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Michael Schumacher signs up for F1 return with Mercedes
By Andrew Benson
Seven-times Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher will come out of retirement to race for Mercedes next year, BBC Sport understands.
The German, who will be 41 on 3 January, has signed a contract and the deal will be announced imminently.
Schumacher will partner compatriot Nico Rosberg in the team that won the drivers' and constructors' titles in 2009 in its former guise as Brawn.
His spokeswoman Sabine Kehm said she could not make any comment.
Schumacher's decision will reunite him with Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn, who masterminded all seven of his titles, the first two with Benetton in 1994-5 and the subsequent five with Ferrari from 2000-4.
The German newspaper Bild is reporting that Schumacher has signed a one-year deal.
Mercedes are known to want German rising star Sebastian Vettel in the long term, but the 22-year-old is contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2012.
Schumacher was forced to call off a planned temporary comeback as a stand-in for injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa last season because of a neck injury sustained in a motorcycle accident last February.
But Schumacher is known to have had medical checks recently and it must be assumed he has been given the all clear as he would not want to face the same embarrassment again.
He signed a revised contract as a consultant for Ferrari, but he told Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo that he was "very close" to concluding a deal to race for Mercedes.
Ferrari have had to release him from his contract to enable him to race for Mercedes.
His comeback is the most high profile in F1 since Austrian Niki Lauda came out of a two-year retirement for the 1982 season to race for McLaren.
Lauda, who was 33 at the time, went on to win a third world title in 1984.
Schumacher has been training hard in preparation for a return and, assuming his neck is fully healed, is not expected to have any problems with fitness.
His former team-mate Eddie Irvine told the BBC last week that he expected Schumacher would win races, even though he would not be as powerful a force as before.
"The speed will be there, though he won't be as fast as he was seven years ago," Irvine said.
"He's not at the peak of his game, but he's still good enough to win races as he has such an immense talent. It's still four wheels, a steering wheel and an engine and there's never been anyone better than Michael."
Irvine said he thought Schumacher would be at a disadvantage in wheel-to-wheel racing compared to the younger generation of drivers such as 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton.
"Lewis isn't going to back off, but Michael will have to because he'll be 41," Irvine said.
its not officially announced but all the reporters seem to say its just a matter of time before its official
it seems odd as hell though.... for him not to be in red :/
on the BBC when they just talked about it they said he does have the green light from doctors (the article says they're not sure)
I've been wanting to post this... As his fan, I am excited.
It will definitely be interesting to see if Ross Brawn and MS still have the magic in them. Quite frankly, the only World Champion (on the grid) that I have respect for is Fernado Alonso, as Lewis, Kimi and Jenson didn't earn their title until MS retired. It will be interesting if MS manages to beat these so-called World Champions.
Mercedes (while they were still with Mclaren) had been wanting to sign MS for the LONGEST time. Now, everyone is a winner other than Ferrari. Ferrari has been trying to Italianize their team over the last few years instead of reaching out for talents like they did in the 90s... and it will be their downfall.
__________________ 08 CBR600RR 03 IS300
Ezekiel 25:17. The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. For he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you.
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where he started didn't matter to me because the legend was really made @ ferrari
and i wish i was too young :/
Quote:
Originally Posted by impactX
I've been wanting to post this... As his fan, I am excited.
It will definitely be interesting to see if Ross Brawn and MS still have the magic in them. Quite frankly, the only World Champion (on the grid) that I have respect for is Fernado Alonso, as Lewis, Kimi and Jenson didn't earn their title until MS retired. It will be interesting if MS manages to beat these so-called World Champions.
Mercedes (while they were still with Mclaren) had been wanting to sign MS for the LONGEST time. Now, everyone is a winner other than Ferrari. Ferrari has been trying to Italianize their team over the last few years instead of reaching out for talents like they did in the 90s... and it will be their downfall.
I don't care for any of the winners (even Alonso) i would have more respect for Button if he had a better season in the last but it really went quite badly i feel he only won because everyone else sucked but im glad he won over the others (it would have been awesome if Massa won, im a big fan, but obviouslly...)
No more refueling, so no more fuel strategy games, so it will be more about pure racing once again. So it won't be like the Schumi/Brawn days of a few years ago, where they would do all their passing moves in the pit lane. Also this means they will be qualifying with just fumes, which should make for some fun and interesting qualy times
They do, but Williams say they are going to use it
Thanks.
I thought FOTA hugged it out with Williams.
In any case, I really wonder how this will affect the Ferrari and McLaren programs. They started making aero progress towards the end of last year and McLaren was downright competitive in the second half. How much of that was helped by KERS?
It will definitely be interesting to see if Ross Brawn and MS still have the magic in them. Quite frankly, the only World Champion (on the grid) that I have respect for is Fernado Alonso, as Lewis, Kimi and Jenson didn't earn their title until MS retired. It will be interesting if MS manages to beat these so-called World Champions.
Actually, Kimi should have crowned the champion long before Alonso if Mercedes engine not failed on him for so many time. He was widely accepted as the fastest driver on grid even when MS still running. But also widely accepted to be the most unlucky driver on the grid.
Ezekiel 25:17. The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. For he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you.
I only answer to my username, my real name is Irrelevant!
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: CELICAland
Posts: 25,651
Thanked 10,382 Times in 3,908 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by impactX
That's only the 2009 car in new color fyi.
Quote:
The event opened with a welcome speech by Dr. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars before Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg unveiled the new Silver Arrows livery for the 2010 season on last year’s car. The team’s 2010 car, the MGP W01, will make its track debut at the first Formula One test in Valencia on Monday 1 February, with the 2010 Formula One season starting in Bahrain on 14 March.
The new silver and green livery creates a true marriage between the heritage of the Silver Arrows and the team’s title partner PETRONAS. The legacy of the Silver Arrows goes back to the 1934 Eifel Race when, on the evening before the event, the white paint was sanded off the Mercedes W25 race car to fulfil weight regulations (750kg formula) and the silver colour of the aluminium surface of the car appeared. This season, with the return of the Silver Arrows, the MGP W01 will shine in silver combined with a flow of iridescent silver and green shading. On the nose and other parts of the car, traces of black carbon fibre visible are visible – a reminder of the first Silver Arrow of 1934.
To be honest, it feels weird to see MS in this color... but oh well. I look forward to Bahrain to see what he can do.
__________________ 08 CBR600RR 03 IS300
Ezekiel 25:17. The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. For he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you.
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