Michael Who?

By Franz Burgmann

Are We Going to See Michael Schumacher's Real Comeback in 2011?

Will Michael Schumacher's second career with
Mercedes come to a happy end?

There is no doubt about it: Michael Schumacher's return to Formula 1 has been a difficult one so far. His announcement to come back for the 2010 season to drive for the new Mercedes team has resulted in tremendous media response. Due to his mediocre preformance, however, the media's attention in him has decreased rapidly in the course of the first few races. Later in the 2010 season you could watch whole TV coverages of Formula 1 races with his name mentioned not more times than that of a Virgin or Hispania driver.
It may be a rather harsh way to put it, but Michael Schumacher almost descended into insignificance. That he was defeated time and again by his teammate Nico Rosberg for sure did not help. The occasional 2010 Formula 1 viewer might hardly even have any recollections of Schumacher. Is the Michael Schumacher, who back in his Benetton and Ferrari years was almost invincible, not in tune with the times anymore?

Not everything has worked out for
Michael Schumacher after his Ferrari days.

Our judgement is based on our perspective: for a frog a steeple is just something incredibly high and unassailable, whereas from a bird's point of view it might just be something as simple and insignificant as a two-dimensional square. Also Michael Schumacher's second career can be looked upon from a variety of angles and I think to just see a former champion who has exceeded his prime and has difficulties to keep up with the guys half his age is not the whole picture.
I think that Michael Schumacher has still a great deal more to offer than we saw in the first year of his second career. There are open questions for the 2011 season, though, and whether Michael Schumacher may of may not be returning to his former strength remains to be seen. One thing is for certain, however: there will be no third chance, not even for a Michael Schumacher, 2011 will be his last possibility to proof himself. If he cannot deliver, there simply will be no place for him in Formula 1 anymore. So come on Michael, there are still many Formula 1 aficionados out there who would love seeing you returning to your former winning ways!

Definitely different race suit,
but the same pose again in 2011?


Whatever the outcome, I am glad Michael Schumacher returned and be it only because he definitely has added to the thrill of anticipation before the start of the season for the second time already. But sure he is capable of far more than just that, is he not?