Quote:

turboturtle
"Hopefully the revised tyres will suit Nico too"
from what i've read, that's the way this cookie should crumble.

regards tt

Before the tyre issue becomes folklore, it is important to note that the tyres that were used this year were designed to suit a certain weight characteristic taking into account KERS and full tanks. KERS were abolished

Quote:

F1fanatic site
KERS and tyre changes
The 15kg minimum weight increase is designed to encourage more drivers to use KERS. Already this year we have seen taller, heavier drivers like Robert Kubica not using KERS because it reduced his ability to position ballast where he most wanted it.

Another change not mentioned in the FIA’s revised rules may aid that cause further. Bridgestone are working on a narrower front tyre, which should address a handling imbalance brought about by the return to slick tyres this year. This may make the cars’ sensitivity to ballast less acute.

So if this adjustment to take into account KERS was not done, the tyres argument would be moot

Quote:

Grandprix.com
The relatively weak nature of the current smaller Bridgestone front tyre has also been held up as one reason behind seven times champion Michael Schumacher's relative lack of performance since his return. .
Musing on Schumacher's form in Hungary, Mercedes boss Ross Brawn commented that Nico Rosberg tended to get more out of the tyres when they were marginal and Bridgestone's Hirohide Hamashima has opined that Schumacher's style, which demands a 'pointy' car with a strong front end, would have been better-suited to last year's larger front tyre which prompted more of an oversteer handling characteristic..

Link

Based on Hamashima's statement, it is my opinion that MS came back thinking the tyres were going to be the same as last year till the tweak in design was factored in by Bridgestone

On the case of both Mercedes drivers and tyres...MS needs the strong front tyre from a totally different perspective to Nico. No driver in F1 can drives the same way as MS does...even if Nico believes he likes cars with similar characteristics, the set up approach of both drivers in handling the car is totally different.

MS always said he had the car set up for a race as opposed to qualifying

Before Bahrain, he also said he had not done any quick laps whereas Nico had. Nico was more confident about the season whereas MS was more negative

Looking at all those facts, 2010 was a compromise season for Merc