Nick Fry believes that Michael Schumacher once again has a spring in his step after recording his best result of the season in Spain.
The seven-times champion had struggled in the previous four races, failing to match the pace of his team-mate Nico Rosberg.
However, after Mercedes introduced a number of improvements on to its W01, Schumacher managed to out qualify and outrace Rosberg around the Circuit de Catalunya.
“The sparkle is back,” Fry told Autosport. “I think in China he was perplexed – that is the best word to use.
“I don’t think he really understood or we really understood why he had the problems he did, and that is always a major concern.
“Right from the beginning of Friday in Spain he was on it right from the start, and listening on the radio to Michael, there is the confidence back in his voice. He knows exactly what he wants from the car and he got all that could be had.
“He was concerned after China, because we didn’t understand what happened. He spent a day at the factory with his engineers and he spent a day out cycling with them, and I think they worked on some things together. We are back on track with him.”
Despite this, Fry has admitted that Mercedes is concerned about the lack of pace of its 2010 challenger, after Schumacher finished a full minute behind race winner Mark Webber.
“When you finish a minute behind it is incredibly disappointing and the reality is that we have a lot of work to do,” the Mercedes CEO added.
“I frankly wouldn’t expect the Red Bull to have such an advantage on other circuits, and I think this one particularly suited it.
“But even if it hasn’t got that level of advantage, it has certainly got half a second on us and that is a lot to make up – so there is a lot of work to be done over the next month or so.”
