Please be true

by Paul Keating Thu 19 Nov 2009, 01:57

Schumacher linked to new Mercedes F1 teamJEZ SPINKS
November 19, 2009 - 11:24AM

German racing driver legend Michael Schumacher is rumoured to be in line to race for Mercedes GP in 2010.

Seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher could make a shock return to the sport in 2010 as a driver for the new Mercedes Grand Prix team.

Mercedes this week bought a 75 per cent stake in the Brawn GP team that won this year's constructors' championship with the German car maker's engines, and the company is openly seeking at least one German racing driver for the rebranded outfit.

Nico Rosberg, Nick Heidfeld and Timo Glock have all been linked with the two seats available, though Mercedes has always rued never having a chance to run Schumacher in the McLaren F1 cars it has powered with much success since 1995.

Schumacher retired from F1 in 2006 but was on the verge of temporarily replacing the injured Felipe Massa in a Ferrari last season, only to be forced to reluctantly abandon the plan due to fitness issues regarding his neck.

The 40-year-old has retained a role with Ferrari since retiring, though it has been reported the Italian marque no longer wants Schumacher as an advisor to its F1 team and instead wants him to only continue helping to develop its road cars.

In response to the speculation, Schumacher's spokeswoman Sabine Kehm told Britain's Autocar that "You never say never in this sport".

Schumacher would be expected to sever his close ties with Ferrari if he were to move to Mercedes, the car maker he drove for in sports cars before making his F1 break in 1991 with the Jordan F1 team.

Mercedes-Benz's move to set up its own team is a welcome one for a sport that has lost three major car makers in the past 12 months. Honda (which became Brawn GP) pulled out at the end of 2008, while BMW and Toyota announced their exits more recently.

Mercedes, which purchased the majority share in Brawn in conjunction with an Abu Dabhi-based investment group, will continue to supply engines to long-time partner McLaren until 2015.