The last time the world of F1 was in a state of collective shock was in May 1994 when Ayrton Senna was killed in a horrific accident at Imola. It has again been subjected to a shock, although a pleasant one. Not only has the return of Michael Schumacher at the ripe old age of 41 created a sensation but the fact that he won’t be driving a Ferrari in 2010 has amplified the sentiment.
In his second incarnation, Schumacher, who won five consecutive titles with Ferrari, has switched loyalties from the flamboyant Italian team to the comparatively conservative Mercedes GP. In fact, his switch to the Silver Star, will add, besides other things, a new twist to the 2010 championship. At Mercedes, Schumacher is part of an all-German team ready to take on the Made-in-Britain Mclaren squad of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.
The other and probably the most important effect of the German superstar’s return would be the much-needed boost to F1’s image and viewership. There is no doubt that F1 was tottering because of last year’s incidents including the incessant bickering between the teams and the world governing body FIA, the race-fixing incident and the pullout by big manufacturers like Honda, BMW, Toyota and to a great extent Renault. That the sport badly needed to shore up its image was quite obvious. The return of Schumacher, still the most popular name in F1, will help the sport regain its popularity.
However, has Schumacher taken this astounding step just for the well being of the sport? It certainly seems so considering that he has agreed for a much lesser salary than what he used to get in his heydays. Also, 41 is not exactly the right age to return to a sport which is both physically and mentally demanding.
However, Schumacher’s return could also be attributed to a personal quest... to show the world that he is superhuman. Maybe the fact that he couldn’t return to racing last year as Felipe Massa’s replacement because of injury would have been pricking him. Even if he doesn’t win the championship again, the fact that he has mustered enough physical and mental strength to make a comeback is nothing short of a personal triumph.
If he fails to win the championship, he won’t be able to emulate past champions who returned to F1 after a sabbatical. Niki Lauda and Alain Prost achieved this feat though none was as old as Schumacher when they made a comeback. Lauda had announced his retirement in 1979 only to return in 1982. He won his third title in 1984. Alain Prost, who took a sabbatical in 1992, returned a year later to win his fourth crown. Can Schumacher do the same? Though it seems a daunting task, you can never rule out the chances of someone who has dominated the sport like no one else.
Comments