Schumacher: “Ups and downs”

Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) will have encountered alerts from the start of the day. Fifteenth time of the third free practice session, the seven-time World Champion knew that his car was not in dazzling form this Saturday. And the problem was confirmed in qualifying. Surviving at the last minute from elimination in Q1, the German driver exited in Q2, with the fifteenth time. It was no better for his teammate, Nico Rosberg only ranked twelfth. Schumi has several explanations to analyze this poor performance.

« There are two things wrong, explains the seven-time World Champion. We have a general problem with the tires, which do not work like in Canada. On top of that, I had difficulty with the brakes. I was locking my front wheels regularly during qualifying and I don't understand why. This adds to all the difficulties we already have. »

So much for the explanations, even if it is still surprising to see Mercedes have so many disappointments. The 41-year-old pilot confirms this feeling by trying to take a step back. “ Obviously, it's disappointing because we are competitors and we have been in this business long enough to know that there are ups and downs. »

But, even while providing explanations for his poor performance, Schumi remains thoughtful. For him, Mercedes is doing everything necessary to get there. Despite everything, nothing is going well. “ These kinds of moments, where you have difficulty understanding what is happening, happen. However, we have clearly improved the car. The team worked hard and well. Whatever happens, it will be a difficult afternoon tomorrow. »