Sail Away

Race 6: Monaco (29 Mei 2011)

Setelah menjalani balapan yang mengesankan di Spanyol, pada laga berikutnya, di Monaco, Schumi kembali mengalami akhir pekan yang mengecewakan. Saat sesi latihan bebas pertama yang berbeda dengan laga lainnya yang biasanya berlangsung di hari Jum’at, khusus di Monaco sesi latihan bebas pertama dan kedua digelar pada hari Kamis; Michael Schumacher sempat menabrak barrier. Namun untungnya timnya berhasil dengan cepat sehingga di sesi latihan bebas kedua catatan waktu Michael masih berada di urutan sepuluh besar.

Hari Sabtu pagi, saat sesi latihan bebas ketiga, mobil Rosberg mengalami masalah sehingga tak sempat mencatat waktu, sementara catatan waktu yang ditorehkan Michael menempatkannya di urutan kelima. Lagi-lagi kinerja tim Mercedes kembali diuji, dimana tim ini harus bekerja ekstra keras dan cepat sebelum sesi kualifikasi untuk secepat mungkin memperbaiki kerusakan W02 Rosberg agar ia bisa mencatatkan waktu di babak kualifikasi. Di sesi ini Michael mencatat waktu tercepat kelima sementara Rosberg ada di urutan ke-8.

Saat race, ganti Michael yang mengalami nasib naas. Saat start, anti-stall system milik Michael tak bekerja sehingga startnya yang biasanya bagus jadi berantakan. Lepas dari masalah ini, Michael kembali mengalami insiden kecil, kali ini ia sempat bersinggungan dengan Lewis Hamilton di tikungan pertama dimana sayap depan kirinya tak bekerja sehingga ia kehilangan downforce. Di lap 12 bahkan Rubens berhasil menyalip Michael. Meski begitu, Michael sempat memperlihatkan tontonan menarik saat di lap 30 ia menyalip rekan setimnya, Nico Rosberg di hairpin untuk meraih posisi ke-14. Namun langkah Michael harus terhenti akibat airboxnya terbakar, ia bahkan sampai harus didorong marshal ke pitlane, karena mobilnya terhenti di tengah-tengah tepat di depat pintu masuk pit. Akhir pekan yang mengecewakan bukan hanya bagi Michael yang gagal meraup poin tapi juga rekan setimnya Rosberg yang harus puas finish ke-11 setelah mengalami akhir pekan yang amat berat.

Free Practice 1:

Schumacher          : 10th (1:18.805)

Rosberg                : 3rd   (1:17.139)

Free Practice 2:

Schumacher          : 7th (1:16.356)

Rosberg                : 3rd (1:15.321)

Michael Schumacher’s Thursday Quotes

“Our gap to the front seems to be less here than in Barcelona. With my crash this morning, we had made a set-up change for the run and I locked up braking for turn one. After that, my decision to go down the escape road was too late, which is why I hit the barrier. The mechanics did a super job and the car this afternoon was just as quick as this morning. What Nico showed in terms of one-lap pace looks good, and our long runs were also quite reasonable.”

Free Practice 3:

Schumacher          : 5th (1:15.310)

Rosberg                : 24th (No time)

Qualifying:

Schumacher          : 5th (1:14.682)

Rosberg                : 8th (1:15.766)

Michael Schumacher’s Saturday Quotes

“First of all, I am happy to hear that Sergio seems to be well, which is obviously the most important news. The incident reminded me a lot of what happened to Karl Wendlinger in 1994 and it shows the quality of the safety improvements the FIA have implemented since then, especially the side impact tests. As for my starting position, I benefited a little from the circumstances and probably P7 on the grid would have been more realistic. Having said that, our car looks better in race trim this weekend, so with another good start, I will try to make the most out of it. Overtaking is known to be more difficult here than at most other circuits, so it will come down to having the right strategy, especially because the tyres should last longer than in recent races and we can expect fewer stops. I think it will be an exciting race.”

Race:

Schumacher          : Retired (lap 33) Airbox fire

Rosberg                : 11th

Michael Schumacher’s Sunday Quotes

"Unfortunately, there are not a lot of positives we will be able to take away from this race. At the end, there was a fire inside the airbox and the car simply stopped, but the beginning of the race was not satisfying either. At the start, the anti-stall system suddenly kicked in which meant I had to re-do the whole starting procedure. Then I had a rendezvous with Lewis at turn one which left my front wing not working properly, so I lost downforce which also handicapped my tyres. That meant we had to stop much earlier than we had planned and, from then onwards, the race was obviously compromised. All in all though, the race was quite exciting, and I am happy that Vitaly Petrov seems to be well."