The neck injury that kept Michael Schumacher away from a shock F1 return this year has healed.
Schumacher injured his neck in a bike racing accident early this year. The seven-times champion told Der Spiegel, in an interview due to be published tomorrow:
From now to the end of the year, my neck injury will be healed to the point where I could drive again.
I have nothing to prove to anyone, not even myself. I still slightly regret having retired three years ago but there’s no reason whatsoever for me to definitively announce that I will not come back.
The life I lead makes me happy but who knows that will happen a few months or a year down the line?
Michael Schumacher
Ferrari having been lobbying for the right to run a third car so Schumacher could race next year, but the chances of it happening are slim to none.
As Schumacher has extended his contract with the company it is unlikely Schumacher could drive for another team.
Ferrari have announced Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa as their F1 drivers for 2010, so an F1 return for Schumacher in the near future looks unlikely.
Schumacher’s cancelled comeback
Steph90
18th October 2009, 12:42
I don’t want him back, maybe for one race to see how the new ‘stars’ cope with him but that is just a novelty race.
Gustav
18th October 2009, 12:56
I don’t believe it will be good for him to come back. He lost 3 years of his decent days, now he is just old. He hasn’t been racing for real, so I doubt he will be able to keep a pace that even remotely reminds us of his old driving and results.
Mike
18th October 2009, 13:00
I agree with Steph but not so much with Gustav. It would be a novelty if he were to come back once or twice, that’s basically what it would have been earlier this year if is neck was so nicked up. But to say he wouldn’t keep pace I think is wrong. In a sport that is more about the cars than the drivers (see: Jenson Button’s career over the last couple of years), he could jump right in and be fast.
I am not saying he would win in his first time out, but he would be no slouch, either.
Patrickl
19th October 2009, 17:52
You should talk to Luca Badoer or even Giancarly Fisichella about jumping in the car and being fast rigth away.
Schumacher was about 3 seconds off the pace in that 2007 Ferrari during his test.
jambmoz
18th October 2009, 15:53
i always had doubts if he realy wanted to retire, but too much time has passed now i think.
RacerFan
18th October 2009, 16:03
Although I used to not like Schumacher at all, I must admit know that I miss him. I hope he will come back next season and teach Alonso some lessons (given the fact that they will have equal machinery).
Woffin
19th October 2009, 0:22
Two words…Abu Dhabi!!!
Hallard
19th October 2009, 6:16
I bet Bernie is begging him! Now that the titles are decided the race in Abu Dhabi could be a huge flop.
Tom
19th October 2009, 10:43
and given fisichella’s poor performance…
Woffin
19th October 2009, 0:23
Two words spring to mind straight away. Abu Dhabi.
wasiF1
19th October 2009, 6:02
Yeah will he return in Abu Dhabi
DGR-F1
19th October 2009, 8:29
What a surprise, Old Schuey wants to return to F1. Are Ferrari asking him to return because they know how useless their cars are, or because they know how useless any combination of Massa, Alonso or Kimi will be?
They appear to have completely wasted 3 years of Schuey knowledge while he has been trackside, since neither of the current drivers, or the team as a whole appear have become ‘Schuey-esque’ in their thinking on race day.
I think this is a)PR from Willi Webber and b)Ferrari realising that they need Ross Brawn back.
SiY
19th October 2009, 11:54
Of course he’s not coming back! Ferrari are still very keen to run a third car, with perhaps as many as two other teams also allowed a third car to avoid it appearing quite so blatantly biased. Their arrogance towards the smaller teams is nothing new (see Enzo Ferrari’s “garagiste” remarks back in the 50s & 60s) but is still distasteful.
The extra development mileage and chance to start running a young driver programme, fifteen years after all the other top teams were doing so, would be invaluable to Ferrari. They are simply using the massive and genuine excitement that surrounded Schumi’s possible return back in August as a powerful bargaining chip to be allowed to run a third car.
Arnet
20th October 2009, 4:47
I would say that saying “I still regret having BEEN retired,” would probably be a more accurate description of the how and why of his leaving the sport he loved and dominated. The man was not exactly soured milk when he left, but I think coming back might not be the best move. Still, it would be great to see him being passed by some of the new aces.