Combination of an electrical three-phase machine with a converter unit, - wherein the three-phase machine has a stator and a rotor, - wherein the rotor is rotatable about a rotation axis, - wherein the stator is mechanically divided into a number of stator segments which each cover a respective sector in relation to the rotation axis, - wherein the coils of just one single polyphase system are arranged in the stator segments, - wherein the stator segments each have the connections for connecting phase lines of just one single polyphase system and - wherein the connections are connected to the coils of phases, - wherein the converter unit has a plurality of subunits (4a, 4b), - wherein the subunits (4a, 4b) can be operated independently of one another and each form a single polyphase system, - wherein the number of phases of the subunits (4a, 4b) corresponds to the number of phases of the stator segments, and - wherein the connections of the stator segments of the three-phase machine are each connected to one of the subunits (4a, 4b), - wherein the stator segments form groups of directly successive stator segments as viewed around the rotation axis, - wherein the connections of the stator segments within the respective group are connected to the same subunit (4a, 4b) of the converter unit, - wherein the connections of the stator segments of successive groups of stator segments as viewed around the rotation axis are connected to differing subunits (4a, 4b) of the converter unit, - wherein the groups of stator segments each consist of a plurality of stator segments, - wherein the groups of stator segments each extend over 360°/n, where n is equal to the number of subunits (4a, 4b) connected to the coils of the three-phase machine, characterized in that - the converter unit has a switching device which is arranged between the subunits (4a, 4b) and the coils of the three-phase machine and via which it is possible to adjust which of the subunits (4a, 4b) of the converter unit is connected to the coils of which groups of stator segments, - in that, if one of the subunits (4a, 4b) fails, a resulting force acts on the rotor in the radial direction, and - in that, if one of the subunits (4a, 4b) fails, the subunits (4a, 4b) are connected to the groups of stator segments in such a way that the direction of the force resulting owing to the asymmetrical interaction between the stator and the rotor is directed against the weight force which the rotor exerts on its bearing. - wherein the three-phase machine has a stator and a rotor, - wherein the rotor is rotatable about a rotation axis, - wherein the stator is mechanically divided into a number of stator segments which each cover a respective sector in relation to the rotation axis, - wherein the coils of just one single polyphase system are arranged in the stator segments, - wherein the stator segments each have the connections for connecting phase lines of just one single polyphase system and - wherein the connections are connected to the coils of phases, - wherein the converter unit has a plurality of subunits (4a, 4b), - wherein the subunits (4a, 4b) can be operated independently of one another and each form a single polyphase system, - wherein the number of phases of the subunits (4a, 4b) corresponds to the number of phases of the stator segments, and - wherein the connections of the stator segments of the three-phase machine are each connected to one of the subunits (4a, 4b), - wherein the stator segments form groups of directly successive stator segments as viewed around the rotation axis, - wherein the connections of the stator segments within the respective group are connected to the same subunit (4a, 4b) of the converter unit, - wherein the connections of the stator segments of successive groups of stator segments as viewed around the rotation axis are connected to differing subunits (4a, 4b) of the converter unit, - wherein the groups of stator segments each consist of a plurality of stator segments, - wherein the groups of stator segments each extend over 360°/n, where n is equal to the number of subunits (4a, 4b) connected to the coils of the three-phase machine, characterized in that - the converter unit has a switching device which is arranged between the subunits (4a, 4b) and the coils of the three-phase machine and via which it is possible to adjust which of the subunits (4a, 4b) of the converter unit is connected to the coils of which groups of stator segments, - in that, if one of the subunits (4a, 4b) fails, a resulting force acts on the rotor in the radial direction, and - in that, if one of the subunits (4a, 4b) fails, the subunits (4a, 4b) are connected to the groups of stator segments in such a way that the direction of the force resulting owing to the asymmetrical interaction between the stator and the rotor is directed against the weight force which the rotor exerts on its bearing.