Schumacher could extend with Mercedes in 2013
The German newspaper Sport Bild claims that the seven-time world champion has extended his contract with the German team, while Nico Rosberg, on his side, insists on keeping his options open, even though Mercedes remains his priority.
On the occasion of the last Singapore Grand Prix, Nico Rosberg told the German press agency SID that he would be delighted to keep Michael Schumacher as a teammate beyond 2012, the final year of the three-year contract signed between the seven-time world champion and Mercedes. According to the German newspaper Sport Bild, this might indeed happen, and it was in Singapore that the 42-year-old driver and Ross Brawn reportedly agreed to continue the adventure in 2013, with the newspaper suggesting that the extension of the German’s contract is merely a formality: « There is no reason for Michael not to continue. He is valuable to the team and hasn’t lost anything » confides Ross Brawn.
The Mercedes driver is indeed on a series of good performances because, since the Belgian Grand Prix, he has consistently outperformed his teammate in the race when he has seen the checkered flag; a substantial performance considering the 2010 season when the Kaiser was dominated by his young teammate like never before. Thus, while his presence in Formula One in 2012 was still being debated a few months ago, Michael Schumacher now seems far from taking a well-deserved retirement: « I have proven that I have raced faster than my teammate, Nico Rosberg: overall, we are on the right track. »
Norbert Haug, the head of competition for the brand with the star, actually agrees with the German champion: « Michael has proven wrong those who consigned him to oblivion. He has put in fantastic races, no one has gained more positions than him in the first lap this season. »
But the German’s desire to extend for 2013 is partly explained by his belief that he will have a better chance to compete for an eighth world title in 2013, rather than in 2012: « There is little chance that we will be in a position to fight for the title in 2012 because we must first lay the foundations on which we can build in 2013. »
The first two seasons of Mercedes, since its return as an independent team, have indeed fallen far short of expectations. Despite the brand with the star having hired renowned technicians such as Aldo Costa, Bob Bell, Loic Bigois, and Geoff Willis, Michael Schumacher knows, with his twenty-year career, that the long-awaited fruits might still require an additional season. The Red Baron – now turned gray – likely remembers that it was only during his fourth year of partnership with Ferrari that he was able to win the constructors’ title, before starting his statistical solo run a year later.
If the potential contract extension of Michael Schumacher for 2013 could therefore soon be made official, Mercedes is nevertheless still working to do the same with Nico Rosberg, whom the German press reports as being unhappy with his situation and aspiring to join Scuderia Ferrari by 2013. In Sport Bild, Rosberg also leaves the door open: Winning with the Silver Arrows remains my primary goal, but of course, you always keep your options open.
Did you know?
If Michael Schumacher participated in the 2013 season, he would enter the Top 50 of the oldest drivers to start a Grand Prix and would also be the oldest to start a race since a certain Jack Brabham at the start of the 1970 Mexican Grand Prix. In Abu Dhabi, Michael Schumacher will be the oldest driver to start a Formula One Grand Prix since Vittorio Brambilla and the 1980 Italian Grand Prix.
