Apr.7 (GMM) After the opening three races of his return to formula one this year, Nick Fry has moved to defend seven time world champion Michael Schumacher.

The 41-year-old was outpaced by Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg in Bahrain, Australia and Malaysia, and Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport points out that the only other driver with a full 3-0 defeat in 2010 is the rookie Russian Vitaly Petrov.

The German daily Bild's latest headline is 'Der Schumi-Absturz' ('the fall of Schumi'), adding that 24-year-old German Rosberg is now Mercedes' "new number 1".

But the Brackley based team's chief executive Fry said Schumacher is working back up to full strength.

"Every race he is learning a little bit more and it is all coming together slowly but surely, which is probably what you would expect," the Briton is quoted as saying by the Press Association.

"I would not underestimate him," added Fry.

Latest F1 News - Mobile version

26 Feb: New Ferrari not quickest in field - Domenicali 26 Feb: Red Bull still best in 2013 - Tost 26 Feb: 2014 French grand prix 'possible' - Prost 26 Feb: Danica Patrick 'not interested' in F1 switch 26 Feb: Report - Gilles Simon working on F1 engine for Honda 26 Feb: Gutierrez plays down link to Carlos Slim 26 Feb: Caterham exhaust 'legal' insists van der Garde 26 Feb: McLaren replaces Mercedes-bound Lowe 25 Feb: 'Engine maps' trouble for Red Bull, Lotus - report 25 Feb: Mercedes-bound Lowe to miss 2013 opener - report 25 Feb: Mercedes 'in group of teams' behind Red Bull - Lauda 25 Feb: Gutierrez expects Hulkenberg to beat him early in 2013 25 Feb: New Ferrari 'much better' than 2012 - Massa 25 Feb: Teams 'will adapt' to new tyre situation - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Tight rules make today's F1 cars 'the same' - Forghieri 25 Feb: Williams removes controversial exhaust trick 25 Feb: Contract 'conflicts' cause of Marussia test snub - Razia 25 Feb: Lotus to fight Red Bull for title - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Marussia 'ahead of Caterham' - Chilton 25 Feb: Sutil will not stay in F1 as test driver The latest F1 News - Mobile Version