Casting a shadow

[ArrowsFA1]

Speaking of Michael as an ex-F1 driver...this picture shows him right in the middle of Ferrari's preparations for the new season. Is this a good thing

Yes, he has unrivalled experience in F1 (well, nearly , and at Ferrari in particular, but if you were Kimi would you want the person who previously had your job hanging around?

[BDunnell]

I am still rather at a loss as to what his new role is.

[ArrowsFA1]

According to Felipe he's one of the technicians

Q. Michael Schumacher attended the shakedown. What did he tell you?
Massa: "Nothing in particular, he couldn't really tell me 'well done' on a day like this, where I didn't do anything special.
"Every time I got back to the pits he would ask me for information and impressions on the car based on the telemetry he was looking at, and then he would start talking to the technicians. By now he's one of them..."
Q. Did you also chat with Kimi Raikkonen?
Massa: "Yes, but just a bit. There will be more time to exchange impressions and suggestions, to study and analyse together every situation of the car. We are still on the first day of school.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/56322

IIRC Mika Hakkinen was not impressed at first when ex-F1 multiple WDC Alain Prost was the first to test the new McLaren in 1995/6 (?), even though Mika & DC were the race drivers for the coming season. In time, however Mika reportedly learned a great deal from Prost and appreciated his input.

Who knows if the same thing is happening, or will happen, at Ferrari, but as you say, MS's role does seem very vague which can't really help anyone, particularly Kimi, who needs to get to know the team, car and engineers asap.

[Mark]

MS very nearly won the world championship just a few weeks ago. And has driven for Ferrari for 10 years, so I think there is just a chance that his input might be useful

[ArrowsFA1]

Phah!!!! What does a 7-times WDC know :

[Tazio]

MS very nearly won the world championship just a few weeks ago. And has driven for Ferrari for 10 years, so I think there is just a chance that his input might be useful

I am slightly perplexed as to how Mike's presence can be construed as negative at this point in the season!
He's being paid $6million a year as a consultant/ technician/advisor/ I think his input now is appropriate.
Let's not read too much into it.
The press will do that for us!

[Donney]

Whatever he's doing he's likely to do it right and I don't think Raikkonen cares.

[CarlMetro]

I think if Kimi and Filipe were given the choice, they'd have Michael there. The last thing I think Michael would do is interfere with car setup etc but anyone of such vast experience and knowledge, and not just with the team, would be of help rather than hinderance.

[airshifter]

I think both Kimi and Massa have learned to deal with pressure already, so they will feel no pressure to do better with MS around.

That might be a concern with a younger or less experienced driver on the team, but the current situation in my opinion if very positive. His experience should help the team communicate better among the technicians/mechanics and the drivers. He has vast information about what has made the Ferrari's work for years, and I can't see his assistance being anything but positive.

My take on this is that Michael is there to guide both the drivers and the engineers. He knows the team inside out, which is something that Kimi, mega-talent that he is, cannot be expected to pick up overnight.

By guiding Kimi (& to a lesser extent Felipe) to give feedback to the correct department, Michael is ensuring that nothing gets missed at this early stage in the relationship between engineers and drivers.

So long as Michael's role is a back-seat one there shouldn't be a problem. so long as Kimi & Felipe gradually take on more of the role Michael is currently playing it shouldn't be a problem.

It will be a problem if Ferrari do not gain confidence in what the drivers are saying.

That said, I'd rather have a Ferrari legend guiding me into the job than have him sat in Switzerland whilst the world watches me fluff my opening lines.