Why is he so fast.

[expat]

So all the Schumi headlines, but is it really no great surprise. Firstly, he is one of the only drivers to have driven without traction control, secondly, you don't forgot how to ride a bike no matter how long ago it is, thirdly, he is driving against test drivers (McLaren)  and lastly he is in the fastest car. Sorry but I can't help to think that this is a case of Minardi beating the weather and the rest qualifying in the rain. He is good, one of the best, but lets not over do it.

What is interesting though, is what he said about TC and that may give light to why he is so fast: Asked what he thought of the latest template for F1 with 2.4-litre V8 engines, standard ECUs and no traction control, Schumacher responded: "It feels worse than when we last ran without TC, it's not similar; it's worse.
He has done it before, the rest are now trying to adapt to Robin Reliants in the corners

No Great Surprise

Matt

[Craig.]

I think there have been a lot of people with doubts or questions like myself because of the way he's spent the last year.
He's been seen lazing in miami for several months, he's constantly on about how he was just relaxing and enjoying time with his family, theres been no mention of him carrying on his fitness regieme anymore, or taking any interest in the driving side of it. So to come out and do 160 odd laps over two days while putting in two fastest laps (he beat Massa yesterday) is quite surprising from a physical standpoint. There is a picture of Gary Paffet in the car with a big block of foam on one side because his neck has been giving him problems.
Secondly, the tyres are completely differant to what he was used to, yes it was slightly easier for the bridgestone runners to adapt, but they were still having problems at times, look at Kimi and Alonso both complaining at the start of the year they were difficult to drive with. So he adapted to the car and everything in his own words in 2 laps. Today I think will tell just how on the pace he was, Massa will now take over as the lead guy, the tracks now rubbered in so it'll give the race driver a chance to put in a quick lap to see if he can beat it.

[expat]

I think there have been a lot of people with doubts or questions like myself because of the way he's spent the last year.
He's been seen lazing in miami for several months, he's constantly on about how he was just relaxing and enjoying time with his family, theres been no mention of him carrying on his fitness regieme anymore, or taking any interest in the driving side of it. So to come out and do 160 odd laps over two days while putting in two fastest laps (he beat Massa yesterday) is quite surprising from a physical standpoint. There is a picture of Gary Paffet in the car with a big block of foam on one side because his neck has been giving him problems.
Secondly, the tyres are completely differant to what he was used to, yes it was slightly easier for the bridgestone runners to adapt, but they were still having problems at times, look at Kimi and Alonso both complaining at the start of the year they were difficult to drive with. So he adapted to the car and everything in his own words in 2 laps. Today I think will tell just how on the pace he was, Massa will now take over as the lead guy, the tracks now rubbered in so it'll give the race driver a chance to put in a quick lap to see if he can beat it.

Fair points, but to add one thing. Being married to a German, I can tell your one thing, even when they relax, they are still set in their ways. It may not be reported that he is in the gym X hours a day, but I would bet money that when Schumi gets up, he does something to stay trim. After all saying you will not drive again and meaning it are two different things. Testing is not in the sense of the word driving again to you and I or the press, but to him, it may be a very serious undertaking and he will do it as if it was a race to win or there would be no point. If you are going to test a car, you don't drive it like you are still returning from last Sunday's drive. Also saying you will quit keeps the press of your back for a while.
Still it must be nice for his children to have papa back.

Matt  

[The Ruptured Duck]

So all the Schumi headlines, but is it
What is interesting though, is what he said about TC and that may give light to why he is so fast: Asked what he thought of the latest template for F1 with 2.4-litre V8 engines, standard ECUs and no traction control, Schumacher responded: "It feels worse than when we last ran without TC, it's not similar; it's worse.
He has done it before, the rest are now trying to adapt to Robin Reliants in the corners

No Great Surprise

Matt

Guess it means more real mech grip needs to go into the cars

[C]

How much pressure's he under. About zero I'd say...

[MWISimmer]

MS said in that interview :
"Then we had V10s and you could play with the gears"
Now I'd take that to mean changing the gear ratios... is that banned now too? Or is it just "not the done thing" considering gearboxes now have to last 4 races.. or are they sealed like the engines?
I'm intrigued..

[Craig.]

No, what he means is, the V-10's had a very large range to work with through the gear ratios. You could short shift the lower gears out of the slow corners, but not worry about the lost power because the engine power made up for it. The V-8's are a lot more lower gear reliant, something to do with the torque and peak of the gears. (something I completely forgot about in the prediction of little differance between the then and now prediction I made ) You cant just jump from 1st to second to third like you could with the V-10's theres not enough power or too little torque, someone with more experience with gears will be able to answer it fully.