Michael Schumacher's comeback after being three years away has been a disappointing one. Maybe it is because he is a seven-time world champion and statistically the greatest driver ever. Maybe it is because our abiding memories of him are how he, in an unprecedented manner, dominated the sport. Maybe those 91 race wins and 68 pole positions were destined to remain untouched. Maybe, just maybe, some of us quietly envisaged an eighth world title.
Yet something has been lacking. Battling in the midfield is something he was not particularly accustomed to throughout his career, never mind those glorious years at Ferrari. What's more, Schumacher has looked rather out of his depth in wheel to wheel combat with Toro Rossos, Force Indias and the like. Seeing a legend struggle, even slightly, is a rather bemusing feeling. You do not expect, nor contemplate, somebody once at the top of their game declining at all.
With a newcomer, you expect them to be a little rough around the edges but once experienced and skilled enough their levels of ability should remain constant. For those who follow football, I would list Fernando Torres' current standing as almost identical. The Spaniard, once so fearsome, has flopped at Chelsea thus far. Lacking pace, power and panache since his £50m move to Stamford Bridge in January, Torres has been criticised left, right and centre.
The reason I liken Torres's situation to that of Schumacher's since his arrival at Mercedes in 2010 is because of the genuine disbelief at his subsequent performances. Michael was, and is, a phenomenal motor racer and I grew up idolising him. I still do. Which is why I am finding his form post-comeback hard to fathom. Schumacher's talents, and possibly those of Nico Rosberg, have probably been disguised by a car which has only threatened for podiums for sporadically. But his race craft, one lap pace and overtaking attributes have weakened.
The problem for Michael is that because he has such an aura about him, not to mention all those accolades, we are constantly searching for chinks in his armour. Any weak point, any non-podium result, is scoffed at. The man is 42 now and, although not winning, is proving he can still compete at the pinnacle of motor racing. The Canadian Grand Prix of 2011 will always be remembered for Jenson Button passing Sebastian Vettel on the last lap for the win. No one will recall the guy who finished fourth.
Yet we should, because it was vintage Schumacher. On an even keel, which would be a damp but drying track that highlights a driver's senses and skills, Michael carved through the field into second. There were overtakes. There were fastest laps. He was sharp and cunning, showing no mercy as he stormed to the front of the field. He finished fourth, courtesy of DRS and a safety car period but it was the first time since his return that he looked a force. It had been a long time coming too.
I think he has delivered much better this term. Three years away is a long time in F1, especially with so many regulation changes. He has been much closer to Rosberg in 2011, although his qualifying pace has hindered him greatly. Nevertheless, for such a historic marquee such as Mercedes it is not good enough. Victories are essential and the team, probably still recuperating from the Brawn season in 2009, after struggling to live up to that. Red Bull, Mclaren and Ferrari hold a stranglehold on the front three rows right now, leaving Schumacher and Rosberg to scrap for minor points.
For Schumacher, a driver so unused to being on the limit for seventh or eighth place, it must be affecting to hurt his pride. His confidence, a vital tool for any race driver, will remain undiminished but not fighting for wins, especially with his achievements, must be peculiar. Enjoying racing F1 cars he most certainly is, but competing for the lower echelons of the top ten he is not. Which is why his quotes from the Corriere Dello Sport today are unsurprising: "I arrived at Mercedes-Benz with a specific task: not winning at all costs but to grow the team. If anything, I am the problem: it is a fact that I am a bit more relaxed than before and I do not know if my mindset is right for this team. At some point we will evaluate whether I continue or stop."
Many believed it was inevitable, perhaps as earlier as last season, but I was not convinced. Schumacher has got the fire burning again and it seemed that with a quicker package, could rustle a few feathers. More to the point, as a man who dragged Ferrari back to the top when he signed in 1996, he would undoubtedly know the weaknesses of the Mercedes car and how it can be improved. Finding that half a second to challenge for victories is proving problematic and not even Schumacher's almost unparalleled attention to detail is aiding their progress.
Is he getting the most out of his Mercedes? Probably not, given that Rosberg remains the faster driver right now. It is for this reason that Michael may call time on his career. Even a minute trace of doubt in his mind will be enough; if he believes he is not quick, that would be all it could takes. You see Michael's astonishing ability behind the wheel of a racing car ensures that even now, at 42 years old, he can still compete in F1. Which is exactly why he may now call time on his career, because he only exists to win.
Josh.
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