Schumacher not in the Top 50 Legends of 2010

Motorsport experts at Britain's leading racing magazine have delivered an astonishing snub to Michael Schumacher by failing to include him in their top FIFTY drivers of 2010. And they declared bluntly: "It's for the quite basic reason that he wasn't very good. "The annual assessment in Autosport covers drivers from major international categories and is based on their results, experience, the quality of their equipment and the level of opposition.

Schumacher — ninth in the world championship for Mercedes GP — simply did not figure in the calculations. The magazine's editor Andrew van de Burgt explained: "He didn't make a single visit to the podium and didn't really do any of the stuff we expected from him. "Coupled with that, his comeback was easily the most hyped and eagerly anticipated I can remember. The expectations were so great and the results so disappointing. "If there had been just one race where you thought Schumacher was exceptional that may well have been enough to get him into the top 50.

But I can't think of that one performance. "Van de Burgt said what "really did" for Schuey was the performance of his Merc team-mate Nico Rosberg, rated at No12 in the list.He added: "Rosberg more than had the measure of Schumacher. And what we have seen in the past suggests Rosberg is a very good driver but maybe not a great one. "So to be so comprehensively beaten by him didn't really show Schumacher in a great light. "The Autosport experts did not buy Schuey's argument that Bridgestone's Formula One tyres did not suit his driving style.Van de Burgt said: "The tyres are the same for everyone and a driver who has won 91 Grands Prix and seven world championships has got to adapt."Although Schumacher did not make the top 50, drivers such as Virgin's Timo Glock — a mere 25th in the world championship — were included. Van de Burgt said: "Glock drives for a team that didn't have much in the way of resources but got some pretty decent performances out of that car in a way you didn't see Schumacher doing."But the editor accepted Schuey showed "a few little hints" of renewed promise in the final few races of the season.And he conceded the German, who will be 42 next month, is "wily and experienced enough" to win a Grand Prix in 2011 if Mercedes come up with a great car.However, when it came to this year's Top 50, he said that for Schumacher, it was "close but no cigar".




















Schumacher