MOTOR SPORT NEWS: MICHAEL SCHUMACHER is to make a sensational return to Formula One with Ferrari in place of the injured Felipe Massa it was announced yesterday, just hours after BMW dealt the sport a body blow in revealing it is to leave the grid at the end of this season.
Massa suffered a serious skull fracture in an accident during qualifying for last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix and with the Brazilian unlikely to return for the remainder of the season, speculation as to his replacement centred on seven-time world champion Schumacher.
Initial reports that the German was being considered were denied by the driver’s manager Willi Weber, but yesterday Ferrari confirmed that Schumacher, who mentored Massa during the Brazilian’s early career at the Italian team, will take over the injured driver’s car for the rest of the season.
“The most important thing first: thank God, all news concerning Felipe is positive. I wish him all the best again,” read a statement on Schumacher’s website. “I was meeting this afternoon with (team principal) Stefano Domenicali and (CEO) Luca di Montezemolo and together we decided I will prepare myself to take the place of Felipe.
“Though it is true the chapter Formula One has been closed for me since long and completely, it is also true that for loyalty reasons to the team I cannot ignore that unfortunate situation. But as the competitor I am I also very much look forward to facing this challenge.”
Massa has been in “serious but stable” condition in Budapest since last Saturday’s accident in which a spring dislodged from Rubens Barrichello’s car hit the Ferrari driver in the head, causing multiple skull fractures and lacerations. The Brazilian is conscious and yesterday reportedly took his first steps around his hospital bed.
Schumacher last raced a Formula Once car at the Brazilian Grand Prix of 2006, where he finished fourth in ceding the title to Renault’s Fernando Alonso. In the time the Ferrari legend has been away Formula One has seen the rise of stars such as 2008 champion Lewis Hamilton and the emergence of 22-year-old fellow German Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull Racing this season.
It has also been a time of tumultuous change with this year seeing the biggest regulation change in a decade, war between the teams and the sport’s powerbrokers, and the shock withdrawal of Honda from the sport amid global economic hardship. It is into this environment Schumacher will return with his comeback yesterday being preceded by the equally unexpected announcement that BMW are to pull out of Formula One at the end of this season.
“This was a difficult decision for us. But it’s a resolute step in view of our company’s strategic realignment,” said Dr Norbert Reithofer, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG, adding the funds freed up by withdrawal from F1 would be directed towards new drive technologies and projects in the field of sustainability.
The team’s motorsport director, Dr Mario Theissen, admitted he would have liked the team to continue but he understood the reasoning. “Of course, we, the employees in Hinwil and Munich, would all have liked to continue this ambitious campaign and show that this season was just a hiccup following three successful years. But I can understand why this decision was made from a corporate perspective. We will focus sharply on the remaining races and demonstrate our fighting spirit and put in a good result as we bid farewell to Formula One racing.”
Former owner Peter Sauber, who retains a 20 per cent share-holding in the team, has been put forward as a saviour though last night he remained evasive about the possibility of a rescue mission. “The position we are in now makes it very difficult,” he said. “I respect and accept the decision but am still finding it hard to digest.”
