Nick doesn't make many errors. Just look at how many races he has finished over the years. He's also more tuned in with racing F1 cars than that other guy.

From Mercedes' point of view, I do understand why they don't stop the rumours. It is good for a PR. But I don't understand the benefit to MS, IF there is no negotiations take place.

Prost had almost driven for Ferrari in 1996.

Who the hell are you?


Exactly. Now if he was talking about Adrian Sutil on the other hand...

Yup, it's clearly more than just a rumour. He's really considering a comeback, and he almost did make a comeback last season, so he's obviously crazy enough to do that.

While Allen's reasoning is all fine and dandy, Marquis Luca has already betrayed Michael once, because it´s self-evident now (as it was back then) that a lot went wrong before Michael announced his retirement. He still had the drive to compete and he's still itching today. The guy is physically fit and I think the godfather should redeem himself and let him go, in the name of the sport. That way Ferrari can compete against Schumi, and if something goes wrong and he finds out that something's missing, he'll have some new boys on the market and Kimi might still be available. Otherwise, I guess there'll be some bad blood lingering...
Michael apparently hasn't signed anything yet, and was already stepping down to a less visible role (we've seen that before, with Todt).

Harsh.

While I found Allen's F1 commentating a bit annoying at times, I find his blog one of the best written and most insightful around a the moment.

He's clearly a credible figure in F1 circles too.

Look, here he is hosting this week's F1 Business Forum in Monaco.

You sure that's not DJ Fat Bastard?

He's playing the after party...!

Schumacher would be a fool to leave Ferrari and jump ships to Mercedes.
MS has a lifetime pension in Ferrari and crossing the boarder would be the perfect excuse for Ferrari to cut it out.
Mercedes can't guarantee such perpetual wages for Schumy, if Ferrari drops him.

Remember MS had a very poor childhood and he wouldn't disregard it, no matter how much he got now.
MS is even moving to a smaller house.

It just seems to fit, if there was any time for MS to come back it is now. Hope this comes true.

J. Allen MAY be right, IF the rumour of a non-signed contract is NOT true. Then MS may just walk away, from jan 1st, 2010, which could just be 1 day after the deadline of his current contract. This could explain the "after christmass, don't expect anything until january" announcements from merc. But if the above is BS, and it well might be, there has to be a serious level of respect and trust between Montezemolo and MS if they(he) let('s) MS go. It could be a very interesting story, the background one. But I don't think we will ever know for certain.

No Allan is wrong here, very wrong. Ferrari won't like it but they won't stunt this move of him if he really wants it. Besides Schu has so much cash he could sign and break all crazy contracts for the rest of his life and care less. A little money never hurt anyone in these kind of deals. They'll be prancing like a horse (lolol) but if he's serious nothing can stop him

what a joke, you really think michael gives a **** about money anyomore ?

IMO It is not a guaranteed lifetime pension. It is a 'consultancy job' on a contract basis. Alonso is said not happy with MS' consultancy job and is finding his way to investigate the contract.

IF the rumours are true, MS and Ferrari have verbally agreed to continue the job for the next 3 years, albeit it has been reduced to the road cars development. Similarly, Todt had been reduced of his tasks before his exit at Ferrari.

Doesn't it? Kimi, who was the most popular driver of the post-Schumacher era, is out. All of a sudden Schumacher is back. I wouldn't be surprised if Bernie had something to do with it.

I dont even know why he stayed with Ferrari. It is obvious he was pushed so i dont know why he dident just leave the team all together. Be funny if he comes back and beats Ferrari.

Oh, please ...

I want to see Malonso with rain tires on a dry track.

I doubt it, Hamilton is pretty popular, so is Alonso. Kimi has probably been on par in terms of popularity.

I doubt Your opinion. Pedro doubts mine and Suzie runs over Pedro. Now You guys are arguying something that´s not to be fairly measured. Drop it..

Hamilton and Alonso have nothing to do with this thread. Please keep it on topic.

I live on a country which is "F1 neutral" - ie. we don't have drivers, teams in it. I can tell you Kimi was FAR more popular than either Alonso or Hamilton. But Schumacher was even more popular than Kimi when he was still racing.

What country is that?

Russia?

Oh fer christs sake...maybe the idiots who blather on about this non entity will follow him out the door.

Meanwhile...back on topic...
Fry eludes to JV if MS can't make it

Not that I believe news aggregators or anything...
Jp

They would be morons to sign JV, there are many other established drivers they could take a punt on.



Like Mika

When in doubt, always insult the others

Mika? Seriously, that is your retort?

For one, Mika wants nothing to do with driving an F1 car. Two, he retired 10 years ago. JV was forced out by the younger is better disease F1 has. He last drove F1 3 years ago and is training his butt off and WANTS to return. Mika, does not. At least come back with something that has a some logic to it.

Yea...you didn't see the , so why don't you rage it up some more?

JV should have proved himself when he had the chance. He last drove in F1 three years ago, and there was a reason he wasn't kept on.

If Schmucher does not join Mercedes in the end, I hope we get at least to know what all this hiding is/was about.

7 millions for Schumacher

So according to Bild Mercedes offer him 7 millions to drive.

you people have NO CLEU about Germans heh>?




what's wrong with you people?





Luca knew about his, and based Monza 2006 on this knowledge..........



what is about to happen is in the making for years, and will help F1 a bit, but Germany MORE, money talks baby, and Germany is all over 2010. more later..........

You have a problem with a German people? I had thought your obsession was with MS only, but... Do you travel frequently? Also, sentence fragments do not help your presentation. Have you thought about taking English composition lessons?

Would he even get out of bed for 7 million??
I seriously doubt it!

Surely any money offered is almost just for the sake of it. He certainly doesn't need the money, so any return would be for the fun of driving in F1. In other words if MS really wants to drive again, I find it hard to believe that the money would be a stopping point. If they offered him nothing at all would it stop him from coming back if he really wants to drive?

Much larger sum wasn't enough for certain finnish driver...

No, 7 million is pretty much the maximum salary, that Mercedes is willing to pay any driver at the moment. Kimis management demanded 17million, but that was illusional at best.

Apparently Brawn was offering Button 12 million.... shouldn't Schumacher be worth more than Button?

12 million is way too high. The offer was clearly under 10 million. At the beginning, it was even only around 4 million.

I don't think money matters to him any more. Maybe it does to Willi. But then if he can make a deal that the sales from the new Schumi caps go to Schumi alone that should be a good deal.

You don't have to be a Kimi fan to acknowledge the truth. FYI, I'm far from being a Kimi fan.

There may be good reasons for this figure.

1) Rosberg is rumoured to have a clause in his contract saying that his team mate cannot get paid more than him.
2) Maybe Schuey has share options? That wouldnt surprise me, and could make a difference to his quoted salary. It would also keep him in F1 and fill the void left when he finishes with competition.

Of course we havent had any confirmation on this yet...

Of course money still matters. It always does. But I'm willing to bet that if the offer of 7 million is real, it allows him a lot of space for personal sponsorship. And that will easily double or triple that amount. I'm sure tons of companies are in line to make a bid at those few inches on the helmet/driver suit/cap of the most successful f1 driver ever, making a sensational return.

Frans does a lot of traveling without leaving the room

The confusion is from mixing Euros, Pounds and US Dollars.

FIA to require all salaries in Zimbabwe dollars to remove confusion? The first billion trillion dollar driver pay check!

That 7 mil is in Euros, so $10 mil + in dollars. That's reasonable for today's cost-cutting formula. Besides I am sure that Schumacher cares little about the money, and more about the competitive nature of the car itself. And yes I agree with a previous poster that he will be able to get much more income from promotional activities, and this will furthermore spur his income in the next 10 years as a result due to fresh exposure.


Cooper

Truth?.... "Truth" on the internet is more like it.

However, it is good to see you were not sucked in

Jp

just for my information:

is Schu currently negotiating an extension of his contract at Ferrari?

In that case the whole engagement of Schu (going to Mercedes factory etc) could all be a game to get a better contract from Ferrari (and a pie of the Santander money)

As a sidenote..

Andrew Benson has reported about this on his BBC website blog.

He quotes the Bild article, and other "sources" that have given him information...

Just thought I'd drop in here that he thinks it is almost a done deal

J

BBC This is the link to the Andrew Benson article. Says it almost a cert he'll be at Mercedes.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/20..._looking_i.html


this vague-ish article is the biggest evidence Schumie is returning...

I dont think Andrew Benson is the type to bull***t around