lmao @ Nico saying he would never accept #2 behind Schumi, seriously?

Epic fail, Nico.

He's an exceptionally wealthy man - he can pay the Clienti guys to do what he wants.

Oh absolutely, but would Ferrari allow him to use their track tho? Or would he conduct the test at a Mercedes car test venue?

they must have an old mercedes sauber somewhere that they can fire up and drive around

Surely they have an old Honda they could use, or even demo last years Brawn on GP 2 tyres,

Absolutely love it if he comes back

I have seen this problem of Michael happen more than once ON the track ..... (mostly when he rammed others out of the race somehow with a swerve or something like that .... but .... this could explain it!)

what if Rosberg steps up, peaks in 2010 and turns out to be a lion-eater?

and does the same with MS, as MS did with NP Sr.

Why?

Thanks.

I wonder if that was vision loss because of his neck's weakness or something else. Presumably just his neck.

Yep, with the resources af MS ans Merc they simply must be able to find an old car and private track somewhere. Can anyone here clarify the rules; what constitutes 'testing' and what doesn't?

In fact Letterman or Leno quality writing.

Credit where credit is due for sharp satirical observation

Nico is suppoed to be a top driver like Hamilton.

Will Hamilton say, yes for sure, please drive the other McLaren, I will personally refuse all the best components, engineers and parts, there are no issues with being number 2 to the german superstar. "Hamilton gladly accepts number 2 status, welcomes Schumacher to McLaren team"

With what logic are you judging that red bull will be competitive in 2 years? They've been competitive in 1 season out of how many..and what makes you think raikkonen is going to race for them? Who's to say top teams are even going to want him next season? pipe dreams.

It could be that under heavy vibrations and braking, Michael's neck was not strong enough to hold his head up and he could therefore not see the track properly. In that case, once he starts driving the new Mercedes regularly, the problem would go away automatically.

I am basically trying to make a distiction between 'not being able to see anything' and 'not being able to see the track'. The first one is, of course, far more serious.

Things we KNOW:

Michael Schumacher is still a Ferrari consultant, and thus on their payroll.

It is not CERTAIN that Massa is going to race in 2010, hence the upcoming tests in the 2007 Ferrari, and doubtless other means of assessing his suitability for a Ferrari seat in 2010.

Brawn (now Mercedes) won both 2009 F1 championships.

McLaren have a driver line-up for 2010 with two world champions.

Red Bull finished ahead of Ferrari in 2009 and have retained the same drivers for 2010.

Guesses we may make:

Ferrari may yet have doubts over Massa's return.

Ferrari may be worried about the level of competition in 2010. Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull probably look like strong packages to them.

Ferrari may still be considering Schumacher as a back-up driver in case Massa does not fully recover his pace.

Schumacher has reportedly been offered drives at the (Mercedes backed) McLaren team in years gone by (around the turn of the millennium). He presumably opted to drive a Ferrari instead, preferring the money and/or race-winning machinery on offer. Or maybe just out of loyalty to Ferrari?

I'm making a big leap here, but what if Ferrari are allowing Schumacher to flirt with the possibility of driving a Mercedes to prevent them hiring a top-line driver to partner Rosberg? The longer Schumacher strings them along, the less chance they have of signing someone who can deliver a World Championship.

In one genius move Ferrari may be reducing Mercedes's chances of defending Brawn's titles, and removing a degree of opposition for the 2010 season.

Or Schumacher could just be demonstrating to Ferrari, by driving the Mercedes, that he's still a viable option for the vacant seat if Massa hasn't fully recovered. It could be that Massa may yet need another few months of recovery time to be on top form. A few months in which Schumacher could have a few fun races, as he was striving for last August?

Woke up on floor this morning?

Hey, wouldn't it be fun if Micahel comes back with Merc, and then the car is a dog?

Quite as likely as Red Bull not being on top. And Kimi racing to Red Bull? Guess who
are his sponsors?

Some good theories Mansell4PM. I think Schumacher went to Ferrari for the challenge of making them winners again, the family he gained there are no longer there, so he will no longer feel that huge sense of loyalty. Of course many of the team are still there but the big names... Ross Brawn is at Mercedes, Jean Todt is the FIA and the others are not. New management. And if it's true that Luca forced him out he won't feel loyalty to him. They have moved onto their new love Fernando Alonso, their rebound Kimi Raikkonen didn't work out. Schumacher's racing days at Ferrari are gone as of 2010, even if Massa doesn't race (I think he will). If Schumacher wants to get back into Formula 1 surely it will be Mercedes for 2010?

That was actually funny.

So what logic are you using to judge Redbull won't be competitive and Raikkonen won't want to consider them in 2011? Works both ways. Not sure why you came down on the post liek you did, all they were saying is it would be nice if Raikkonen came back and drove a Redbull. Nothing wrong with that.. there are much more crazy dreams out htere than that one.

He did another two days of testing after Massa left the hospital, so maybe the eye problem was gone by then.

They will say Schumacher's past it, as was NP Sr.

I actually think Michaels age is irrelevant, he's probably fitter than every 20yr old on the planet.

Didn't Mansell come back to F1 after going to America?

How was he?

The guest appearances for Williams in '94 went well, resulting in a win at Adelaide (albeit after Hill and Schumacher's little 'incident').

The following year at McLaren: well, I wish you hadn't brought the subject up .........

A sad end to an otherwise great career. Is this the way it's going to go with Schumacher?

I was under the impression Fisi had a contract to take Massa's seat next year if Massa couldn't fill it - or if Alonso had some problem. I suppose it can still be broken a la Kimi, but still.

schumacher was beaten by Piquet Sr. by 0.5 point..in five races in 1991
and he will be beaten by Rosberg ....

Hmmm, it wasn't the money, I can assure you thát so far.... McLaren offered almost DOUBLE the money, but NOT the No.1 status in the team he ALWAYS DEMANDS....., (which he NEEDS to keep his "image" in the sport, and actually WIN anything)

The race-winning part came with Brawn again at Ferrari ..... (all kind of technical tricks helped them awesomely of course....) And talking about Schumacher's LOYALTY ??? .... hahahahahaha.

Luca kicked him out, and then kept him on a line by keeping him as so called "consultant" but what he seemed to become was a traitor in they're mid's.... Alsonso saw this as well, for years after Kimi winning the title in that Ferrari, Michaels goal wa to deminisch Kimi's results. .... SABOTAGE HIS CAR as well!!!!! And Alsonso saw this too, he must have read this forum, no question about it, he believed the sabotage of Michael on Kimi's car was real, must be! No question about it..... He fixed it, got MS out of Ferrari, and Michael can be the traitor he really is for the Tifosi.

He may very realisticly taken for sure have stopped Kimi from getting another title in the Ferrari, and people must know this..... So Tifosi should put a bit more blame on Michael, he turns his back to them anyway.... once Ferrari, always Ferrari ... pffffft, Michael is not like that. Luca may have stabbed Michael in his back in 2006, but Michael stabbed back after 2007, 2008 and 2009 Ferrari seasons are TOTALLY influenced by Michael, and THEREFOR they did not win any title in this period. And why? Because none of those titles would be thanks to Michael Schumacher he may have the feeling..... His mentality "if not ME, then NOBODY ELSE" was the cause of this of course.....

He's about to do a Blitzkrieg on F1 with Mercedes and the former allies (ITALY/Ferrari) of Schumacher, may turn they're back on him as well, what will take a bit of his build-up media-glory during the years away.

Yes, how would his Ferrari-legend image stay alive when he's turned into an ENEMY of the TIFOSI?

What would an photo of Michael "swerving" against a Ferrari for the race win be worth? ???? ? Can you see it? I can....

it would be priceless, ...... wouldn't?

Mods should ban people for posting stupidity. Blaming Schumacher that kimi& ferrari sucked after 07 is really

Uh, Frans, Kimi won the WDC in 2007 and Ferrari won the constructor's championship in 2007 and 2008.

Oooh whatever, you with your details. ... I'm setting and talkign about the GLOBAL LINES .... a title more or less doesn't make it different....

Poor old Frans; time and again foiled by the facts.

A friend of mine in Italy told me that Ferrari released Schumacher from his advisers contract a few hours ago. Aperentley he read it on an italian newspaper.... any italians read anything about this

I think the word 'muppet' is quite apt here...

I could not found any related info in La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tuttosport nor Corriere dello Sport.

I was going to try and reply, but all I could think was: how?

So Michael Schumacher, a consultant on a multi-million Euro salary has been systematically sabotaging Ferrari since he stopped driving. And they didn't notice?

It's not as if he can slip furtively through the factory or the paddock either - virtually everyone in the world knows who he is.

I know I was asking for a leap of imagination with my response as to why Schumacher might not go to Mercedes, but this is on a whole new level.

Gentlemen, you're going to have to learn not to take Frans too seriously

Well, there was that occasion when a strange white powder was found on the Ferrari´s in the Parc Fermé ;

After few races, if Nico could be faster than Michael, Nico would be No1. Otherwise he would be No 2 obviously.
Michael won No1 status because he is always faster than his teammates. Luca Di Montezemolo stated it clearly few years ago.

Anyway Nico is Mercedes' future. So don't say that MS is No1 by default.

The mill is working again. Like old times, beautiful. Frans Christian Andersen.

thanks

now either he is completely healed or mercdes doesn't know about this which is very unlikely. anyone know if old mclaren-mercedes cars are sold to clients like old ferrari's?

True. How could anyone take him seriously when he said Jos Verstappen is the best F1 driver ever?

Fry admits talks with schumi taking place

Wow.

I believe that's the first [semi] official confirmation about it.

Good shot!

OMG! If someone can spoil the return of MS, that's Nick Fry.
He must be desperate to divert attention from his famous sponsorship deal with Henkel.

Did not work out??

and that would be? ... heidfeld??

I thought the same when I read that earlier. It's a cunning but worthless tactic!!!

He must sign the real Schumi!!!!: DDD

You heard it here first.