(Motorsport-Total.com) – Michael Schumacher’s Mercedes stint between 2010 and 2012 is one of the less successful comeback attempts in Formula 1 history. In three years at Brackley, the record world champion did not achieve a single win and only one podium finish.
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However, the poor performance was not only related to “Schumi’s” own performance. Mercedes was not yet the successful racing team it is today, which is why David Coulthard emphasizes that Schumacher actually never had a fair chance back then.
“Michael and Ferrari were a phenomenon,” explains the Scot in an interview with Sport Bild and stresses: “No one would have dared to criticize them. Michael was untouchable, a god. After he came out of retirement to race for Mercedes, expectations remained high.”
“But he didn’t even have the chance to meet them,” says Coulthard, because: “The car was too slow and the team was still on its way to becoming a top team.” Thus, Mercedes, which emerged from the Brawn team in 2010, achieved only one Grand Prix win in the three “Schumacher years” in total.
After the first two seasons of the then-new factory team ended completely without a win, Nico Rosberg at least celebrated a victory in China in 2012. Mercedes only became a “serial winner” with the start of the hybrid era from 2014 onwards – without Schumacher.
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Michael Schumacher: The Mercedes Years
“Nevertheless, voices against him were immediately raised,” Coulthard recalls about “Schumi’s” comeback and explains: “That harmed Formula 1. The mood was negative.” Although the “dominance” of Schumacher and Ferrari had previously been “less exciting” from a sporting perspective.
“But people were fascinated,” says Coulthard. That was no longer the case after Schumacher’s move to Mercedes, which is why the Scot compares the situation to Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari last year.
The Briton also had great difficulties in his first season in Maranello but has since found his stride and recently secured his first win for the Scuderia in Barcelona. “A winning Lewis will always be better for the racing series than a losing Lewis,” says Coulthard.
The current expert raced in Formula 1 between 1994 and 2008 and achieved 13 Grand Prix wins during that period. His best final result in the World Championship was in 2001 when he became vice world champion for McLaren behind Schumacher in the Ferrari.
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