Webber Doubts Successful Second F1 Career for Schumacher

Although admitting he is certainly not a favorite for the 2010 world title – and that doesn't bother him too much these days – Australian racer Mark Webber is convinced Michael Schumacher will find it very hard to return to his winning ways inside the championship. Coming to the series after 3 years of vacationing, the German is unlikely to piggyback on the success of his previous F1 stint, argued the 33-year old Aussie.

“When has the second career ever been better than the first?” Webber rhetorically asked the reporters of the Daily Telegraph.

“I think it will be a bloody hard season for him. I think he'll go all right but I have never, ever seen a phenomenal comeback,” added the Red Bull racer.

In recent weeks, several drivers echoed the comments of Webber, including Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button. While excited to race against the 7-time world champion once again, they all admitted that returning to F1 after such a long period of time outside the series will take some time to adjust.

Additionally, there are still some worries within the Mercedes GP team that their W01 challenger is not as successful as initially projected, and Mercedes' motorsport boss Norbert Haug was the first to admit it. The German official last weekend told the media that he doesn't rate his team's chances of making the Bahrain GP podium too high.

As far as Schu is concerned, he insisted that it's not the start of the season that counts, but the finish, hinting that his team is probably not as prepared as its rivals to start off the new F1 campaign.

“I said it quite clear from the beginning: we do not have to - and probably will not - be in the position to win right from the start. It is important to be close and then use the long season to be at the top at the end. It is not the start which is important; it is the finish,” said Schu on his official website.