about what we should have expected, though I was hoping for better. the coverage on speed sucked. they didn't have the times posted on the side like they used to as well. a lot can happen over a race, so I am hoping for an exciting race.

haha a 180 from last year

I thought Ross said that they're trying hard to make the car more neutral.....hopefully next race!

Too late for this race, as they were running behind the schedule

Car is behind Red Bull and Ferrari, maybe on level with McLaren. Good result for our drivers. I think they choose not to attack for the front, because they show better times before. I see they changed Rozberg rear wing, maybe with the version for the race(maybe they changed Michael's also ,we didn't see it). Tomorrow we will see which car is best on full tank. I think first 7-8 can win tomorrow.

Too late until after the Chinese GP for anything really significant I think.

I actually thought Schumacher did good, remember he outqualified Button

Although I don´t rate Rosberg as good as Vettel and Lewis & Co, I think he´s a little behind them

I think anybody up in the top 10 or so can win. I think even the FI has a chance.

Alonso was happy with the 3 pos. because Webber made mistake in sector 2. He was 1 sec slower than Vettel in sector 2. Webber could be even in second place in Q3.

That's impossible. This race could win only RBR/SF.

Wasn't too bad but Merc certainly have some catching up to do,at least on Quali pace. In Q2 the Ferraris were much quicker. Good job by both Michael and Nico. I'm beginning to wish,however,that Mercedes had a high calibre driver (Raikkonen?) beside MS-I think someone slightly better than Nico could have landed that car in the top-three,today. Will just have to wait for Michael to get dialed in.

You think 100+ kgs of fuel will influence car balance equally for all teams?

QUALIFYING IN BAHRAIN
Posted: Saturday 13 March 2010 at 13:55
Qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix got underway at 14:00 this afternoon to begin the competitive track action for the nineteen-race 2010 Formula One season.

The MERCEDES GP PETRONAS pairing of Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher progressed through the first two sessions of qualifying before taking to the track again for a highly-competitive final session.

Nico and Michael completed just one run in Q3, using the softer compound option tyre, and qualified in fifth and seventh positions respectively for tomorrow’s 49-lap race.

NICO ROSBERG
“To be honest, we were hoping for a bit more today although we were lacking the pace to challenge right at the front so I guess we should not be too disappointed. It was so difficult out there with the tyres overheating. If you made a small mistake and got oversteer, then you lost a lot of grip for the next few corners. It’s going to be very important to look after the tyres tomorrow in the race. Overall it’s a good start for me and with a bit of luck, we should be able to challenge for a podium place tomorrow.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER
“I am satisfied with seventh place today having been away from Formula One for such a long time. By coincidence, it’s the same grid position that I had when I started my career at Spa in 1991. It was fun to work with my new team and I appreciate all their efforts to support me as I get back into the swing of things. The boys are really good and I feel that we’ve improved step-by-step over the weekend. I’m looking forward to the race and I expect even more to come.”

ROSS BRAWN
“It was a reasonable qualifying session today although we hoped for more after this morning’s practice. The balance of the car suffered between practice and qualifying, possibly due to the increasing track temperatures, and we lost some pace as a result. Nico drove very well today in all sessions and Michael, taking part in his first qualifying session since 2006, is getting back into the rhythm as he gets more miles in the car.”

NORBERT HAUG
"Not a bad start to the first race weekend for MERCEDES GP PETRONAS in achieving fifth and seventh position in our first qualifying session. I think we looked stronger this morning - and it is our target to be better again during tomorrows race. Nico has done a great job since lap one of the weekend and Michael, who is starting his first Formula One race after three and a half years, is one place ahead of reigning World Champion Jenson Button. The race tomorrow will be extremely tough for the drivers, the cars and their engines and we hope to be well prepared for the battle."

MS v1.0 would have put this car on pole.

By coincidence, it’s the same grid position that I had when I started my career at Spa in 1991.

So.. It seems that tomorrow we will see Kubica battle with Schumacher!

It will be intersteing to see how the team will develop the car...if they continue to try and remove the under steer then Rosberg's performance will only start to fall from now on.On the other hand if they keep it as it is,then MS will struggle mightily.

if there is such thing as destiny, unfortunately Schumi will have some sort of clutch failure tommorow.

I think today Q3 was more drivers who keep their tires more against drivers who keep their tires less. Will see tomorrow who will finish and how will finish.

When Michael joined Ferrari.. he didn't win his 1st race and that was Michael v1.0 as you put it so lacklustry. So why any different with Mercedes???? Yet he went on to dominate F1 with Ferrari so i guess that's a really really good sign of what he'll do in the coming months and years with Mercedes. WOOT.

because he is 41?

Hmm, Michael qualified 7th in his first grand prix with Jordan.

So...

What does age have anything to do with it?

His motivation is the same as it was back when he joined Ferrari. He's far far far Far more experienced and complete as a driver now. Competitive.

So .. what does being 41 have anything to do with it????

(and I"m not even a Schumi fan!.. but I do accept how great of career he has had and how truly awe inspiring some of his drives have been)

it shouldn't make a difference but it does, even sports for lazy people like snooker and golf see professionals become less sucessful as they progress through middle age

Age has everything to do with it. His mind will be just as focused and motivated as it once was, his body and his reflexes won't be. Had he continued racing evolving with the changes in F1 he would have been in a better place.

Rosberg will own him this season leading to some numpties to question his 7 WDC's. They'll ask; was he really that good? The answer is of course yes.

I just think he should have retired gracefully. The likes of Vettel, Nando, Lewis, Rosberg, Massa are super fit and super motivated. They're also young - Michael doesn't have a hope in hell matching them.

OMG.. what the hell kind of comment is that.

Golf is for Lazy people.. yeah, and Tiger is the fattest laziest golfer ever. So they have some out of shape guys.. big deal. The only reason there are unfit drivers who could be competitive has more to do with their physical size limits and weight and not being able to fit in the cockpit. Montaya was a pretty handy racer and you couldn't exactly call him the fittest ever. Look at Nascar.. fitness isn't a link to racing success.

Snooker.. ever play the game.. age has nothing to do with being a good player unless you have parkinson or something or losing visual capacity.

Most often then not, has to do with desire and ability to cope with stress to stay at the top of your game. After being at the top.. many atheles simply lose the desire and what it takes to stay there.

What makes Michael soooo great is MENTAL.. not physical or even motivation. Don't see any reason why that has changed. If anything, the years off have recharged him ..

So the pecking order seems to be what I had anticipated yesterday except that Ferrari isn't clearly head of Red Bull.

Mercedes and McLaren do seem to match it other as many of us were anticipating recently.

Above all, it's nice to know that the MPG W01 does have pace, at least to fight for the podium I'd say. It's a long season, so I expect them to be able to develop the car enough to win races.

As for Schumacher, I think he did a good job. He's been improving slowly, after all it was 3 years and he wasn't used to this generation of cars/tyres. He was probably 0.5 seconds slower than Nico in testing, then got down to 0.4 in FP and 0.3 in qualifying. Also, Bahrain this year is a LONG track which makes it look worse than it is.

Now let's wait for the race, we still don't know for sure what is the pecking order. Strategy, tyre wear and fuel consumption may well turn things up side down.

Reflexes maybe .,,,.,,.

Even chess players start sliding once they get old...MS is not what he was in 98 and not even what he was in 2006. But his best was so good that maybe less than his best is enough.But it certainly has to be better than it was today.

Schumacher says he still needs time

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/82095

I hope our drivers get through first corner without incidents.

point of view this going to be a very interesting race to watch
7 positions for schumi is more than good considering " a man with 3 years out of f1, a new team, a car not designed to his driving style liking a younger teammate , the First Race of the season in a Circuit that his teammate always performed ok. "And still managed to be into 10 ten. At the first race of the year!!! That sounds promising from my point of view, it's just we are reading too much into this first race. And for sure forgetting that this is Schumacher.. The 7 times champion. None of the current drivers have this. And some of you still posting nonsense comments. Come on; just enjoy the start of this new season. And stop this schumi bashing
.
Let's wait for the race

Regards

Alex C.
Dominican Republic

Haha, it's very hilarious! The car is not designed to Rosberg's driving style, either...
It is going to be a great season, and I don't care if Mercedes will have a winner car or not because the Rosberg-Schumacher battle will be fascinating and spectacular. But look at real, it was expectable... however the majority of this forum thought that it would be an easy task for Schumacher to beat poor, young Nico. And now it's a nightmare, and there are a lot of objections.
I have no doubts that Schumacher will bounce back and he can be only faster but please, respect Nico a little bit because it's great what he achieved today and all weekend so far. And instead of looking for reasons why Nico beat Michael today, we should be happy that team have such a good drivers, like them.

mate.. i agree with you.. let me tell you that i followed ferrari by years caused of schumi.. now schumi gone and i may follow MEC.
i think that we need to support our team and forget about this nonsence fight about who is best and who is better. of course that nico its a young primise for F1. and he could learn alot from schumi. but try to bash or trash schumi.. its like not recognizing a heritage at f1. and thats what schumi is for F1 a golden page

regards

Yes, but what can be the aim of a young and promosing driver, like Rosberg to beat his teammate (Okay, it's true for every driver.) .
He can learn from him yeah, but their battle could be good for the team, as well.

Yes... Bring it on!!!
i just hope our cars.. dont break

I'm hoping for a great race. I'll be happy if Mercedes beats McLaren. It will be interesting to see how tire wear plays into the race.

AMuS says the weight balance for the car will be changed till the Barcelona GP (more weight to the rear), so it seems that the car has a design flaw there
Michael says a podium is not that unrealistic for him, although he clearly says Nico has a bigger chance to achieve that.

These bits are quite telling,IMO. He's being diplomatic about it,but I think he's having a hard time with the understeer issues.

On the one hand,Rosberg was signed first so it's fitting and perhaps understandable that the car suits him well (I don't think there's any denying the fact that it does indeed suit NR's style better)-but if Mercedes honestly want to see the best of Michael it's reasonable to expect them to give him a machine that works to his liking,surely? Jock and co. can keep the tyre data to their side of the garage all they want,but the car has to improve if Merc want to start winning races. It's nigh impossible to develop a car that's perfectly neutral and suits both drivers well,although going some distance in that direction would be a big help. 3-tenths is nothing if someone is comfortable and confident in a car. Of course it's only still Bahrain and the race isn't even run yet-but at this rate I'm not sure Mercedes can get back to winning ways with Rosberg.

Rosberg was signed First but he didn't get Button's race engineer Andrew Shovlin. It's not surprising that Schumacher isn't paired with Jock Clear. I hope there will be real teamwork and sharing of data.

Sorry for may ignorance but what does AMuS stand for?

Auto Motor und Sport. A German magazine about cars and motorsport.

Oh ok thanks.

With NR maybe not. With MS, on the long term, definately. But I wouldn't write off NR at all. As for Jock& Co, if he will do anything that is not authorized by, or against RB's wishes and instructions, he will be sidelined very quickly. Ross may look the amicable bear, but but he is one ruthless sob if necessary, of course in his own smiling way....

Looks like a lot of people here are looking for Rosberg to get killed by Michael, well it could happen or maybe not.

Lets wait and see...

Yeah, funny thing is that Schumi was supposed to trash him already...

btw, look this funny comic from F1aldia.com



http://www.f1aldia.com/photos/7800/7835/001_small.jpg

It's looking like Schumi will need more time if he is to get on top of single lap qualifying pace(even as a huge fan I'm not completely sure he can at his age and time out of the sport considering there is NO testing). However, we have been used to seeing Nico put in a nice qualifying lap and tank it in the race. Let's hope both Schumi and Nico can improve on their ailments.

im really hoping that Schumi gets third place today, he also said that the podium is impossible

Na, I'm all for Rosberg, out of the 4 big teams, if McLaren drivers arnt winning I'd like him to.