Number 1 or Number 2 driver?

**Corey** · 2nd March 2011, 07:06

Just looked through MS's wikipedia page today and noticed this:

Wow, quite surprised to see Schumi continuing to be the No.1 driver in the team even after what happened last year. Ah well I guess that is the way it goes for great successors, he is still a 7 time world champion after all

.

**RedRebel40** · 2nd March 2011, 10:09

where do you read that he is the NO1 driver?

**Corey** · 2nd March 2011, 10:48

What i meant is that he is the No. 1 driver in the team. Not having No. 1 on the nose cone of his car.

**Rishu** · 2nd March 2011, 10:50

Originally Posted by RedRebel40

where do you read that he is the NO1 driver?

He meant he is having odd number car despite finishing lower than Britney

**Greig** · 2nd March 2011, 11:11

Schumi thinks he does better when in an odd numbered car....worked well last season

**NJB13** · 2nd March 2011, 11:23

Originally Posted by Greig

Schumi thinks he does better when in an odd numbered car....worked well last season

It may well have

**brembo man** · 2nd March 2011, 11:56

For Nico to be #1 driver he would have had to prove himself by coming in ahead of his teamate last year. It's only fair.

**Tifosi** · 2nd March 2011, 12:00

you see brembo man, you can make relevant posts, and without using derogatory nicknames either

Well done dude!

**brembo man** · 2nd March 2011, 12:06

Originally Posted by Tifosi

you see brembo man, you can make relevant posts, and without using derogatory nicknames either

Well done dude!

Yo! Tsup! Hey Bobby K was the best ever! Do I have permission to use it? And to think I got put down big time for calling the boy Roberto! Pathetic!

**Tifosi** · 2nd March 2011, 12:16

Originally Posted by brembo man

Yo! Tsup! Hey Bobby K was the best ever! Do I have permission to use it? And to think I got put down big time for calling the boy Roberto! Pathetic!

Bobby K is an affectionate nickname that gets used in a lot of places dude

Roberto isn't offensive though - i'll give you that. If you stopped calling MS that silly name you call him i'm sure it would help your cause.

Anyhoo, on topic - I agree that MS "should" be number 2 driver in that team this year but of course he won't be. That's how it goes when you are Michael Schumacher

**brembo man** · 2nd March 2011, 12:35

I get by in 6 lauguages, in four of them Robert is Roberto, no harm meant. Hey that silly name is meant as one of his many outstanding features!... Tell me your not laughing! I know that's how it goes, but it don't mean I got to be OK with it. I'm sure this year will be great. Ferrari will be 1,2 ing the hell out of everyone .

**Ste** · 2nd March 2011, 12:50

Number means nothing to performance or driving in the following season. Essentially it makes no odds to Nico whether he is 7 or 8. Doesn't mean he's a number one or two or that Michael is number one. Michael has always had this weird thing with numbers, no harm in asking. There wouldn't have been much point in Rosberg saying no.

**brembo man** · 2nd March 2011, 14:32

If Nico gets treated equal and there's no #1, #2 preference he will be the best they got, IMO he is already. I just don't believe theres a living soul there at Merc esp. Ross that would have the stomach for it. I have to agree with my best friend, as far as who's the man over there, "that's how it goeswhen your MS."

**racingbradley** · 2nd March 2011, 16:35

I think it really doesn't matter which of the drivers in any team have the higher number and I am sure they couldn't care less (unless they are superstitious about odd numbers)

It's the number they finish on at the end of the season that they are concerned with.on

**Ant Raikkonen** · 2nd March 2011, 17:44

Originally Posted by Tifosi

Bobby K is an affectionate nickname that gets used in a lot of places dude

Roberto isn't offensive though - i'll give you that. If you stopped calling MS that silly name you call him i'm sure it would help your cause.Anyhoo, on topic - I agree that MS "should" be number 2 driver in that team this year but of course he won't be. That's how it goes when you are Michael Schumacher

Which nick-name is that? I've not been on here this afternoon so maybe i missed it?

**sagi58** · 2nd March 2011, 17:44

Originally Posted by Tifosi

...I agree that MS "should" be number 2 driver in that team this year but of course he won't be. That's how it goes when you are Michael Schumacher

Honestly? I'm "stupid"-stitious, too!!
I "get" where he's coming from, it's a mind "thing"!!

**Tifosi** · 2nd March 2011, 17:53

Originally Posted by sagi58

Honestly? I'm "stupid"-stitious, too!!
I "get" where he's coming from, it's a mind "thing"!!

I think it's more the fact that he was out-performed by his team mate last season, yet the interest and i suspect focus of the team this year will still be on MS. I may be wrong

I understand the superstition OK - although if it were Nico who had had it i don't think they would have changed his car number for him.

**sagi58** · 3rd March 2011, 02:00

Originally Posted by Tifosi

...if it were Nico who had had it i don't think they would have changed his car number for him.

hmmm... you're probably right; BUT, being a SEVEN-time WDC has to be good for something, eh?

**Anni** · 3rd March 2011, 05:40

I don´t think there is or should be a nr1, nr2 driver situation at mercedes. The switch of the numbers doesn´t mean too much, imo. Schumachers career won´t last forever and mercedes knows the future´s name is Rosberg and not Schumacher. So Rosberg will not be Schumacher´s nr.2, but I don´t think it´s fair if people say Schumacher should be the nr.2 in the team.
He struggled last year, but why should he not improve? We have new tires this year and the car will be built more to the liking of the current drivers, so I think there is a big chance he will be better 2011 and he should not be bereft this chance.
To say Schumacher should be the nr.2 means in some way to say there should not be equal treatment at Ferrari, too, because we had a likewise situation with our drivers last year. I want Felipe to get the same chances as Fernando and so I also have to grant MS this chances.
Of course either Rosberg should not be made the nr.2, just because MS is a 7-times-champion, but I already pointed out this won´t be the case because he is the future!

**Tifosi** · 3rd March 2011, 09:51

Originally Posted by Anni

I don´t think there is or should be a nr1, nr2 driver situation at mercedes. The switch of the numbers doesn´t mean too much, imo. Schumachers career won´t last forever and mercedes knows the future´s name is Rosberg and not Schumacher. So Rosberg will not be Schumacher´s nr.2, but I don´t think it´s fair if people say Schumacher should be the nr.2 in the team.
He struggled last year, but why should he not improve? We have new tires this year and the car will be built more to the liking of the current drivers, so I think there is a big chance he will be better 2011 and he should not be bereft this chance.
To say Schumacher should be the nr.2 means in some way to say there should not be equal treatment at Ferrari, too, because we had a likewise situation with our drivers last year. I want Felipe to get the same chances as Fernando and so I also have to grant MS this chances.
Of course either Rosberg should not be made the nr.2, just because MS is a 7-times-champion, but I already pointed out this won´t be the case because he is the future!

I was more kind of meaning respecting the relative finishing positions of drivers (for car numbers) and not favouring either driver - no matter how superstitious he is

Neither team should favour a driver purely based on their previous year's results, as you say - but if it is going to happen it certainly shouldn't be the one who got half the points of the other. Michael proved last year that the number made no difference to his performance so this year he should revert back to the higher number imo.

Massa has to reprove himself to Ferrari this year (as a result of his previous years performance) but I don't think that's that way it works at Mercedes

**Hornet** · 3rd March 2011, 10:04

Well it may be possible that both drivers agree to it. It doesn't necessarily mean that Schumi demanded and get it without Rosberg's consent.

The number means nothing so there is no obligation to give them out based on performance. Its free to be assigned to either drivers just because drivers need a number, that's all.

I think we're reading too much into these numbers which is nothing more than a means to distinguish the cars. We could give them A, B, C, D... instead, wouldn't make a difference.

**Anni** · 3rd March 2011, 12:03

Originally Posted by Tifosi

I was more kind of meaning respecting the relative finishing positions of drivers (for car numbers) and not favouring either driver - no matter how superstitious he is

Neither team should favour a driver purely based on their previous year's results, as you say - but if it is going to happen it certainly shouldn't be the one who got half the points of the other. Michael proved last year that the number made no difference to his performance so this year he should revert back to the higher number imo.

Massa has to reprove himself to Ferrari this year (as a result of his previous years performance) but I don't think that's that way it works at Mercedes

Sorry, I missunderstood you, I didn´t mean any offense, sorry.

You are right Schumacher is not in the position to make any special demands, but I tend to go with what Hornet says, we are probably reading too much into this. I don´t think mercedes would have agreed to it if Nico cared. The tone between Michael and the team was not all to the best over the last month, so I don´t think he get´s any "special treatment."

I think MS has to reprove himself in the same way Felipe does. Norbert Haug said (sorry can´t find the source anymore) if MS wasn´t MS he would not drive for mercedes anymore 2011, but because he is a 7times champion he is granted ONE other chance. Doesn´t sound like mercedes has unlimited patience with him.

**Tifosi** · 3rd March 2011, 12:21

Originally Posted by Anni

Sorry, I missunderstood you, I didn´t mean any offense, sorry.

You are right Schumacher is not in the position to make any special demands, but I tend to go with what Hornet says, we are probably reading too much into this. I don´t think mercedes would have agreed to it if Nico cared. The tone between Michael and the team was not all to the best over the last month, so I don´t think he get´s any "special treatment."

I think MS has to reprove himself in the same way Felipe does. Norbert Haug said (sorry can´t find the source anymore) if MS wasn´t MS he would not drive for mercedes anymore 2011, but because he is a 7times champion he is granted ONE other chance. Doesn´t sound like mercedes has unlimited patience with him.

That's interesting Anni. Didn't know that.

No offence taken btw. My original phrasing wasn't very clear.

**brembo man** · 3rd March 2011, 12:50

The # written on the car means nothing to a driver or the team. It's that number in the team and the directors brain in this case Ross that counts for who's the #1 driver . Never will MS be considered #2 man even if he continues to fall behind his teamate. He's a7x champion. He is Mercedes! He is F1!

**Ste** · 3rd March 2011, 12:59

Originally Posted by Tifosi

That's interesting Anni. Didn't know that.

No offence taken btw. My original phrasing wasn't very clear.

That quote was actually from Ross Brawn.

Will try and find it.

Et voila...

Asked a similar question by Formula 1's official website, Mercedes GP chief Brawn admitted on Wednesday that, if Schumacher was not the famous seven time World Champion and record setting legend, the struggling occupant of this year's car number 3 might have been shown the door.

"To be honest, probably not," said the Briton when asked if he would have persevered with a different driver showing Schumacher's current level of performance.

"But because we know Michael, we know that there is still a lot to come because Michael is in many fields more talented than others, in driving and in the co-operation with the team," insisted Brawn.

"The team are very happy with the way Michael is contributing. If he were a rookie we surely would have asked ourselves if he has the capacity to advance. With Michael we know that he has," he added.

**Tifosi** · 3rd March 2011, 14:11

cool. Ta!

No pressure on MS this season then

**racingbradley** · 3rd March 2011, 16:10

I am sure MS hasn't got an unlimited tenure at Mercedes unless of course he come up with the goods!!!!!!
I for one would not be in the least surprised if we see a more racy MS this year. The old man could surprise us all. After all he still has the pedigree!

As for the number on a driver’s car----can't see what the fuss is about.

Massa so nearly proved in 2008 (sore point here and time is not a great healer) that number or even status within a team doesn't matter in the final race of the season when they numbers are added up!!!!!!!!

**Anni** · 3rd March 2011, 16:50

Originally Posted by Ste

That quote was actually from Ross Brawn.

Will try and find it.

Et voila...

Oh, yes, it was Ross Brawn, not Haug, sorry.
Thanks for finding this Ste, I didn´t know where to look for it.

**sagi58** · 3rd March 2011, 17:08

Originally Posted by racingbradley

Massa so nearly proved in 2008 (sore point here and time is not a great healer) that number or even status within a team doesn't matter in the final race of the season when they numbers are added up!!!!!!!!

I'm sure Alonso would agree, after last season's grand finale!!