F1: Schumacher Not Taking Criticisms Seriously, Button Believes Rivals Will Struggle With Exhausts

Michael Schumacher on Thursday accused British commentators of exaggerating in criticising his performance in the Canadian Grand Prix.

His former teammate Martin Brundle had said the seven time world champion drove "appallingly badly" in Montreal, while fellow BBC commentators Eddie Jordan and David Coulthard also criticised Schumacher.

"I don't take them seriously because there are different elements to formula one, and one part is showbusiness," the 41-year-old is quoted by PA Sport in Valencia, a street circuit on which he has never raced.

Schumacher said he is "quite happy" with his return to F1 so far, and Mercedes team Chief Executive Nick Fry said he is doing "an excellent job despite what I understand has been said about Michael".

"All in all," argued Schumacher, "I don't think there are many guys around the world who, at 41, come back after a three-year break and compete at this high a level."

(GMM)

Button Believes Rivals Will Struggle With Exhausts

 Jenson Button on Thursday predicted problems this weekend for those teams planning to debut a Red Bull-style exhaust layout.

Ferrari, Mercedes and Renault are planning to run updated cars, with exhausts pointed towards the cars' double diffusers, during the European Grand Prix.

Button's McLaren team will not test a similar layout until the British Grand Prix in two weeks, and the Briton told reporters in Valencia that there is a chance his rivals have got their numbers wrong.

"The floors are going to be getting very hot, so they're going to get through a lot of floors, I'm sure," he said, referring to the fact the layout blasts the car's bodywork with hot exhaust fumes.

Button's desire to see his rivals stumble with the 'blown rear diffuser' concept is because McLaren engineers predict the innovation is worth up to half a second per lap.

On the similar Montreal circuit two weeks ago, the McLarens finished first and second.

"Coming here I thought that momentum could be carried, but looking at all the cars around us in the pitlane - which I had a little nose at earlier on - there is a lot of new bits on cars," said Button.

His teammate Lewis Hamilton agrees that Ferrari in particular will be "very quick" this weekend.

(GMM)