Michael Schumacher will not be racing for Mercedes Grand Prix in Formula 1 next year for one very good reason, he has nothing to gain in competing a full season against the best racing drivers in the world.

dude, you are grabbing speculative facts out of your ass

Eddie Jordan speculated that MS would drive for Mercedes and now everyone thinks he is a contender for the drive.

obvious comment

That means absolutely nothing mate.

pointless arguing...let's wait for the announcement

i should have pressed for more info, but didnt want to lose my job for an F1 scoop hehe

rage, thanks for the info. I find it interesting. Although I didn't believe in Michael's return so far, it at least makes me wonder a little. And also the fact that he didn't outright deny the rumours in Brazil. I wonder what's going on. Now, Kimi is out of the picture. So that leaves Heidfeld and Michael, right? Maybe Kubica, but it depends on Renault's decision.

I agree with Galko877, I feel there is a good sign. Thank you.

I think that the interesting thing is that up until recently, Schumacher said that he would not be back, he made it pretty clear. Now he is saying that anything is possible. If that is not a positive sign, then what is?

As far as I can tell, his attitude towards a comeback has changed dramatically, yet some of you think that means nothing? How can you be so certain?

He looks as fit as he ever did, he has recharged his batteries the last 3 years, he has confirmed to himself that he will be as quick as ever with recent competitions, and hence his confidence is once again soaring. He knows fully well what a championship NOW would mean, he would be immortalized, even more so than currently, and perhaps he is just a little vain?! All he really has to do is beat Rosberg if the car is not up to it, how hard could that be? His neck has miraculously recovered. The stars are aligning ...

It's not so far fetched.


Cooper

I think he will race for mercedes. Why havent they announced Heidfeld yet? The only reason would be that Michael is considering the seat at minimum or already decided and they are just waitong until everything is in place to announce.

Now that Raikkonen has been confirmed in Rally.. the next week or so should be interesting, because imho if Brawn aren't talking to Schumacher, they were talking to Raikkonen. And now that Raikkonen is out of the picture, I see no reason why they can't announce a mid field driver immediately. However if they delay even more, that suggests they're still talking to Schumacher.

Or they could just be trying to decide between the few drivers left and may plan a test shoot out.

Agreed.

I expect to hear the Mercedes announcment pretty fast now that Kimi is officially out of the market. If not, the rumours about Schumacher's return might quite well be true.

If he does, sorry Vettel... he will get my support.

Can't see MS returning in a million years. If he had been, I feel sure they would have found away for him to qualify to test this week.

The MS return to cover for Massa was an entirely emotional thing, not nearly the same thing as a serious return.

Much as I want you to be wrong I fear you are absolutely spot on...

Schumacher will be in Stuttgart on Monday, according to Bild. It's Willi Weber's office there, but also the Mercedes HQs.

Interesting either way. I mean why would he want to visit Weber's office...

Mercedes NEED a top class driver, as far as I can see there are none left of the current ones so MS would be a good choice.
Heidfeld to stay at sauber now they have a grid place? Mercedes are running out of experienced drivers fast, never mind top class ones.
Kubica looks like the only possible fly in the ointment but if Renault do sell the team on if will likely be tied to it.

The general consensus is that they are waiting on Renault and Kubica.

I would take R.Kubica over M.Schumacher ANYTIME..............

Sure, so long as you mean Ralf or any other Schumacher.

Frans is doing a Giacomo.

What about Jos Verstappen?

Don't mess with Verstappen... He beat a lot of guys.


*cough* not on track though

Sure, maybe Ralf Schumacher.

anyone able to find odds on schumi winning the wdc in 2010? now's the time to place the bet after all...

8/1 on william hill

thanks. expected better odds than that tho! more akin to button this time last year

weel, now, it was not a complete waste!!!! i thought for a second he was wearing a tatoo...then I saw it was his T-shirt....what a chicken..so i lurnt something

33/1 for Heidfeld... not that bad Oo in particular when/if he gets the drive at Mercedes.

Hugely tempting...

Shouldn't that be "beat a lot of girls"?

Anyone placing a bet on Michael winning is a complete idiot. He's not racing in F1 next year.

Now corrected.


Cooper

How can you place a bet on Raikkonen if he is not listed?

Coral have him at 40/1. I've just put £10 on him.

Why is Schumacher meeting Monday with Willy Weber? I put forth the proposition that Michael has only been considering the possibility of a return up to now but at that time he will tell Weber 1/ he has decided if a return to F1 racing is desired 2/ if there's a problem slipping free of Ferrari let's solve it quickly 3/ what the laundry list is that we want from Mercedes and 4/ to begin serious negotiations asap with Mercedes. They apparently regard Heidfeld as their fallback position. It might be wise to close the deal before Kubica enters the picture.

Willy Weber: "I cannot imagine that he goes to Mercedes." Well, that's misdirection right there since most of us certainly CAN imagine him going to Mercedes. What's he directing us away from? Schuey's return.
Willy Weber: "He only recently extended with Ferrari for another three years as advisor." Word is nothing was signed. Even so Montezemolo said he wouldn't stand in Michael's way. So this is further misdirection from Weber. "Nothing to see here. Move along." When a weasel says it's a zig, you can bet it's a zag.

Kimi gave the impression that Michael's presence at Ferrari was unnecessary but easy to ignore. You just know that Alonso don't play that. Period. So it means fewer headaches for everyone if Michael is so last dynasty.

But WHY? Because he can. In a car and a team that can win. Not specifically because he requires more wins, more titles but because it is his nature to be ENGAGED in the technical pursuit that is F1 and certainly because he lives to test his limits under pressure in and against the best racing cars on the planet and their drivers. To be IN the fight. That's who he is. And, yes, that can result in being around too long and tarnishing your legend. But that's a concern for historians, not players.

Any updates?

My point: I'd be surprised if this doesn't get done, obviously, Merc isn't signing anyone else because of them playing the waiting game on Schumi.

Let's see now, that would make you a ... a what? An idiot?


Cooper

Even if an idiot wanted to place a bet on Raikkonen, he cannot do it simply because Raikkonen is not on the list. On the other hand, it's safe to assume that someone who places a bet on MS is an idiot given the low odds at the moment even before he is/might be announced as a 2010 contender.

No, I had it right the first time.

Well those odds on schumacher wont get any better IF he is announced so it has to be worth a small punt.
Agreed only an idiot would bet on kimi though!

Haug again, when asked if he can rule Schumi out:


"Clearly there are speculations when a cockpit nees to be filled, so who knows..."

Pretty obvious. Welcome back, Schumi.

It isn't obvious at all.

How can be interpreted to "Michael Schumacher will race for Mercedes GP in F1 2010"?

You can easily say "No, we're not looking at him."

And you can tell, they're CLEARLY waiting for MS.

Yes and Schumacher is saying who knows as well. He's contracted under Ferrari and all that and he should just say no way logicaly but he doesn't. Also he trusts Ross Brawn, the team won this years championship and he always had a thing for Mercedes but that never played out in the past + frankly he seems to miss driving f1. I think the chance is quite big he joins them

Only an idiot would bet on Schumi at this point when it's not known whether he would even compete in 2010, let alone whether his car would be capable of fighting for WDC. It's the sort of idiocy/lunacy some MS fanboys displayed in their blind belief that this summer MS would step in Felipe's car and will start fighting for wins Regretably, the old man himself was wiser than that.

An idiot cannot bet on Kimi, he is off the list of available bets last time I checked

So rob's statement is correct.

So if you ask me if I will drive for Mercedes and I say "who knows", that will make me a contender?