Michael Schumacher’s manager Willi Weber is convinced the German star will start winning races again once Mercedes provides him with a car to do so and predicts 2011 will be the start of a “new era” for him.
Schumacher has registered a best finish of fourth since returning to Formula 1 at the start of the season after three years in retirement with Mercedes deficit to the top three teams, and his own re-adjustment period into the sport, meaning the German has yet to repeat the kind of success he regularly enjoyed in his first career.
Some of the 41-year-old’s performances, particularly during a wretched weekend in China last month, have come in from criticism from some quarters but his long-time manager Weber says the detractors will soon be made to eat their words.
He thinks Schumacher will continue to make improvements over the forthcoming races and predicts he will “rise like a phoenix from the ashes” once Mercedes has a race-winning car.
“The media love to write rubbish about Michael; about how he has lost it and that he should have never returned but he was never going to jump in the car after all that time away and win races,” Weber told the News of the World.
“It's the same all the time, the media like to build people up and knock them down.
“He will come back. You will see a change in a few races and without a doubt next season will be a new era for him.
"He still has the passion and when he gets a competitive car he will rise like a phoenix from the ashes and prove his critics wrong.”
Although Mercedes is currently trailing Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren, Weber thinks the Brackley squad will continue to improve and says that Schumacher has faith in the team’s abilities.
“This car does not have the same advantages over the rest of the pack as Brawn had last year - where they started developing the car early,” he added.
“It is going to take a little time. But he will be there and I don't believe for one minute he would have come back if he [Schumacher] didn't think he could take another title.
“Time will tell."
