Mercedes planning for a time without MS?

http://www.motorsport-aktuell.com/automobil/mercedes-liebaeugelt-mit-di-resta-4980321.html


Partial translation:
MS' third season of the comeback doesn't pan out according to plan. All he has are two meager points...It looks as if Rosberg's victory has paralyzed the champion. At the end of the year the contract runs out. It is completely unclear whether the motivation of the champion allows him a future in F1 or whether Merc even still has any interest in keeping him on the team.
However Merc does have an interest in di Resta. "Paul is on our radar" admits Fry.

 

while i'll be the first to admit MS hasn't done a good job, he's also had some terrible luck. He can still race at the front IMO.

 

Michael is the one who decides if Michael stays, and no one else. Mercedes has made this incredible clear. I don't think he'll stay without at least 1 win and a couple podiums this season.

 

+1 and I posted last week that MS had his dream stolen with Nico's win. Im sure he and the team expected he would be the one to make history with this first win. I like seeing him race but he is out of place now. He should leave.

 

He's really just gotten massively aggressive out there, and he expects too much of the other drivers around him I think. I believe Canada, Spa, Great Britain, and Japan are where his biggest chances for a win will be. I'll sadly wave bye bye to him if after those races he bears no fruit, or if he at least doesn't have a very clean race at those venues beating his teammate.


OTOH, this is just like last year in a way. Only last year he was troubled with car issues at the beginning of the season, then he had a good second half of the season, no one- not even Nico- denies Michael outraced him. This year he's just either been crashed into, something has broken (gearbox, wheel), or he has been overly aggressive (ok, only once did this happen, but still). Sad stuff in such a reliable time of F1

 

+1

I don't care how much of a hater one is, they can't deny he's had some rotten luck this season.

 

rosberg's victory paralyzed the champion?

I'm sorry, but this has to be certainly the most stupidest thing i've ever read.

 

What would you expect?

 

Typical journos (most of them British and hate MS) having a field day after the guy makes an error. Hoepfully he can have a good result at Monaco despite the penalty and quiet these guys down.

 

Rosberg 1 MS 91

 

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Care to explain why?

For the third year in a row he gets beaten by his teammate and hasn't won any kind of podium. If you are a MS fan then you know that his comeback years so far have been the least successful years in his entire F1 career.

 

Lets just appreciate his achievement today, which was absolutely amazing.

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

It was, and this season has really been off to a ridiculous start for him, no one can argue that with tires being what they are for everyone on top of Michael being in some rediculous circumstances, with only one being his fault. The second half of last season he really came out of his shell and showed himself a bit more, and I truly hope he shows himself well the rest of this season. Kimi may have had the first podium, but Michael got the first pole, at Monaco of all places and that means a heck of a lot more IMO.

 

So, he was paralyzed yea...

 

So because he is not as successful as he was before, which was the most successful driver in the history of Formula 1, then that means MB should get rid of him? Never mind the fact that Michael attracts more viewers to F1 when he is in it, the fact is the guy is still good. He regularly finished in the points the past 2 years, which for a team that is not the big 3, is pretty good. I would say a big reason why the car is competitive this year is because MB started listening to Michael's input on how to set up the car to his liking.

 

I was in the MB garage at Monaco yesterday and when Schumacher walks in it is electrifying. He showed up two hours before the race to look over his completely disassembled car and his presence is totally motivating to the whole crew. While his comeback has not been stellar, he is still very important to MB for further car development and we can all clearly see that the car is really coming along nicely. I don't think that Nico's win diminishes Michael's huge presence or ability to bring critical car feedback to the garage.

 

I cannot remember Michaels exact words but he did talk (in not so many words) about his desire to keep racing after this season, atleast that was my perception.

 

I don't think MB has any intention in pushing MS out. In fact they have asked him whether he wants to extend his contract past this year. But: MS has not made any move on that. And so MB has to simply plan ahead and think about who could partner Nico for next year if MS chooses to retire. I'm guessing that MS' decision ultimately comes down to whether he will have any success (as in podium finishes) this year or not.

 

Possibly and I believe it may come down more to if he can still be competative and make a contribution to the team while maintaining his personal motivation. At the press interview for taking pole I do not question his desire or motivation one bit.

Patiently awaiting his next win.

 

Interesting new article to the same topic:

http://www.motorsport-aktuell.com/automobil/mercedes-will-weitermachen-doch-was-ist-mit-schumi-5034757.html

The story hasn't changed: MB wants to continue with MS, but he hasn't made a decision yet whether to extend his contract into 2013 or not.

Interesting caveat in the last paragraph:
What happens if Nico has a chance to win the title? Will MS have to support him and drive "for him"?


Einen eventuellen strategischen Platztausch würde er zwar nicht ausschließen, eine Meinungsverschiedenheit allerdings schon: "Natürlich könnten wir in eine Situation geraten, in der es wichtiger für einen Fahrer ist, Punkte zu holen, als für den anderen. Das würden beide dann aber auch so sehen und entsprechend handeln."

Translation:
Brawn doesn't exclude a strategic change of positions. "Of course we could get into a situation where it is more important for one driver to score points than for the other. Both drivers would understand that and act accordingly."


"Michael, Nico is faster than you."

 

I also think alot can be said for the loyalty between Merc and MS. Even if he did not want to drive anymore I think he would be very instrumental to the team and their potential future success.

 

First of all, Nico is definitely not faster than Michael. Even at Michael's age he's proven with a good car he can smoke Nico, and he has so far this year where it counts. Nico is way too hard on tires and cannot push the car and nurse the tires at the same time like Michael can. I've heard this directly from where it matters.

Michael will not retire for a couple reasons 1) he will not go out like this as he has been a victim of circumstances out of his control all season long 2) the team is only now in a position to start winning championships probably next year or the year after, and there is no way Michael is going to miss out on having a competitive car again. It would be like Kimi's 2007 WDC all over again, I'm sure Michael was kicking himself for that one.


I swear, Tifosi12 sounds like some disgruntled Al Gore fanatic who still thinks he won the election. Get off it already, Ferrari have.