Monday 21st December 2009

Ferrari Confirms Schuey's Merc F1 Aspirations

Luca di Montezemolo spills the beans at Ferrari Xmas lunch

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Michael Schumacher has told his former Ferrari F1 boss Luca di Montezemolo there's "a very, very, very strong possibility" he'll be racing for Mercedes-Benz in Formula 1 next year.

Luca/Schuey F1 phonecall reported

The rumours of a Schuey comeback with M-B have been circulating for weeks now, but this is the first 'concrete' quote on the subject from somebody intimately connected to the driving star.

Luca di Montezemolo held forth on Schuey's future at an annual Christmas bash for media on Thursday last week according to Autosport - who were lucky enough to get an invite. (Oddly, Mr di Montezemolo doesn't even send PH a Christmas card...)

"I hadn't spoken to him since Abu Dhabi but I spoke to him yesterday (Wednesday). He phoned me and he told me that there is a very, very, very strong possibility [of racing for Mercedes-Benz]. Having said that, it is not 100 per cent decided. But that is what he said yesterday morning," revealed the Ferrari boss - we'd like to think after a glass or two of festive Prosecco.

Autosport reckons the only thing now standing in the way of Schuey's comeback is the fitness issue, following the motorcycle accident that put the kybosh on a planned Ferrari comeback earlier this year.

The German star has been released from all remaining Ferrari commitments to clear a path for his return with M-B, they say.

[The Moose]

I do bloody hope so.

Would make for a phenomonal season!!

Cheers

The Moose

[anonymous-user]

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0... to Mercedes GP?
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0... Ferrari Prepared To Release Schuey&mid=37084
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0... Mercedes GP Still Chasing Schumacher
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0... Schumacher to race for Mercedes

yep, we really need another thread on this.

[UltimaCH]

STOP..... until he spills the beans!

[elster]

johnfelstead said:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0... to Mercedes GP?
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0... Ferrari Prepared To Release Schuey&mid=37084
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0... Mercedes GP Still Chasing Schumacher
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0... Schumacher to race for Mercedes

yep, we really need another thread on this.

Good to see there isn't an abundance of stories and having to repeat the same thing over and over

[kma]

Not sure about that neck thing.. surely he would have driven if the car wasn't ste? Now with a potentially fast merc with the german connection and also Ross Brawn this would be quite a story.
I don't think he's too old, Troy Bayliss won the 2008 wsbk championship and he was about 40, surely that's more physical especially seeing as they have to do 2 races.

Edited by kma on Monday 21st December 14:38

[micky g]

kma said:

I don't think he's too old, Troy Bayliss won the 2008 wsbk championship and he was about 40, surely that's more physical especially seeing as they have to do 2 races.

I think the physical demands of driving an F1 car are far greater than bikes, although I have the highest respect for the riders.

[captainsensible]

you've got to be kidding.....right?

[vintageracer01]

I do not think this makes F1 any more interesting.

I prefer ALMS, sports & touringcar racing, Nascar & even CampCar racing. And not to forget Rally. That is real motorsport.

All by far more interesting, exciting & spectacular!
... and not so much bl***y politics.

[Sixpackpert]

vintageracer01 said:

I do not think this makes F1 any more interesting.

I prefer ALMS, sports & touringcar racing, Nascar & even CampCar racing. And not to forget Rally. That is real motorsport.

All by far more interesting, exciting & spectacular!
... and not so much bl***y politics.

Thanks for the input there!

Edited by Sixpackpert on Monday 21st December 15:43

[kaese]

vintageracer01 said:

& even CampCar racing

[Dare2Fail]

micky g said:

kma said:

I don't think he's too old, Troy Bayliss won the 2008 wsbk championship and he was about 40, surely that's more physical especially seeing as they have to do 2 races.

I think the physical demands of driving an F1 car are far greater than bikes, although I have the highest respect for the riders.

I'm a huge bike racing fan, but I've got to agree with Micky on this one. The g-forces in F1, combined with the fact that races run for well over an hour, make it something of an endurance event.

WSBK has two races in a day, but the bikes are less demanding than say MotoGP, and the races are shorter.

[Ayrton4ever]

Good news. The only reason I am saying this is because there will be a chap having Senna as part of his name racing him. Provided he has something in his genes as his uncle had when he raced Toleman... Schumi, the Brits etc should be enough to pin me down for a season I reckon.

[ignoble]

I wonder if Schumakers decision to not fill in for Massa had more to do with the fact that he wouldn't have had any testing in the car, instead of his sore neck...plus Ferrari would have looked horrible if Schumakers result were anywhere near Luca Badoer's
The other teams vetoed Schumaker from getting any testing before racing, using the example if Jamie Algursauri didn't get any testing before racing [when replacing Bourdais] , why should a 7 time champion !

Here's a short parody article for the NAscar fan that posted before --- Nascar + rain = fear -- hahaha!
http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/profes...

[Dangermouse78]

ignoble said:

I wonder if Schumakers decision to not fill in for Massa had more to do with the fact that he wouldn't have had any testing in the car, instead of his sore neck...plus Ferrari would have looked horrible if Schumakers result were anywhere near Luca Badoer's
The other teams vetoed Schumaker from getting any testing before racing, using the example if Jamie Algursauri didn't get any testing before racing [when replacing Bourdais] , why should a 7 time champion !

Here's a short parody article for the NAscar fan that posted before --- Nascar + rain = fear -- hahaha!
http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/profes...

TBH im in agreement, yeah his neck injury may have had some input to him not returning for Ferrari but lets face it, Shuie is fiercely competitive, being in a car that was at best in mid field wouldn't have done his ego or reputation any good.
Now him coming to merc, it's the former Brawn team who lead the grid, Ross Brawn is principle pretty much perfect scenario for Shuie

[kavman0]

BBC News 24 are reporting that Schumi has signed a 1 year deal with Mercedes

[Gibbyo]

The BBC's Andrew Benson has tweeted - "Schumacher is a done deal and will be announced very soon"

[Clevers]

Ayrton4ever said:

Good news. The only reason I am saying this is because there will be a chap having Senna as part of his name racing him. Provided he has something in his genes as his uncle had when he raced Toleman... Schumi, the Brits etc should be enough to pin me down for a season I reckon.

oh my god, I think I am gonna puke...