The Legend is Coming Back
Closing this year I get a number of lucks, bot in personal and professional life, which I take as a gift. One of them is the news that my favorite Formula 1 driver, the 7 times world champion Michael Schumacher, has just ended his three years retirement by signing a three years contract to drive one of Mercedes GP car.
I was a fan of Felipe Massa even from the year when he was Michael’s teammate, and was probably got hit as hard as he was when he lost the battle against Lewis Hamilton in the last seconds of the closing race of 2008. I hit me to see that his chance to compete in last year series blown away by an accident. But I have to admit that I was pleased to see that the incident dragged Michael Schumacher to come out from his retirement to replace him, which unfortunately canceled by his physical condition.
Now, just a few months later, I get something even much better, Michael Schumacher is coming back to track, not only as a temporary retirement but for a full season, three full seasons to be exact. A bit of regret that he is not coming back with Ferarri, the team he has been racing for 10 years and still got involved as a consultant until recently, but seeing the greatest German driver racing a German car is no less interesting.
The fact that at Mercedes GP he is teaming up – again – the mastermind of his 7 world championship, Ross Brown, waives away my regret of the fact that he is not coming back on a Ferarri. I personally believes that Ross is a better success guarantee than Ferarri. Ross’s cold hands has been well proven, not only with Michael but also Jenson Button after he left Ferarri following Michael’s retirement.
Next year Formula 1 will be a lot more exciting then ever before I believe. With Kimi Raikkonen leaving Formula 1, there will a number of stars on the track, including be four world champions. The two times Fernando Alonso who has been in many bitter fights against Michael will be in a better shape in his Ferarri. The very competitive 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton who will find his dream to race against his patron comes true. Michael’s golden student who has almost threw away from his 2008 crown Felipe Massa. The last year world champion Jenson Button who will drive one of the faster car on the track, Mc Laren, and will surely motivated to maintain his domination. The young German diver Sebastian Vettel who was hailed as “the next Schumacher”.
Looking back into the old days, Michael’s decision to get along with Mercedes GP makes a lot of sense. More than the fact that Ross Brawn is there and Mercedes is a German brand, Mercedes was his window of opportunity. Mercedes granted him the way to what he is now. He raced Mercedes in his pre-F1 days, and Mercedes spent $150,000 at that time to pay Jordan so they allow Michael to race on one of their cars. So Michael should have every reasons he needs to feel like coming home by joining Mercedes GP.
I stand against those who think that 41 years, Michael’s age next year, will become a problem for his competitiveness. I stand against those who thinks that Michael is putting his reputation in danger by returning into the track. First Michael is as competitive as he was before, maybe even better, because he was refreshed by his retirement. Second how can someone loose reputation by loosing in a fair fight? Wisdom says that the real champion is not the one who knows how to win, but the one who knows how to loose.
There are a lot of speculation about Michael’s reasons to come back. I personally believes that money is not among them. Being the most expensive driver on the track for years and built a fortune of approximately 500 million Euros, his 10 million basic salary he will get from Mercedes is nothing. It is way below the top paid drivers on the track, including McLaren Mercedes’ driver Lewis Hamilton. I think he could not cease his need of challenge and he knows that he is still competitive enough. Back to Formula 1 is definitely better than draining his adrenaline in amateur motorbike races.
Two things I should do next year then. First I have to go an see as many F1 racing in real as possible, at least the ones nearby. I hold a ticket for Singapore. I think I need to add Malaysia and possibly more close by like Australia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Macau. Second … hmmm … to trade my car with a Mercedes. Well, Meredes is expensive, but still more affordable than Ferarri. Mercedes’ top of the line is not less expensive than Ferarri, of course. But at least Mercedes has consumer product line.
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