[jraj]

Looking forward eagerly to the start of 2010 season.Have to get used to a Michael in silver overalls instead of the revered Red one.

[McLaren Rulez]

Well its been a case of when, not if. But finally, its been officially announced. The only question now is if Schumacher can live up to all the hype and actually compete with the current crop of drivers.

EDIT: A three year deal? So Schumi will be driving when he's forty three? Mercedes sure is taking a huge chance with this. I expected a one year deal.

[pranavt]

I heard it was a 1 year contract for 7m EUR

[hanmust]

Mercedes Grand Prix have officially confirmed Michael Schumacher has signed a one year contract as Nico Rosberg's team mate for 2010. He will reportedly earn approximately 7 million euros and will attempt to add more victories to his glittering career that includes 7 drivers world championships, 91 victories and 68 pole positions.

It marks the second attempt by F1's most successful driver to return to the grid. Just last year, Schumacher had agreed to replace the injured Felipe Massa for Scuderia Ferrari, but a previously sustained neck injuring ruined his chances. But Schumacher recently underwent medical checks and is confident he is back to full fitness.

"Mercedes Grand Prix Petronas represents a new challenge for me both in a sporting and a personal context," Schumacher commented. "It is a new chapter in my racing career and I am really looking forward to working with my old friend Ross Brawn and my companions from my days with the Mercedes Junior Programme."

"I am convinced that together we will be involved in the fight for the Formula 1 World Championship next year and I am already looking forward to getting back onto the race track. For me, this partnership closes the circle. Mercedes supported me for so many years when I began my Formula 1 career and now I can hopefully give something back to the brand with the star."

Press Release:

The MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team can confirm today that seven-times Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher will make his racing return in 2010 with the Silver Arrows team.

With seven Drivers’ World Championships, 248 Grand Prix starts, 91 victories, 154 podium finishes and 68 pole positions, the 40-year old German needs no introduction following an illustrious and record-breaking Formula One career from 1991 to 2006 at the Jordan, Benetton and Ferrari teams.

Michael’s return to racing with MERCEDES GP PETRONAS sees his return to Mercedes-Benz Motorsport where he began his racing apprenticeship as part of the Junior Programme in 1990, racing in Group C sports cars and DTM, and sees Michael renew his partnership with Ross Brawn with whom he won all seven of his World Championships.

Today’s announcement confirms the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS driver line-up for the 2010 season with Michael partnering his compatriot, 24 year old Nico Rosberg, in the Silver Arrows cars.

Michael Schumacher: "MERCEDES GP PETRONAS represents a new challenge for me both in a sporting and a personal context. It is a new chapter in my racing career and I am really looking forward to working with my old friend Ross Brawn and my companions from my days with the Mercedes Junior Programme. I am convinced that together we will be involved in the fight for the Formula 1 World Championship next year and I am already looking forward to getting back onto the race track. For me, this partnership closes the circle. Mercedes supported me for so many years when I began my Formula 1 career and now I can hopefully give something back to the brand with the star."

Nico Rosberg: "It is fantastic that Michael is returning to Formula One and will be my team-mate at MERCEDES GP PETRONAS. It’s a great challenge for me to be up against one of the best drivers of all time. I’m sure that we will form a very strong partnership as he will have lost none of his speed! It is also great news for our sport and the fans."

Ross Brawn, Team Principal of MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: "I am delighted that we can confirm today that Michael will make his much-anticipated return to Formula One next year and drive for our MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team. As seven-time World Champion, Michael’s outstanding record in Formula One speaks for itself and I am looking forward to working with him again. With the completion of our driver line-up, I believe that we now have the most exciting partnership in Formula One with Michael and Nico, who provide the perfect mix of talent, experience, speed and youth. We can now turn our full attention to the preparations for the new season and everyone at MERCEDES GP PETRONAS is extremely excited about the challenge ahead. With the investment and support in our team provided by Daimler, Aabar and our new title partner Petronas, and with two such exciting drivers, we have all of the building blocks in place to have another successful season in 2010."

Norbert Haug, Vice-President of Mercedes-Benz Motorsports: "In April 1991, when I had been in charge of the Mercedes-Benz Motorsport programme for just six months, Michael was standing beside me on the balcony one evening. Without the slightest doubt, he said in a low voice: “It’s about time that I got into Formula 1”. Michael had just turned 22 years of age and four months later, he made his debut at Spa in a Jordan. Mercedes-Benz helped him to this point and the rest is history: seven World Championship titles, more than any racing driver, 91 Grand Prix wins, more than any racing driver. Michael has more of everything than every other driver. As part of the Mercedes Junior Programme, Michael had raced in Group C sports cars and competed in a few DTM races. Ross Brawn, then our opponent at Jaguar, quickly realised Michael’s talent and they went on to win all seven of his Drivers’ World Championship titles together at Benetton and Ferrari. Our sporting ambition has always been that Michael should drive again where his professional career had started and Michael knew that. We often joked about it after the races and discussed the prospect seriously several times during the last 14 years in Formula 1. It didn’t happen in 1995, it didn’t happen in 1998 and it didn’t happen in 2005. I am delighted that it will now happen in 2010. I am very much looking forward to working with Michael and everybody at Mercedes-Benz and Daimler extends a very warm welcome to our ‘apprentice’ of 19 years ago. That apprentice is now the most successful racing driver of all time."

Source: Media.Daimler AG

[CorsaLove]

Ya saw this on BBC a while back. I'm certainly waiting for the Champ to fire the track again.

[KRf1]

Ferrari have now lost both Schumi and Kimi .

Welcome back Schumacher !
Merc GP may have converted hordes of Ferrari fans to Merc fans with this .

March 2010 Im already biting my nails ! in anticipation .

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

Well its been a case of when, not if. But finally, its been officially announced. The only question now is if Schumacher can live up to all the hype and actually compete with the current crop of drivers.

He will live up to the hype .
Wether he is WDC or wins races or not depends on the car though .

[PAVAN KADAM]

Little bit from the Horse's Mouth.

This shows Schumi means Business.

The master returns - Q&A with Michael Schumacher

Now it is official: Michael Schumacher will compete again in F1 racing after a contract was sealed with the newly-formed Mercedes GP team. Schumacher has fancied the idea of a comeback ever since replacing the injured Felipe Massa became a possibility. However, had it not been for the formation of the Ross Brawn-led Mercedes squad, he would have never thought a full-time return more than a pipe dream…

Q: Michael, welcome back to Formula One. Your signature on the contract has hardly dried - can you say something about the content of your contract?
Michael Schumacher: Yep, the deal was done only hours ago. Regarding the driving, the time frame is three years. There was never any intention to do a one-off. There will be an option after that to be brand ambassador for Mercedes, which would make sense in a way.

Q: So you are really planning to race again for three years?
MS: Correct.

Q: How did those last few weeks of negotiations feel? Was there a certain level of excitement or has F1 hardened you and it was just one of those things?
MS: Hardened? Not at all. This morning when I was talking to my new race engineer I was feeling like a 12- year old boy who is jumping from excitement at the prospect of a new toy. I am so excited - I cannot repeat it often enough. True, I will be 41 years old, but the combination of Ross and Mercedes is something that I believe in - and I believe in myself as well. There was never a moment of doubt.

Q: What was your motivation to come back?
MS: Well, that was pretty straightforward. At the end of November I got a call from Ross concerning an option to go racing again. Having got that call from him and the information that Mercedes will be involved, that did it. I kind of never left the race track up to 2006, so I was pretty tired back then, with a lack of motivation and energy. Three years’ absence has reloaded my batteries and having played around with motor bikes, go-karts and all kind of things I now feel ready again for some serious stuff.

Q: Planning to race for three years, you must be pretty sure that your neck problem has vanished…
MS: Sure, that was the crucial question for me as it had not worked out in the summer. Before I gave my final okay I worked out, to be sure for myself - and now I know that the neck is no longer as issue. Unfortunately I was not ready in the summer when I tried to step in for Felipe as it was too close to the accident.

Q: Aged 40, do you still have that ferocious will to win that was so predominant in you before, to go fighting again wheel-to-wheel with the likes of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton?
MS: I am absolutely sure. After that bike accident, when I got into a kart for the first time I immediately had the pace again. Sure, that’s a small proof and I have to demonstrate it again in a real car. And if that means to take it wheel-to-wheel with those guys, then that’s exciting. I am very much looking forward to it. When you take all the opinions from the outside, then everybody seems to be very convinced that I still have what it takes.

Q: You have obviously switched colours: how difficult was it to leave Ferrari and come back with Mercedes?
MS: That, sure, was not an easy step, honestly. I have a lot of friends at Ferrari and I have fantastic memories from my time with them. But (Ferrari chairman) Luca di Montezemolo helped easing the situation a lot in a conversation that I had with him. He knew that I was very disappointed in the summer when my condition did not allow me to finish the season for Ferrari, and that Ferrari - due to long term commitments - were not in a position to offer me more. Probably the only reason for my return now is because old friends have asked me: Ross, together with Mercedes, to give back something to Mercedes for their support in my early days.

Q: Was the possibility of standing in for Felipe the spark that triggered your ambition to come back, or had that ambition been lingering already for quite some time?
MS: You could say it was that replacement scenario that triggered everything.

Q: You have a great reputation. Aren’t you scared of putting all that on the line? People will always judge you by what you’ve done before…
MS: I hope that people will judge me on what I’ve done before. And look at the situation - I’m with a team that has won both championships this year, so their only route can be to defend these two titles. Yes, there will be strong competition - I predict very tight again, as we have seen this season - and I am absolutely thrilled to be back in it.

Q: Did you speak with your family before you decided to come back?
MS: Obviously. Making such a step requires that you sort out your personal situation first. There was no doubt in the family that I should do it. My wife has always been keen to see me happy and when I asked her opinion and she saw my eyes - the sparkle - she didn’t argue against it for one second. She said ‘go and have fun’.

Q: Were you unhappy in those three years of not driving?
MS: As I’ve explained earlier, at the end of the 2006 season I’d lost motivation and energy, so it was a somewhat logical step to quit. At that point I was pretty sure that this was it, as I could have never imagined returning. In those last three years I’ve played around in many areas. Such a team combination as the one we now have was beyond imagination, and when it became reality and I was asked to join I was absolutely thrilled. Why not?

Q: There was a quick survey this morning in Germany when the news broke and 70 percent of the participants are sure that you will fight again for the championship. Do you share that view?
MS: ....
...
...
Read more at the link below

Source : http://www.formula1.com/news/intervi.../12/10303.html

[vinaydas]

wow great news!! but i think fans will find it difficult watching schumi driving in a silver suit rather than red

[gomzi]

I loved the second question in that Q&A!

BTW, I wonder how that conversation between Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher went...

RB: hello? Michael? umm, dude you wanna go racing?
MS: Wha!?! ummm, lemme think about it...
RB: Mercedes is buying Brawn, you know.
MS: hmm, ok, lemme get my helmet!

[amit V8]

i am just disappointed. i eagerly waited this year to see him drive for ferrari. he never showed up, he had various problems regarding the accident. now, suddenly he's fit and is now driving for mercedes.
sounds fishy but he ain't bringing me back in front of TV anymore.

[myavu]

Yahoooo!!!

I am thrilled. Can't wait those 80 more days. Can't wait for Steve Slater screaming Michael Magic!!! Can't imagine what a season 2010 will be.

Just want to adjust a bit to see him in silver outfit and also need to support Ferrari as constructor and Schumi as Driver.

WOW!!!

[ishaanranderia]

Yeah i really wanted shumi with ferrari, it feels kinda strange to see it any other way....but i guess if he vows us the race track we will overlook it.

[Evolution_VIII]

The Racing God is back. But my Scuderia Ferrari t-shirt, jacket and cap are going to remain inside wardrobe for next 3 years.

I had decided to stop watching F1 after Ferrari hired the Cry Baby. Alonso is is good driver, no doubt, but simply can not support him even if he is at Ferrari.

But now I am going to watch each race, and planning to watch atleast 2 races this season in person (already started to plan for travel + race ticket costs etc).

Always wanted to see Schumacher racing at a track in person, desperately tried to fly to Brasil to watch his last race but the plans did not work out that time. I am not going to let it go this year.

3 years contact, wow, that means we can see him race in India, never ever thought that even in my dreams. Hope the people working for F1 in India dont disappoint and come up with a decent facility.

[PAVAN KADAM]

Teams are shaping up for the coming season.

Formula 1? - The Official F1? Website

Since Schumi is certainly driving this season, lets now start discussing the coming season on different thread.

So we end the thread on a cheerful note.

[tanwaramit]

since this thread is not yet closed, I have a chance to shout.

yahooooo, cant wait to see the races, schumi, we are waiting for your magic. now with alonso in ferrari, things will be tooo gooood.