Three-time champion Niki Lauda is confident Michael Schumacher will be back at his very best by the time the F1 circus reaches Malaysia for the third round of the season.
Lauda returned to the sport in 1982 after two years in retirement and went on to win his third title in 1984. Lauda said Schumacher’s comeback in Bahrain, where he qualified seventh and finished sixth, was as good as could have been expected from someone who had taken three years out of the sport. ESPN F1
Niki Lauda said: “It was a perfect performance. You can hardly start any better. He ran very little over the winter, due to test restrictions, and got into a modified car he had never driven before, so it was simply impossible for him to clock a qualification lap at the push of a button.”
“I’d suppose he needs about three races to get back up to the same level he was at. When you take all that into account, he did a superb qualification lap, even compared to Nico who was only three-tenths faster.”
“My guess is that in Kuala Lumpur he will have regained that ability to switch on for a fast lap that every permanent driver has to have.” Formula 1
| 
|