Michael Schumacher is to sensationally come out of retirement to race for Ferrari in the absence of the injured Felipe Massa.
Seven-times world champion Schumacher, now 40, has not driven competitively since the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix in October 2006.
But Schumacher, who won five of his titles with Ferrari and who has been acting as an advisor to the team of late, will race in the European Grand Prix in Valencia on August 23.
âScuderia Ferrari Marlboro intends to put Michael Schumacher in Felipe Massaâs car until the Brazilian driver will be able to race again,â Ferrari confirmed in a statement.
âMichael Schumacher said he is ready and, over the next few days, will undertake a specific training programme at the end of which confirmation will be given of his participation in the championship with effect from the European Grand Prix on the 23rd of August.â
Schumacher, though, will first have to undergo a rigorous training programme as he is understood to still be recovering from neck and back injuries sustained in a motorbike test in Spain in February.
But he is more than happy to come to Ferrariâs aid in their hour of need after Massa fractured his skull in a freak accident on Saturday in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Speaking on his official website, Schumacher said: 'The most important thing first: thank God, all news concerning Felipe is positive, and I wish him all the best again.
'This afternoon I met with (team principal) Stefano Domenicali and (president) Luca di Montezemolo and together we decided that I will prepare myself to take the place of Felipe.
'Though it is true the Formula One chapter has been closed for me for some time, it is also true that for loyalty reasons to the team I cannot ignore this unfortunate situation.
âBut as the competitor I am, I also very much look forward to facing this challenge.â
Surely a mistake on his part. He has nothing left to prove.
And I really hope that itâs not a costly mistake and that he comes to no harm.
I was never a great Schumacher fan. Absolutely no denying his skill and achievements and I would be in total agreement with his status as one of the all time greats, but I just couldnât cheer for him. Firstly there was the whole jumping ship on Jordan thing and then the nasty side of his competitive streak when he took Hill off the track to prevent him winning the title. I was sooooo delighted when he tried exactly the same thing on Villneuve and the Canadian slammed on and let Schumie crash out by himself.
That said, I genuinely wouldnât want to see him come to any harm.
I canât believe that his wife is letting him do it though.
Thatâs as maybe, though I wouldnât agree. But Schumacher showed himself to be a cynical driver with that very very obvious manouvre. Itâs F1, not demolition derby. Hill deserved that title more than schumacher did that year.
Itâs dangerous enough without people like Schumacher deliverately crashing into you. He should have gotten a ban for that. Other drivers have been penalised more for technical rule violations or for dangerous driving.
Like I said, Schumacherâs a great driver, one of the best, but heâs flawed, heâs a poor sportsman. He could perhaps have put the Hill incident down to a rush of blood to the head, but he tried it several times, so much so that even the dog in the street was expecting him to try it on Villneuve.
[quote=âShadowâ]Itâs dangerous enough without people like Schumacher deliverately crashing into you. He should have gotten a ban for that. Other drivers have been penalised more for technical rule violations or for dangerous driving.
Like I said, Schumacherâs a great driver, one of the best, but heâs flawed, heâs a poor sportsman. He could perhaps have put the Hill incident down to a rush of blood to the head, but he tried it several times, so much so that even the dog in the street was expecting him to try it on Villneuve.[/quote]
[quote=âmyboyblueâ]Losers always whine about their best and what they deserve.
Winners go home and fuck the prom queen[/QUOTE]
Except Schumie wouldnât as it would interfere in his preparations for the next race. Eddie Irvine would step in and take the Prom Queen, after all itâs the least Schumie could do after having Eddie ordered to slow up to let Schumie past again.
[quote=âmyboyblueâ]I dont recall Eddie ever winning a Drivers Cship?
Schumacher was a german cunt.
But he was a winner. Respect to winners. Fuck the losers.[/QUOTE]
No argument that Schumie was better than Eddie, except perhaps with the ladies. But would Schumie have 91 GP wins if his string of teammates hadnât been under instruction to let him past so many times?
Hill did win a Driverâs Championship and if Schumie wasnât such a bad sport then Hill would have had 2 titles.
[quote=âShadowâ]No argument that Schumie was better than Eddie, except perhaps with the ladies. But would Schumie have 91 GP wins if his string of teammates hadnât been under instruction to let him past so many times?
Hill did win a Driverâs Championship and if Schumie wasnât such a bad sport then Hill would have had 2 titles.[/QUOTE]
