• Mercedes news

Schumacher is 'past it' - Moss

Michael Schumacher has scored 10 points in four races © Sutton Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News:
• 'After Monaco we'll know how Schumacher's form really is' - Webber
  
• News:
• Hakkinen backs Schumacher to win race
  
• Feature:
• 'Button is seeing the bigger picture'
  

• Drivers:
• Stirling Moss
• |
• Michael Schumacher

• Teams:
• Mercedes

Sir Stirling Moss has labelled Michael Schumacher as "past it", after a disappointing start to the seven-time world champion's F1 return.

Schumacher has scored just ten points in four races, forty less than his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg. A number of ex-drivers, including Mika Hakkinen, have urged fans to give Schumacher time but Moss insists the comeback was a mistake.

Asked if he could understand Schumacher's decision to return, Moss told the Metro: "In a word no. He's a highly intelligent bloke, and I really can't see … all he's going to do is damage his achievements. People are going to say that he's past it now, which he probably is."

In his exclusive column with ESPNF1, Moss reiterated his belief that Schumacher never faced a competitive team-mate in his glory years and that he doesn't appear to have the same "compulsion" to win on his return.

"People say it's because he's been away for three years and that sort of stuff, but I'm going to stick to what I said at the start of the season: Until now, he's never had a truly competitive team-mate," Moss said. "His seven world titles are, in my mind, misleading and I think we are seeing proof of that now he is up against Rosberg. Rosberg has proved himself as the team's No.1 and he's been faster than Schumacher in all circumstances.

"What's more I'm not sure he is taking F1 as seriously as he was earlier in his career. You need a compulsion to be there, you can't just do it for fun, and I don't think Schumacher has that compulsion anymore. To win you need to believe that there is no way anybody else can beat you and, frankly, I don't think he's in that kind of mindset. It seems as though this year is just part of his retirement rather than an extension of his career."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.