs in terms of speed and reliability,” Haug said. “His lack of results this season are not down to the driver, and in fairness to him he could have definitely had in excess of 60
or 70 points if we would not have had technical issues - which would have been good for him and good for us in the constructors' championship. We did not get it because we got it wrong.”
He added that the team needs the right kind of push to progress in the season but it is true that if you push harder you are more in a zone of risk. However, the team is learning the art of balancing that. The budgeting is limited but the team is in the
right direction.
It will be interesting to see how Schumacher performs in the coming races.
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