Schumi return confirmed

Seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher will return to Formula One with Mercedes GP next season.F1 legend targets eighth world title with Mercedes in 2010

The F1 legend has signed a three-year deal to drive for the German manufacturer in 2010, with the contract said to be initially worth around £6.2million.

Schumacher, who turns 41 on January 3rd and who will therefore easily be the oldest driver on the grid, will partner fellow German Nico Rosberg.

Explaining his decision, Schumacher, who retired at the end of the 2006 season, said: "The motivation is pretty straightforward.

"I got a call from Ross (Brawn, team principal) at the beginning of November asking me to race again, telling me Mercedes were going to be involved.

"I've never left the race track, and after three years I regained the energy I'm feeling now.

"After playing around on motorbikes, I'm ready for the serious stuff."

Schumacher also demonstrated that he has lost none of his self confidence by targeting an eighth drivers' title in 2010.

"I have won it seven times and I'm with the team that won both titles last season, so what do you expect?," he said.

"You can't expect anything else other than to go for the World Championship and that's what we are aiming for."


The news brings an end to speculation which started when Schumacher was seen in talks with Daimler boss Dieter Zetsche and Brawn in the paddock at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in early November.

Just a fortnight later, Mercedes-Benz had taken over Brawn and new World Champion Jenson Button was on his way to McLaren.

Schumacher had attempted a comeback with Ferrari, with whom he won five of his world titles, back in the summer as a stand-in for Felipe Massa, who was seriously injured in an accident during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

However, after testing a 2007-spec Ferrari, he decided against the move after deciding that a neck injury, sustained in a bike test back in February, had not healed sufficiently.

Schumacher, who has maintained a rigorous training regime in the time since his retirement, has confirmed the injury has healed.

"Before giving the final okay, I had to make sure my neck was okay," he said.

"It wasn't okay in the summer, but it's had the time to heal completely."

Schumacher has also now severed the ties that have binded him to Ferrari since he joined the team in 1996.

He often appeared at races following his retirement in an advisory role and also tested for the team - both suggesting that Schumacher's desire to race was still strong.

Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo paved the way for his return earlier this month when he confirmed he would not hold Schumacher to his contract.

Schumacher's return sees him again join forces with Brawn, the Mercedes GP team principal, and the man who was the mastermind behind his seven titles - two with Benetton and five with Ferrari.

During his previous 16 seasons in the sport, incorporating 249 grands prix and dating back to the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, Schumacher managed to break virtually every record.

He has won the most world titles; most race victories (91); most pole positions (68); highest number of wins in one season (13 in 2004); number of consecutive podiums (19); wins from pole (40); fastest laps (76); hat-trick of pole, win, fastest lap (22), and most number of consecutive results in the points (24).


Asked if he was worried about putting his reputation on the line by returning, Schumacher replied: "I hope they will judge me on what I've done before.

"Brawn is a team that won both championships last year, they now have a strong partner in Mercedes, so the only aim is to go for the championship."

Schumacher revealed that he had consulted wife Corinna on his comeback.

"I had to sort out my personal situation before entering this new one," he said. "She could see the spark in my eyes, and so she didn't really argue."