Mick Schumacher recent miracle to form... / ilegal car?

[zac510]

I feel sorry for the kid now - a couple of wins, still not even close to F1 and this is the vitriol that he's subjected to already. He'll have to have skin like an armadillo to make it to F1, mentally.

[Fulcrum]

Schumacher's qualifying and race classifications for this year.

Pau
18th 15th
18th 10th
12th 7th

Hungaroring
4th 4th
11th 7th
9th 3rd

Norisring
7th 5th
20th 9th
20th 15th

Zandvoort
3rd 3rd
3rd DNF
18th 13th

Spa
16th 4th
1st DNF
6th 1st

Silverstone
6th DNF
2nd 1st
4th 5th

Misano
1st 1st
6th 3rd
8th 5th

Nurburgring
2nd 1st
1st 1st
1st 1st

Red Bull Ring
1st 1st
1st 1st
1st 2nd

A number of things are fairly self evident.

• Schumacher has almost always moved forward in races, meaning he's been faster than his qualifying record suggested.

• Schumacher's qualifying has improved consistently throughout the year.

• He hasn't "all of a sudden" got quicker. The evidence suggests it's been ongoing throughout the season, with the biggest improvement evidenced in Zandvoort.

Of the 24 races he has completed, Schumacher advanced from his grid position 15 times, maintained position 7 times, and lost position twice. Clearly he's been out of position more often than not, and his lower qualifying positions were not reflective of his (or the car's) pace.

The next point is obvious. If points were awarded for qualifying, this would be his points series:

0,14,6,30,33,38,37,68,75 - 301 points in total - he's scored 329 so far this year. The big change came in the 4th round. He's only become more consistent since then.

Zandvoort marked a big turning point in his qualifying performance. Since then, Schumacher has qualified on the front row in at least 1 race of every weekend, and has won at least 1 race as well. The biggest improvement in recent weeks has been his consistency. Where before (Zandvoort, Spa, Silverstone, Misano) he managed the front row once a weekend, he's now been on the front row in every race at the last two events.

Collectively, the evidence suggests his improvement in qualifying has changed his race outcomes. Its notoriously difficult to pass in this series, so qualifying higher invariably means you finish higher. If there is any suspicion to be cast, it would be at the upturn in qualifying form. But this could as easily be explained by self-improvement and training as anything else.

If Mr Ticktum has any evidence to substantiate his claims of cheating, he should go through the correct channels in his sport and lodge a formal complaint, rather than airing his views on Twitter.

Furthermore, in my opinion, Ticktum would be well advised to simply shut-up. His reputation precedes him, shall we say, and his racing record isn't so wonderful as to demand a Red Bull Junior contract. Irrespective of the circumstances, this looks like a bad case of sour grapes from an ill-mannered, and entitled, young man.

There have been many talented drivers who have shown potential only to throw it away by making poor decisions. Dan needs to consider if he wants to become the next Robert Frijns before opening his mouth again.

[NathanOlder]

Dan is just a Red Bull driver, they usually come pre-loaded with bad mouths!

As for Mick

"Schumacher has almost always moved forward in races, meaning he's been faster than his qualifying record suggested."

On average there is 3.0 retirements per race this season. If we take out the times Mick started on the front row, as you can barely make up any places from there, his race position changes on average by 2.27 places. His retirements from 3rd and 6th have hurt his average badly, and that hasnt included his retirement from 1st at Spa.

I haven't followed the Euro F3 very closely this season as the 3 drivers head and shoulders above the rest last season all left leaving in my opinion a very weak field. Last season I remember Adrian Newey's boy doing better than Schumacher and Newey's boy is pretty much done now when it comes to single seaters.

[Vasconia]

Dear all, wold like to know what you all think about the ´´miracle form´´ out of nowere of Mick Shcumacher and its recent push to enter into F1....

his rivals are hinting at cheating and that the car must be illegal.... since its in F3 and its a Spec series.. what might have given the huge jump in performance in his car in the last 6 races were he won 5, and before did not even score a point.... !?!?

any ideias?

thank you all

Do you mean Ticktum? he has been quite poor lately, maybe he wants to justify himself. I don´t like those sort of cowards who imply that someone is cheating but they don´t give any proof of it. And they say "well, I don´t mean he cheats but..." .

Mick´s performance during race has always been clearly better than in qualy. Now that he has improved a lot in qualy results are coming. As it has been said its quite difficult to overtake in F3 so if you qualify badly its pretty tricky to improve a lot.

And finally, a victory can change (for better) a driver´s mind and self-confidence. I guess Spa was a game changer for Mick as he gained a lot of confindence. Moreover, it was Spa where his father used to be mighty. I am sure it was something very special and motivating for him.

As some has already mentioned, it must be very difficult to focus on your own career when your father is battling to survive. Kudos for him for being quite professional.

[Fulcrum]

Ticktum's results. He's made up 19 places in 22 completed races, averaging less than 1 position gain.

1-3
10-DNF
6-5

1-1
1-DNF
2-2

4-4
5-DNF
3-1

5-5
1-6
1-DNF

13-13
10-1
7-5 *

3-1
8-8
7-6

5-6
11-4
7-4

3-3
3-3
3-4

6-8
8-DNF
7-4

Moreover, he's become less competitive as time has worn on. Dan should look inward before he points fingers outward.

[BrunoH]

i was watching german tv the other day ( wide is german ) and i cant understand anything, but she said that even they the german comentators were saying that something was going on with Micks car...so yeah i dont really belive in miracles.. however it does seem harder to cheat in this spec series than in f1

again my main curiosity is, how.. how could one cheat in f3... !?

[FrukostScones]

not the first time someone was cheated to the F3 title.
Last time a german was the victim ; )

[NathanOlder]

Ticktum's results. He's made up 19 places in 22 completed races, averaging less than 1 position gain.

1-3
10-DNF
6-5

1-1
1-DNF
2-2

4-4
5-DNF
3-1

5-5
1-6
1-DNF

13-13
10-1
7-5 *

3-1
8-8
7-6

5-6
11-4
7-4

3-3
3-3
3-4

6-8
8-DNF
7-4

Moreover, he's become less competitive as time has worn on. Dan should look inward before he points fingers outward.

Red Bull driver..... enough said.

[Mandrake]

Dan is just doing the Hamilton, accusing the "other" team having a "trick". Nothing illegal of course when challenged to deliver details.

OH and suddenly when being back in front all the talk is gone.

Quite sad actually that outstanding performances today are either cheating or "the car". I would not want to be a top performing race driver nowadays

[turbof1]

Cheating is always a possibility in motorsport. Hell, HAAS is likely to being convicted for it on their appeal.

But, accusations of cheating have to backed up by physical evidence. Just wildly accusing Mick for cheating because he suddenly got better without anything substantial to back it up, that's wrongful harming somebody's reputation.

[NL_Fer]

Who knows, maybe driving his old man’s Benneton ignited a fire inside.

[nevill3]

Dan is just doing the Hamilton, accusing the "other" team having a "trick". Nothing illegal of course when challenged to deliver details........

Oh dear not that old argument again, I thought it was settled that "trick" used in Hamilton's vocabulary meant good, nice or excellent. Not as in an illegal part or practice.

[santos]

Sound like the same in F1… a british driver is the usual winner, but then comes a german and start to win. "Interesting tatics", or that the other team have some tricks, or there are buttons that we don't know what they do… they must be cheating.. Dan Ticktum is ready for a drive at Mercedes… or Red Bull.

[strad]

I feel sorry for the kid now - a couple of wins, still not even close to F1 and this is the vitriol that he's subjected to already. He'll have to have skin like an armadillo to make it to F1, mentally.

.
Ah Come On...It was a joke...Tongue in cheek and all that.

[Vasconia]

I feel sorry for the kid now - a couple of wins, still not even close to F1 and this is the vitriol that he's subjected to already. He'll have to have skin like an armadillo to make it to F1, mentally.

.
Ah Come On...It was a joke...Tongue in cheek and all that.

But its true, I don´t know if Mick will join F1 someday but just look to all the attention and pressure on him being in F3. I do hope that Michael can at least speak and give some advices to him.