Schumacher Return Spices Up New Season

Hi, I’m Dafydd, and I’ll be contributing to the F1 Informer from time to time.

Now, I’ve always admired Michael Schumacher. He’s been my role model since I started following the sport twelve years ago. Yes, I admit it, I love Michael Schumacher.

But I’m not his chief supporter in his return stint. He has nothing to prove. He’s tarnishing his untouchable reputation and all for a couple of German Marks (or 22.5 million if reports are true).

Any sports fan acknowledges Schumi as the best Formula 1 driver that’s ever been in an open cockpit. However, at 41 years young, can he really capture his eighth world title?

Since Schumacher departed the sport in 2006, the sport has thrived on competitive racing and dramatic season finales that were more gripping than watching Law & Order UK.

In 2007, Lewis Hamilton (and his gearbox) gifted Kimi Räikkönen his maiden world championship, blowing away a second place grid slot and a four point lead to finish second place in the driver’s standings, one point behind the Finn and level on points with stroppy teammate Fernando Alonso.

If that was gripping, 2008 was off the scale. Hamilton ignored Robert Kubica’s favour of blocking Sebastian Vettel on the inside by going around the Pole (Polish person, not a random pole in the middle of a race track), leaving a gap as wide as the Severn for the ‘new Schumacher’ to stroll through. But with rain and a demented Timo Glock on dry tires, Hamilton secured the title with literally a last gasp victory. Cue scenes of celebrations everywhere, as Team Massa also thought they’d won. Ouch.

And last year wasn’t short of twists and turns either. Brawn GP’s ever-declining performance saw Christian Horner’s Red Bull duo biting away at the constructors’ and drivers’ title lead. Jenson Button finally got the praise he deserved, and moved the Playboy image to the back of the sceptics’ minds, for now.

Did Formula 1 miss Schumacher?

No. The retirement of the German giant meant the field was so competitive, that it went down to the nail-biting wire every season. If a prime Schumacher was still competing, I would place a wager on the season ending after Week 12.

Schumacher will drive alongside Nico Rosberg at Mercedes GP this season.

But it’s good to have you back, Schumi, especially with a sparkling field full of young inflated egos (and Rubens Barrichello) that have built-up their names during Schumacher’s hibernation.

With emphasis on building extremely durable neck muscles in the racing game, Schumacher, who suffered from detached cartilage in his neck following a motorbike crash, is certainly not best cut out for the job. At 41, he’s not in his physical prime racing shape of the early ‘00s, is he?

Coincidentally, Schumacher will have to deal with the infamous Bahrain 3G corner in his first race, a very demanding (massive understatement) corner that’s equal to 15 kilograms of weight pushing against your neck. It’s a track that relies heavily on precise breaking, and the winner will probably be the sharpest driver on the scene, so Schumacher stands no hope (oh my, am I going to regret saying this!)

All in all, it brings much more publicity back to the sport, not like it needs it or anything. He’ll line-up with Nico Rosberg at Mercedes, driving under the Einstein of Formula 1, Ross Brawn.

Schumacher is another reason to tune-in on March 14 for the Bahrain GP. Is he over the hill? Does he have the car to show-off his artillery? Plenty of “if” and “but” questions that will be answered over the course of the opening quarter of the calendar.