Poll over: MSC will officially come back.

[WhiteBlue]

This are the Pros

• He was not really ready to retire
• He really got excited about it in summer when something prevented him to come back
• He will hate to see Alonso get all the stardom at Ferrari
• He is still incredibly fit
• He owes Mercedes for his F1 entry and never payed back
• He trusts Ross Brawn to give him the right car and support in the team
• He is an incredibly competitive person and loves to race and win
• His long term speaker Sabine Kehm has terminated her contract with Maranello

And this are the Cons

• He is now simply too old to compete
• He would hate the fitness regime necessary over a long time
• Corinna would give him hell
• He would risk going out with a less impressive last season or last race than he did before
• He is afraid Nico would be faster
• The neck may still be an issue (glass neck)
• He may have prior obligations from Shell sponsorship in 2010
• Ciro Pabon disapproves (too much work load)

[ESPImperium]

I do think that he should come out of retirement. BUT... the head should rule the heart on this one. Does he come back and look slow or just on the pace??? Yes he has alot of payback to give to people that gave him entry and success in the sport (Mercedes & Brawn) but i think that he should stay out of a F1 car now. The neck is heeled and im sure that the fitness regime wouldnt hurt him as he has been in roughly 80% shape since leaving the sport and that 20% wouldnt be hard to attain. But the fact that if he comes back and looks like Badoer he will ruin the memory of his legacy in the sport. And the fact that it would look like a symbolic passing of the torch to the new gaurd of Hamilton, Vettel, Hulkenberg and Rosberg, it wouldnt feel right.

However, watching him in ROC and the Felipe Massa Catring thing recently, they guy certainly has it. Should he or shouldnt he simply they head should prevail over the heart on this one.

I think he could give a right ass whooping to the new guys on any given day, but can those given days be arround 20 times a year, i think he could, but no. Let sence prevail over arguable stupidity.

[Giblet]

Con - Neck made of glass.

[Ciro Pabón]

I think Mr. Schumacher avoided replacing Massa because he would have look bad: the car is not the dominant vehicle he had in past seasons and he knew it. He might have been telling the truth about a neck injury, but, you know, Schumacher has lied before.

So, I think that for him to come back he would have to have a dominant car. I'd say that we have to wait and look what kind of car Ferrari develops for next year, or perhaps, as the poll proposes, what kind of car Mercedes can have. I bet he doesn't want to drive in seventh or whatever place in the championship: he has a quite good opinion of himself, even taking in account he can have it.

The Pro/Con list offered before is... a little weird, even for some standards I've seen. In my opinion Alonso will do fine, even with Ferrari at low tide.

Besides, with all due respect, I think Schumacher is burnt: what makes you think differently? What feats has he accomplished recently that support the excellent opinion one could have about his physical form? That's not a veiled criticism, but a question.

C'mon, WB, with all due respect, I think is time for you to root for Vettel.

Anyway, if Schumacher comes back we hope he has good results and a better sportmanship (the second wish is easy to fulfill: a worse one is almost impossible).

Thinking a little about the last phrase I wrote, I would like to add this: if he comes back I think the forum will need additional moderators. I also think that, in the event of Schumacher coming back, we need moderators really, really tough and not the nice, kind, open minded and gentle persons we have now.

On a side note, I would like to complement the Con list (some members will say it goes into the Pro list):

Some members will be banned

[WhiteBlue]

Seb Vettel will have 100% of my support. This doesn't mean I would not be excited about Michael coming out of retirement and driving again. I think that Michael at comparable F1 experience stage might have won the 2009 campaign. He was so awesome in his early years and one of the most complete drivers from the first races. There are similarities between Vettel winning Monza 2008 and Schumacher winning Spa 1992. They both can take an opportunity with both hands and go for it. I just think that Michael did make fewer mistakes than Vettel did or perhaps his mistakes were more heavily punished (like Silverstone 1994).

[Fil]

Not.

He is a living legend.

He has left a lasting legacy.

He's got more to lose than gain.


Mercedes look bad if he loses, not Schumacher.

Schumacher looks good if he wins, not Mercedes.

I want Kubica at Mercedes.

[xpensive]

Another "against" is that with today's strict limitations on engines, aerodyamics, testing and so on, it would be difficult for him get the technical advantage he's gotten used to over the years.

Besides, there's no Germano-phile heading the FIA anymore to help him out in times of trouble.

[richard_leeds]

Besides, there's no Germano-phile heading the FIA anymore to help him out in times of trouble.

That's a new one on me. I thought the allegations of bias were for the Ferari team. As I recall, they're an Italian team?

[xpensive]

MrM was educated in Bavaria and speaks the language fluently. His parents were married in Germany in 1936,
with guess who as witness?

[richard_leeds]

MrM was educated in Bavaria and speaks the language fluently. His parents were married in Germany in 1936,
with guess who as witness?

Silly me then. I thought all those rumours of bias for the Ferrari team, and the secret concorde annex bribing them with millions, was for an Italian team.

[xpensive]

Not necessarily Richard, one bias doesn't xclude the other. Does it now?

[Mystery Steve]

Isn't he still employed by Ferrari? I would think that might be a reason not to return as a MercGP driver. Granted he doesn't need the money, but I would imagine he probably likes his current position given that he doesn't show signs of giving it up despite the fact he doesn't need to do it.

[richard_leeds]

Not necessarily Richard, one bias doesn't xclude the other. Does it now?

Its a distraction.

[vall]

Seb Vettel will have 100% of my support. This doesn't mean I would not be excited about Michael coming out of retirement and driving again. I think that Michael at comparable F1 experience stage might have won the 2009 campaign. He was so awesome in his early years and one of the most complete drivers from the first races. There are similarities between Vettel winning Monza 2008 and Schumacher winning Spa 1992. They both can take an opportunity with both hands and go for it. I just think that Michael did make fewer mistakes than Vettel did or perhaps his mistakes were more heavily punished (like Silverstone 1994).

I have memory that MS crashed a lot at the beginning of his carrier, more that SV did, no? SV won Monza 08 starting from the pole and dominating the race from there, while MS at Spe 92 some guys ahead of him retired and then he won

[PNSD]

Isn't he still employed by Ferrari? I would think that might be a reason not to return as a MercGP driver. Granted he doesn't need the money, but I would imagine he probably likes his current position given that he doesn't show signs of giving it up despite the fact he doesn't need to do it.

Thats my issue with his Ferrari role.

Its not a case of him not needing to do it, its Ferrari, do they really need him? Why are they paying him to watch a race from the best possible posistion? He cant contribute much to the car development or drivers setup (their experienced enough now!)... Ever since he retired it seems to me at least that he just cant let go!

Talking about the Merc drive, I would like to see him back. I think he wants to, and I dont think it would tarnish what has been a great career. If anything, if he came back and was as good as before, or at least the equal of Alonso/Lewis he will be decorated even greatly so imo. I was never a fan of Schumacher, and never will be, but that guy was special and a few years out wont have dented him too much imo. Give him a seat and watch the fireworks between some of the best drivers in the world.