Schumacher F1 return confirmed

(CNN) — Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher is to return to Formula One next season to drive for Mercedes, the German carmaker announced on Wednesday.

The 40-year-old German, who retired in 2006, has agreed a three-year contract with the possibility for a further extension according to his agent Sabine Kehm and will be on the grid for the curtain-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on March 14.

Schumacher, who was unveiled at the team’s factory in Brackley, will join compatriot Nico Rosberg at the former Brawn GP team, who were taken over by Mercedes at the end of last season having won the constructors’ and drivers world championships.

“After a three-year break, I have all the energy again that I was lacking,” Schumacher told reporters via a teleconference call.

Schumacher title talk is festive fantasy

Schumacher, who won five of his world titles with Ferrari, attempted to make a comeback for the Italian team last year in place of the injured Felipe Massa, but a neck injury sustained in a motorcycle race thwarted his return.

However, Schumacher moved to quell doubts over his current ability to race: “My neck is no longer a problem,” he said.

“Over the summer it was too soon after the accident. Now everything has healed,” said Schumacher, who will have his first practice session with his new team on February 1.

“I have decided to return to Formula One. Mercedes GP and I agreed on teaming up for the coming seasons. And to be honest, I’m already super excited by the prospect to be back in a F1 cockpit,” he added on his official Web site.

“I don’t want to deny at all that the idea of a German F1 team extremely tempts me. I guess every German driver would feel this way. And of course it plays a major role that I again can work together with Ross at Mercedes GP. Above all, however, my old hunger for racing is back — I realized that my old passion was returning. Suddenly I was on fire again,” he added.

The comeback is just the latest chapter in a remarkable career for the driver who currently holds the record for grand prix wins (91) and most world titles.

His return, just 11 days short of his 41st birthday, will easily make him the oldest driver on the grid and will leave Schumacher aiming to match the feats of former great Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina, who was a world champion at the age of 46 in 1957.

Rumors have been circulating for several weeks that he would return instead with Mercedes, where he will be reunited with team chief Ross Brawn, who helped to him to his string of five titles at Ferrari.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo told reporters at their Christmas lunch last week that Schumacher had revealed to him he was close to a return with Mercedes.

“I hadn’t spoken to him since Abu Dhabi but I spoke to him on Wednesday,” Di Montezemolo said. “He phoned me and he told me that there is a very, very, very strong possibility [of joining Mercedes] ”

Schumacher, who has acted as a consultant with Ferrari since he retired, will be ending a 13-year association with the famous marquee, but with the returning Massa and new-signing Fernando Alonso in their line-up for 2009 that route to return was blocked.

His aborted 2009 comeback created worldwide interest and he said then that abandoning his plans was one of the most disappointing moments of his life.

But Schumacher has worked his way back to fitness and put on an impressive display in the Race of Champions exhibition in China in November to underline his readiness for a new comeback.

The confirmation of the world champion’s return caps a good week for the fledgling Mercedes team, who announced a long-term sponsorship agreement with Malaysian national oil and gas company Petronas.

From 2010, the new “Silver Arrows” team will compete in the World Championship as the Mercedes Petronas Formula One Team according to statement on their official Web site.

• Dear Schumi, welcome back!
• Jean Todt leaves Ferrari_ZZ
• 超速的舒马赫
• 2009 F1 Calendar
• Truth (ZZ)

(CNN) — Seven times world champion Michael Schumacher will make a dramatic return to Formula One as a replacement for injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa.

Michael Schumacher will make a dramatic return to Formula One as a replacement for Felipe Massa.

The 40-year-old German, who retired from the sport in 2006, won five of his seven titles while competing for Ferrari, and has retained his links with the Italian manufacturer as a team advisor.

Schumacher told CNN: “The most important thing first: thank God, all news concerning Felipe is positive. I wish him all the best again.

“I met Stefano Domenicali and Luca di Montezemolo from Ferrari on Wednesday afternoon and together we decided that I will prepare myself to take Felipe’s place.

“Though it is true that my Formula One chapter has closed, it is also true that for loyalty reasons to the team I cannot ignore their current unfortunate situation. As the competitor I am I also very much look forward to facing this challenge.”

Schumacher’s spokesperson Sabine Kehm confirmed to CNN: “He is coming back pending medical exams and will be in the Ferrrari cockpit for the next race in Valencia on August 23 if those tests go well.”

Ferrari later confirmed Schumacher’s return in a statement: “Ferrari intends to entrust Michael Schumacher with Felipe Massa’s car for as long as the Brazilian driver is not able to race.

“Michael Schumacher has shown his willingness and in the next few days he will undergo a specific program of preparation at the end of which it will be possible to confirm his participation in the championship starting with the European Grand Prix.”

Rumors began to surface about Schumacher’s likely return on Tuesday, with Kehm telling CNN at the time: “There is no offer from Ferrari, but if they decided they need him, Michael would certainly weigh his options.”

Meanwhile, Massa has been moved out of intensive care at the AEK military hospital in Budapest, with his personal doctor convinced he will race again.

Massa’s rapid improvement since undergoing surgery on Saturday to repair a fractured skull following his crash during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, has prompted doctors to move the Brazilian to his own private room.

It means Massa is now off the critical list, although the 28-year-old will continue to be closely monitored by medical staff. Initial fears that the Brazilian may never drive again, due to concerns surrounding the sight in his left eye, also appear to have eased.

Ferrari spokesman Luca Colajanni told Press Association Sport: “The most important situation is that Felipe is out of intensive care and now in his own private room.

“He is speaking more or less normally and he has managed his first few steps so, from a clinical point of view, everything is going in the right direction.

“There are no issues for the time being, and although we are still cautious, he is getting better and better. The situation is improving all the time.

“There was some suggestion he would leave the hospital soon but he will remain in Budapest for as long as is necessary.”

Meanwhile, Massa’s own doctor, Dino Altmann, has told Italian sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport that he believes the Brazilian’s Formula One career is far from over.

Altmann said: “I have no doubt Felipe will race again. I’m sure of that. The situation is still delicate but I believe his life is not in danger anymore. From the beginning I felt the trauma wasn’t as extended as it was believed but the improvements he has made have gone beyond our wildest expectations.”

Altmann also believes fears surrounding Massa’s left eye, seemingly damaged after he was struck on the helmet by a suspension spring that had worked free from Rubens Barrichello’s Brawn GP car, have eased.

“Stimulated by the physiotherapist, he showed he knows left from right and has full awareness of distance and depth,” added Altmann. “His eye has been opened, with care because it is still swollen, and he has said he can see. His vision has not weakened.

“He also gave appropriate answers in three languages: Portuguese, Italian, and English. That means the brain’s cognitive area is fine.”

Ferrari team principal Domenicali told reporters that he has been amazed by the rate of recovery, prompting him to return to Italy.

“It’s a fantastic improvement. Only days after the crash he’s made encouraging progress,” remarked Domenicali. “He recognised me, I greeted him and I brought him all the team’s and the fans’ warmth and support. He replied to me in Italian, after he had spoken to his family in Portuguese. He told me he can’t remember anything that had happened: that’s a good thing.

“The data is encouraging but in these situations it’s better to be prudent and take one step at a time. We want him to recover as soon as possible.”

Domenicali has confirmed there are no issues surrounding Massa’s return, with the seat being kept warm until he is fit again, although refused to comment on reports linking former world champion Michael Schumacher with a temporary return.

“I confirmed to him we are looking forward to his return soon, that the car is his, and that as soon as he’s ready he’ll be back with us once again,” added Domenicali.

• 王者归来！
• Jean Todt leaves Ferrari_ZZ
• 超速的舒马赫
• 2009 F1 Calendar
• Schumi终于登上领奖台了

从96年开始看F1，见过不少次雨站；舒马赫更是号称“雨站之王”，所以对于雨站，我并不陌生，反而异常兴奋，终于有好看的了!

不过马来西亚站，还真是不一样呢，开赛不久便开始下雨，到30多圈时，更是因为雨太大而暂停比赛，等待了一会儿后，赛会终于决定，比赛结束。在我10余年的观赛史上，还是第一次看到提前结束比赛呢。

帅气的巴顿又一次成为冠军，布朗车队也成为此站的最大赢家。看着巴顿灿烂的笑容，忽然想起来若干年前，第一次见到他时的兴奋。好吧好吧，我要考虑是否fan帅哥巴顿了~~

• 感冒前夕
• 天佑法拉利
• 080316 2008 F1赛历
• 惊心动魄巴西站
• （20061023）告别舒马赫

——————————————————————————–

Former Ferrari team principal Jean Todt has resigned from the Ferrari board of directors and from the various positions he still held with the Italian firm. Todt was a key figure in Ferrari’s recent Formula One success, winning championships with Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen.

Announcing the news on Tuesday, Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo paid tribute to the contribution made by Frenchman Todt since he joined the company in 1993.

“Jean Todt has been one of the leading protagonists of the Ferrari story of the last 15 years,” declared Montezemolo. “Skill and passion have always characterised his work and have won him my persona respect and affection, the one of the Company as a whole and of the Prancing Horse enthusiasts everywhere.

“I would like to wish him the very best for the future which I hope will prove extremely satisfying both personally and professionally. All of these years we’ve spent together – victories and tough times included – have forged a link between Jean Todt and Ferrari that will never be broken.”

• 王者归来！
• A Letter
• 最近听的歌
• Dear Schumi, welcome back!
• Schumi加油！

• F1 2009 Calender
• 有关结婚~~
• Dear Schumi, welcome back!
• 王者归来！
• 快乐学德语(2)

今天是Schumi的40岁生日，他也到了不惑的年纪。第一次在电视上看到他，还是1996年，他只是20多岁的小伙子，年轻冲动，才华横溢…

转眼间，12年就过去了，他已不再是有着羞涩笑容的青涩男生，而为人夫，为人父；也是创造了无数F1记录的七届世界冠军…

衷心祝福，生日快乐，每天都开心。

• 总结
• （20060830）生日快乐
• Happy Birthday to Matt
• Happy Birthday to Maggie
• 大家生日快乐！

29 March: Australia
5 April: Malaysia
19 April: China
26 April: Bahrain
10 May: Spain
24 May: Monaco
7 June: Turkey
21 June: Great Britain
12 July: Germany
26 July: Hungary
23 August: Spain
30 August: Belgium
13 September: Italy
27 September: Singapore
4 October: Japan
18 October: Brazil
1 November: Abu Dhabi

• 2009 F1 Calendar
• 有关结婚~~
• 成都.余震
• 快乐学德语(2)
• 王者归来！

赛前半小时左右，老天爷就开了个玩笑，下起了大暴雨，各车队手忙脚乱的换雨胎。发车第一个弯角，就有车发生了事故，冲出赛道退赛；第二个弯角，驰骋F1车坛15年的库特哈德遗憾的退出了比赛，以“退赛”结束了自己的F1生涯，真让人惋惜啊。

雨很快就停了，各车队又急忙召集诸位车手回维修站换回干地胎，继续比赛。马萨一路领跑，毫无悬念的夺得了第一名。但他的命运，却有一半掌握在汉密尔顿手中。此前17站积分榜排名第一的汉密尔顿只要在巴西站夺得第五名，便可以一分优势获得年度总冠军。排位赛第四的汉密尔顿一改往日的凶悍作风，小心翼翼的开车，生怕一不小心发生意外。比赛进行到60余圈，马萨第一，汉密尔顿第四，其时已是北京时间凌晨3：00左右，我早已睡眼婆娑，以为就要这样完赛了。又突然天降暴雨，各车手纷纷进站换胎，一时间维修站内车水马龙，热闹非凡。由于马萨之前的领先优势过于明显，出站后，他依然排在第一位。汉密尔顿则落到了第五，因为Glock艺高人胆大，没有进站换胎，排在了汉密尔顿前面，年度总冠军的争夺似乎又有些扑朔迷离，似乎还嫌事情不够糟糕，汉密尔顿又碰上了连续的慢车，混乱之中，被身后的Vertel超过，汉密尔顿落在了第六位！我一下子从床上跳起来，跑到电视机前，紧盯着汉密尔顿和Vertel的车子，心中暗自想着“不要超过去，不要超过去，马萨年度冠军！”，汉密尔顿也很紧张，只剩下2圈了，他不断的试图超越，但是路上谁很多，路滑，赛车不易控制，又连续遭遇慢车阻挡，直至终点，他也没超过Vertel了，法拉利和马萨分夺车队、车手双料冠军！我开始欢呼！但是，此种兴奋心情只持续了1秒钟，就看到屏幕上打出，Vertel第四，汉密尔顿第五名！Glock在哪里？！谜底很快揭晓，这哥们不知道什么时候被超过了，居然跑到了第六名。

1分之差啊，马萨惜败，与年度车手总冠军失之交臂,Sigh~~不过还是要恭喜小汉，去年他以1分之差败给了kimi,今年总算夺得了冠军，也是F1历史上最年轻的世界冠军。

真正英雄出少年啊~

• 无聊的上海站
• （20061023）告别舒马赫
• 梦见舒米了~~
• 天佑法拉利
• 暴雨中的马来西亚站

2年前的画面犹在眼前，怀着特别的感情，我守在家里看了这场比赛。

汉密尔顿，莱科宁，马萨，阿隆索…四大巨头在前两排发车，和最终比赛结果惊人的相似。

赛前众多车手轰击汉密尔顿的野蛮超车，于是小汉gg决定不超车了，一路领跑，毫无悬念的取得了冠军；Kimi发车时试图超越汉密尔顿，可惜失败了，便再也没有超过他，一路第二名，到最后10圈，半遮半掩的让给了马萨，取得第三。我曾经很看好马萨，可能是因为06年巴西站他夺得冠军的缘故吧，不过这次他并没有太精彩的表现，很稳妥的开车，由于Kimi的让车，夺得了第二名。

此次赛后，汉密尔顿94分位居榜首，马萨87分紧随气候，库比卡75分，彻底退出年度车手冠军的争夺。下一站是巴西，马萨小朋友的老乡，希望他能重现06年的辉煌，在家乡拿一个冠军吧~

• 惊心动魄巴西站
• Schumi加油！
• 天佑法拉利
• 可怜的Kimi
• 梦见舒米了~~

1 是去年，出租车司机开的太慢，舒米忍不住自己开了，期间超速未被抓。

Formula One’s Michael Schumacher takes wheel of slow cab to airport
Yahoo Sports/AP ^ | 12/12/2007 | Associated Press
Posted on 2007年12月14日 17:19:24 by Drago

BERLIN (AP) — Cab drivers are best known for giving hair-raising rides, not being taken on them.

But when one cabbie in southern Germany apparently wasn’t driving fast enough, his customer, former Formula One champion Michael Schumacher, took the wheel himself.

“It was sheer lunacy,” cabbie Tuncer Yilmaz told the Muenchener Abendzeitung newspaper. “He took the curves with full speed, but you couldn’t even notice it. He just knows how to do it.”

Schumacher’s spokeswoman, Sabine Kehm, confirmed the story Wednesday. She said Schumacher had flown in from Switzerland on Saturday on his private jet to buy a puppy from a breeder in the town of Gesuelz.

When Yilmaz picked up the seven-time Formula One champion and his family at the Coburg airport, he was star-struck.

“I was so nervous,” Yilmaz said. “I was so confused that I almost forgot all traffic rules.”

So on the way back to the airport Schumacher, the most successful driver in Formula One history, asked Yilmaz to slide over so he could drive.

Yilmaz said he would never forget the ride.

Nor the tip. On top of the $88.03 fare, Schumacher gave him $146.72.

Yilmaz’ only regret is that German photo radar didn’t catch Schumacher speeding, which would have produced a ticket with a photo that would have been sent to Yilmaz, as the car’s owner.

“I so much would have loved to get a speeding photo of this ride,” Yilmaz told the Abendzeitung. “I would have gladly paid a ticket for that.”

2 是昨天，他在自己家附近驾驶一辆奥迪车，超速被抓，还交了75欧元的罚款。他感到抱歉，并说这是其本性使然。对此，我表示深刻理解，对于速度，我也有相当的偏好。骑自行车就喜欢飞快，学车的第一堂课，就跑到了60KM以上，教练吓得不行。但真的，我只是不由自主。

Michael Schumacher done for speeding in Audi Cabriolet

“Who do you think you are sir, Nigel Mansell?”

“Nein, Ich bin Michael Schumacher…”

Yes, Schumi has been caught speeding, on an autobahn near his German hometown of Kerpen. The multiple F1 world champ was fined €75 and docked three points on his driving licence, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Schumacher was at the wheel of an Audi Cabriolet, but we don’t yet know what speed he was going – although German police have confirmed that he was stopped for speeding in a 100kph zone. German media reports suggest he was clocked at 140kph (around 75mph).

La Gazzetta claims that Schumacher would automatically have lost his license if his offence was in excess of 146kph.

“I’m really sorry, it is out of character for me. Speeding is for the racetracks only,” Schumi is quoted as saying by German newspaper Bild.

This news leaves us with one question: why drive an Audi when you can drive a Ferrari?

• 王者归来！
• Dear Schumi, welcome back!
• Schumi终于登上领奖台了
• Jean Todt leaves Ferrari_ZZ
• Tired