It is this year’s generation of Bridgestone tyres that is helping Mark Webber to be so competitive at the wheel of the Red Bull.

The Australian commandingly won the past two grands prix from pole position, causing experts to wonder how his highly rated teammate Sebastian Vettel is being momentarily put in the shade.

The latest issue of Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport magazine quotes Webber, 33, as admitting that he is enjoying the narrower and more durable 2010 tyres provided by sole supplier Bridgestone.

“The new generation of tyres better suit my driving style,” he confirmed.

“The fronts do not bite as extremely and the rears have better lateral stability. Sebastian prefers it the other way around,” added Webber.

Vettel said: “You can’t get as much out of these tyres than before. They have a lower limit.”

Like Vettel, Felipe Massa and Michael Schumacher have been struggling with the 2010 tyres.

Only with the softest compounds, as were used in Bahrain and Monaco, can Massa cope with the pace of his Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso.

“I have been having trouble getting the harder tyres to work,” the Brazilian said. “With the softer ones I have the grip that I need from the first lap.”

(GMM)

Mercedes will revert to its original 2010 car for the Monaco grand prix this weekend.

The Brackley based team unveiled a car with a longer wheelbase in Spain last weekend, which is tipped to have helped Michael Schumacher get the upper hand over his teammate Nico Rosberg for the first time in 2010.

But according to German media sources, the pre-Barcelona package – which in Rosberg’s hands was driven to the podium twice in four races – will be up and running again in Monaco because it better suits the slow and twisty curves of the unique street layout.

The shorter-wheelbase car will however be fitted with the latest aerodynamic innovations in Monaco, including the knife-like rollover structure and engine cover air inlets.

“I am very optimistic that we will be more competitive than in Barcelona,” team CEO Nick Fry is quoted as saying by Germany’s RTL.

(GMM)

(GMM)  Nico Rosberg has hit back at suggestions that Mercedes’ heavily updated car for Barcelona could adversely affect his performance.

After teammate Michael Schumacher notably struggled at the wheel of the W01 during the first four races of his F1 comeback, the package has been significantly altered ahead of this weekend’s Spanish grand prix.

In particular, the longer wheelbase is touted to better suit the seven time world champion’s driving style, even though Rosberg – second in the world championship – was comfortable and competitive with the original specification.

Telegraph correspondent Tom Cary wrote last week that the changes could “upset Rosberg” and cost him “the chance to compete for the world title”.

But Finland’s Turun Sanomat newspaper quotes Rosberg as saying: “Why would the new car only be better for Michael?”

He denied that he enjoys a car with understeer and predicts that more front grip will “suit me as well”.

May 3 (GMM)  Speculation about Michael Schumacher’s mood continues to rise, but the seven time world champion insists he is “extremely motivated” ahead of the fifth race of his 2010 comeback.

After three years of retirement, the 41-year-old German has been consistently outpaced by his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg so far in 2010, but will have a car with a longer wheelbase in Spain that should better suit his driving style.

“When he has that (revised car) I think we will have to reassess the whole story,” commented former triple world champion Sir Jackie Stewart.

“If he then doesn’t deliver, then I think he has a problem,” added the Scot.

70-year-old Stewart thinks part of Schumacher’s problem will be reassessing his desire to honour the full three years of his new contract.

“You know, I don’t think he should have retired when he did in 2006 because I don’t think it was out of his system,” he said.  “This might take it out of his system.”

Schumacher’s old title rival of the 90s, Damon Hill, is not ruling out that “the old Schumacher magic” could soon return.

“Is it still there?” he told the Daily Mail, whose headline accuses Mercedes of “wasting money” on Schumacher.

“I’m sure that’s a question Michael will be asking himself — and it’s one that is starting to become valid after four races,” added Hill.

In an official Mercedes press release, Schumacher played down the likely effect of the car upgrades for Barcelona but sounded bullish about his own outlook.

Team boss Ross Brawn also said the German is “determined to succeed” despite the setbacks so far.

Added Schumacher: “Our step forward in Barcelona will be bigger than you can make at each race during the flyaways but it would not be realistic to expect us to suddenly be competing right at the front,” he said.

“However the good news is that after three years away, I am feeling extremely motivated.  So I am clearly ready to take this challenge,” added the record winner of 91 grands prix.

Apr.26 (GMM) While the seven time world champion has struggled with the W01 on his return to the sport, teammate Nico Rosberg is second in the world championship after finishing on the podium at the recent Chinese grand prix.

But team boss Ross Brawn is worried about the car’s basic characteristics.

“New regulations have made the front tyres narrower, which means you need to generate more downforce at the front than before,” he is quoted as saying by The Times.

“Michael needs to be able to lean heavily on the front of the car to make his driving style work,” Brawn added.

The front of the car has therefore been the focus of Mercedes’ big upgrade for Barcelona, featuring a longer wheelbase.

“We’ve got a modification of the car coming for Barcelona which puts us into a better range for the weight distribution we can achieve,” Brawn confirmed.

But Niki Lauda thinks it should be up to Schumacher to adapt to the car.

“He must change his driving style as quickly as possible,” the former triple world champion is quoted as saying by Blick newspaper.

“The new formula one with the much narrower front tyres obviously surprised him, while Rosberg has had no problems and is doing a sensational job,” added Lauda.

Schumacher’s former title rival Mika Hakkinen is backing the 41-year-old to bounce back and even win a race in 2010, but he also concedes the sport’s famously fickle lack of patience.

“F1 will not give him any time,” he told Bild am Sonntag newspaper. “It knows no mercy and allows you no excuses.”