Patrick Coorey remembers the days spent at Jerez in 2010 with Michael Schumacher.
Michael Schumacher’s comeback to Formula 1 with Mercedes in 2010 was preceded by a secret and controversial test session at Jerez. In order to assess his physical condition, after several years away from racing and a serious neck injury, the German champion got behind the wheel of a GP2 single-seater. The man assigned to follow him closely was Australian engineer Patrick Coorey, who is now team manager at Jaguar in Formula E. He shared with The Race the behind-the-scenes details of that unique experience.
In December 2009, while working for the GP2 team Super Nova, Coorey received an unexpected phone call from Mercedes team manager Ron Meadows. “They told us that one of their drivers needed to get back on track to regain fitness. When I heard it was Michael Schumacher I thought: ‘wow, incredible’. Nobody wanted to follow him as an engineer, but I immediately put my hand up,” he recalled.
The test, however, immediately triggered strong controversy. GP2 regulations required absolute equality of testing opportunities and tyres between teams. For this reason, the car was modified and painted with a neutral livery, ensuring that Super Nova would not gain any advantage for the 2010 season.
After several frantic days preparing a “hybrid” car, Coorey met Schumacher for the seat fitting at Brackley. “He was still wearing a Ferrari race suit, it was a little surreal. Ross Brawn was monitoring everything closely, and there was a very special atmosphere.”
The goal was clear: to verify the strength and resistance of the seven-time world champion’s neck. “Michael wanted to push hard, to simulate loads close to what he would face in Formula 1. We added more downforce than usual in order to increase the physical stresses,” the engineer explained.
The bad weather complicated matters, with the three-day test taking place mostly on a wet track. Yet Schumacher, as always, found a way to impress.
An incredible professional
“He was unbelievably prepared. I could talk to him about the differential, dampers, or engine maps: he knew everything. He was as technical as an engineer,” said Coorey.
One scene remained etched in his memory. “Michael said he could feel a small ‘step’ in the lower part of the throttle map. Looking at the data, nothing showed up. Then, with a more detailed analysis, we really did find a micro-irregularity, almost invisible. His sensitivity was unbelievable.”
Even the absence of power steering in the GP2 car tested him. “He wanted surgical precision at the steering wheel. We adjusted the setup to help him. He was driving with the accuracy of a surgeon.”
Schumacher the man, not only the champion
Beyond his extraordinary professionalism, Coorey was also struck by the human side of Schumacher. “Before getting in the car he was reserved, almost cold. After the first laps he would return smiling, relaxed, completely at ease. It was so clear how happy he was to be back in a racing car. For him the single-seater was a natural extension of himself, not only physically but emotionally too.”
Coorey concluded with a reflection that summed up the essence of the man known as the Kaiser. “He was everything you had ever heard about him and even more. A complete professional, but also a man capable of transmitting passion and energy to the entire team.”
That Jerez test was just a prelude. Only a few weeks later, Michael Schumacher made his official return to Formula 1 with the brand-new Mercedes team, alongside Nico Rosberg. But those rainy days in Andalusia, surrounded by secrecy and tension, remain a unique and unforgettable fragment of the career of the seven-time world champion.
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