Wheels falling off for Michael Schumacher

MERCEDES are preparing an extensively modified car for Michael Schumacher to drive at the Spanish Grand Prix in two weeks’ time. This could make or break Schumacher’s so far ill-starred comeback. If the new car doesn’t deliver the characteristics Schumacher says he needs to be competitive, serious doubts will be raised over him seeing out his three-year contract.
After a woeful 10th place in the Chinese Grand Prix, Schumacher reiterated that his car does not let him drive in his natural way. Team boss Ross Brawn explained further: “Our car does not have enough front downforce. New regulations have made the front tyres narrower, which means you need to generate more downforce at the front than before. Michael needs to be able to lean heavily on the front of the car to make his driving style work.”
The modified car is thought to feature a significantly longer wheelbase, allowing the front wheels to be sited further forward in relation to the cockpit. This will speed the airflow along the car, in effect pulling the air over the front wing faster and increasing the downwards thrust upon the front tyres.
Schumacher needs a car that changes direction sharply, which has so far proved elusive with the Mercedes. His attempt at creating that artificially has worsened his problems, if the observations of a former F1 technical director are accurate: “Michael always liked a car with a positive turn-in. He was at his fastest with no understeer. If a car inherently understeers then you can only get it balanced by artificially degrading the rear grip. This means less overall grip and Michael’s car in Shanghai had visibly awful traction, making me suspect that he has screwed up the rear just to try and get it to turn in.”
Whatever the car’s limitations, Schumacher has clearly adapted less well than his teammate Nico Rosberg, who is 17 years younger and has soundly beaten him in all four races so far.
Perhaps the most telling moment came when Lewis Hamilton drove around Schumacher’s outside through the fast turn eight, a move almost unthinkable in the German’s prime.
But it’s probably significant that Schumacher seems to be pinning his hopes on changing the car rather than finding more from himself. He says working on the development of the car is “fun for me”. It will be fun only if the process proves fruitful. His display in the new car in Barcelona may determine if that process ever reaches fruition.
Mark Hughes writes for Autosport magazine