Michael Schumacher may not have made an F1 comeback but he will return to racing this year at the wheel of a kart.
The seven-times world champion will join Toro Rosso duo Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari SKUSA SuperNationals XIII kart race in Las Vegas next week.
Schumacher confirmed last month he was ready to return to racing after recovering from the neck injury that kept him away from an F1 return in the European Grand Prix.
According to the event’s website:
The former Ferrari F1 driver will compete in the SuperPro category against the top 125cc drivers from North America and the world, running with the factory Tony Kart team aboard a Vortex-powered Racer EVR.
The event takes place at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on November 18th-22nd.
Schumacher’s love of karting is well-known and he often competed in kart races even while racing in F1. In 2001 he raced a young Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Vitantonio Liuzzi in the World Karting Championship final.
He contested the International Challenge of Kart Champs in Brazil last year with Rubens Barrichello, Felipe Massa and Vitantonio Liuzzi.
He contested the Race of Champions in Beijing last week, winning the Nations’ Cup with Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel. But he lost out in the overall tournament final to DTM driver Mattias Ekstrom.
Schumacher’s cancelled comeback
TommyB
10th November 2009, 0:16
I hope one of the STR boys can beat Schumi :-D
wasiF1
10th November 2009, 1:25
Is nice to hear there are some racing containing F1 stars in USA.
his_majesty
10th November 2009, 1:37
i may go to vegas that week!!
mp4-19b
10th November 2009, 1:55
Hopefully me too!
steph90
10th November 2009, 18:08
If you do see it then get some good pics and post them up on the site
:DPrisoner Monkeys
10th November 2009, 4:07
In the RED corner, the most successful man ever to step into a Formula One car, it’s seven-time World Champion Michael SCHUUUUUUMACHER!
And in the BLUE corner, it’s the most inexperienced man ever to be given a Formula One drive, the person whose promotion to Toro Rosso didn’t even scare the competition in the World Series by Renault, it’s Jaime ALGUERSUARIIIIII!
It sounds a bit one-sided, doesn’t it?
SamS
10th November 2009, 9:17
There have been bigger margins (i am thinking of a boxing match this weekend, the russian who was 1 foot taller and 7stone heavier lost!) Maybe Jamie is a deamon in a kart!!!
Wesley
11th November 2009, 0:19
Guess he didn’t want to go up against the other side of the Red Bull team.
Ninad
10th November 2009, 4:31
This is what I like about this guy, he still loves racing (mostly karting) and does not fear being beaten.
Robbie
10th November 2009, 9:57
Schumacher – 7 time world champion vs Alguesuari – a guy who ran out of fuel in the last race this year because he stopped in the wrong pit… very one sided.
Buemi isn’t bad though, I guess.
Mark Hitchcock
10th November 2009, 15:58
He didn’t run out of fuel…
wdf2
10th November 2009, 19:02
Schumacher’s been doing a lot of karting this summer, not only the F1 comeback prep in August. Over the last half of the year he was a regular in the shifter kart class at the club races at our local track in Kerpen. (The track he grew up racing on.) Here is a local TV report that mixes coverage of the Bambini (Cadet) class and Schumacher. (Video is in German.) http://www.stadttv-bruehl.de/mediathek/automagazin/bambini-challenge/
Racin Rob
11th November 2009, 16:50
This just in……
Piquet Jr to run Supernats also!!
http://www.ekartingnews.ca/news_info.php?n=5458&sid=33df657e68ca3a17207eaa9e7a54767d
Gman
12th November 2009, 4:33
Interesting news…just gose to show that the USA is such an entertainment center that, for as much as sme F1-related people want to avoid it, the personalities of the sport will wind up spending some time here in some capacity.
Are any other drivers or personalities taking part in the same race? I know Jeff Gordon drives in Massa’s kart race most years as well- anyone from IndyCar or elsewhere perhaps?
Racin Rob
12th November 2009, 13:28
I’m not aware of anyone specific but I’m sure there will be others…..Dan Wheldon comes to mind as he races in a yearly karting event in Indianapolis.
Max Papis raced in the Florida Winter Tour kart series last year so he’s another posibility.
But I’m just guessing…..I’ll keep you guys posted if I hear of any other racing celebs entering.
Rob