Rosberg can still win the title according to Michael Schumacher
After a positive first part of the season for the Mercedes team, Michael Schumacher believes that his teammate, Nico Rosberg, is a serious contender for the 2012 World Champion title.
If Michael Schumacher’s situation in the championship is far from satisfactory (18th and last place with only two points), that of his teammate at Mercedes, Nico Rosberg, is much more favorable.
Indeed, the young German driver is only 17 points behind leader Fernando Alonso, and with a victory already under his belt, his season start is promising. It’s a small step to think he could fight for the championship title until the end of the season, a step Michael Schumacher is ready to take: « I had said before the start of the season that it was too early for us to fight for the title. But I must correct that statement because it is possible. At least for Nico [Rosberg]. »
Indeed, Nico Rosberg is in fifth place in a very tight driver ranking where the top six drivers are within just 25 points, the number of points awarded for a victory. Regarding Schumacher’s situation, who currently has two points, the calculation seems more complicated: « Someone told me according to calculations that I could still win the championship. I admit that there are still a few too many « ifs » to achieve this, but apart from China, I have always been on the pace with my teammate. »
In the first part of his career, Michael Schumacher won the Canadian Grand Prix seven times. This race might be beneficial for him this year, at a stage of the season where he seems more confident than ever since his return, as he admitted recently, after his best time during the qualifications in Monaco: « Since my return, I’ve never been this close to victory as I am now. I don’t know why I won so much here [in Montreal]. In fact, it’s not really my type of circuit, but Monaco proved that we could be fast on this kind of circuit. »
Schumacher, whose contract ends at the end of the current season, insists that his numerous technical problems have not been a hindrance to his motivation: “I’ve been in Formula 1 for too long to be bothered by that. These single-seaters are built in seven months, not seven years, and they are incredibly reliable.”
For his part, Nico Rosberg puts this enthusiasm around him into perspective: « I am not thinking about the championship. For the moment, I am focusing on the next race, and then we will see. »
