The legend is back and how? Michael Schumacher is back in the Formula One grid and this time he is racing for Mercedes GP. Remember, about a week back we had written a blog on Schumi’s much anticipated return to F1, now the news is confirmed.The German ace at the age of 41 is coming back from his retirement to race for Mercedes GP and signed a 3-year deal for $10 million dollars to be on the grid when the new season starts with Bahrain GP on March 14th, 2010.The gritty German legend is already eyeing the championship and is determined to give his 100 per cent to fight for the championship. Schumi started his career as a race driver in Mercedes sports car team when he drove a Mercedes before breaking into F1 with Jordan in 1991.
This 7 time World Drivers Champion made his F1 debut with the Jordan team in Belgian GP in 1991 and had won the championship titles with Benetton and Ferrari before retiring in 2006. It might be recalled that Schumi had planned a comeback with Ferrari earlier this year as a stand-in for injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa, but had to abandon the grand plans due to a freak neck injury caused in a motorcycle accident.
Schumi after his retirement in 2006 had kept himself busy by taking charge as the consultant for Ferrari road cars. Ferrari 458 Italia was the last car to be ever fine-tuned by this German Ace during his stint as a consultant for Ferrari.
Formula One has changed a lot since 2006 after Schumi retired from F1. This time around F1 has become more cost-conscious and Ferrari and Mercedes GP will be the only teams that are fully manufacture-owned teams with BMW, Honda and Toyota thrown in the towels already in F1. Renault F1, a troubled team after crash-gate scandal in Singapore involving Nelson piquet Jr also is due to sell a significant stake in their British-based operation.
Austrian Niki Lauda and France’s Alain Prost are the only two world champions who came back to win the titles in their hay days and Schumi will try emulating them in this outing. Schumi’s comeback will allow 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton, who entered the sport after Schumi’s retirement to measure himself with the German ace.
This year’s F1 grid lineup features the most oddest when Mercedes GP will feature an all-German line up in the F1 grid that also includes Nico Rosberg apart from Schumi the McLaren F1 team will feature an all-English drivers in Lewis Hamilton and 2009 world champion Jenson Button who recently quit the erstwhile Brawn GP, taking the Anglo-German battle for title to a new level. It also will be the battle of generations when Schumi and Lewis Hamilton who is half his age eying for the coveted title. The oldest champion in the F1 grid till now was Argentine Jaun Manuel Fangio who took his fifth title at the age of 46 while oldest driver to win a Grand Prix is Italian Luigi Fagioli in 1951 at the age of 53.It can be recalled that Mercedes withdrew their stakes in McLaren F1 team to take over the Brawn GP from Ross Brawn to form a new F1 team called Mercedes GP. Ross Brawn was a technical director in Ferrari when Schumi was a driver and world champion in Ferrari and Schumi-Brawn alliance was considered to be the best in the world of F1. All of this is set to return when Ross Brawn takes the charge as a technical director in Mercedes GP with Schumi also in the team as a best driver for the German team. Lets all hope that Schumi renews his winning streak with the new team.
In conclusion, the year 2009 certainly has ended on a high note for F1 with Schumi’s comeback. Come this 2010, it surely is a treat for the F1 fans throughout the world and May the best driver hold on to his title in 2010.
posted by admin @ Thursday, December 24th, 2009 1 Comment » link to this post
I was looking for this the other day. i dont usually post in forums but i wanted to say thank you!