Mercedes-F1

It’s been a big few days for Formula 1. With the year drawing to a close and preparations for the 2010 season set to get into full swing next month, driver line-ups are starting to be confirmed.

The biggest story at the moment centres around Michael Schumacher. The seven-times world F1 champion is strongly rumoured to be joining the Mercedes Motorsport GP team (formerly Brawn GP), with the German media claiming a season-long deal has been signed, netting Schumi around £3million (RM 16,607,166).

The 41 year old German would line up alongside Nico Rosberg, Mercedes first confirmed driver. Rosberg has welcomed the prospect of Schumi joining him at Mercedes. Rosberg said, “I hope that my team mate will be sorted out pretty soon and at the moment the rumours are very strong for Michael Schumacher, I have no idea if it is true or not but obviously if he would join that would be an absolutely fantastic move.

It would certainly be a great PR exercise for putting Merc’s new team on the map, too.

dated at 15:54 GMT, Friday, 20 November 2009

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Mercedes want Michael Schumacher to drive in F1 team

Jordan tips Schumacher to join Mercedes

Michael Schumacher is poised for a sensational return to Formula 1 with the new Mercedes team, according to BBC Sport pundit Eddie Jordan.

Mercedes want the seven-time champion as their lead driver after taking over title-winning Brawn, Jordan says.

“The possibility is being actively pursued and I believe it is going to happen,” said Jordan.

Schumacher’s spokeswoman Sabine Kehm told BBC Sport a return was “highly unlikely – but never say never”.

The plan is for Schumacher to be a stop-gap before Mercedes can prise German rising star Sebastian Vettel out of Red Bull, Jordan said.

Schumacher could be a stop-gap before Mercedes target Vettel

The move would reunite Schumacher with Mercedes GP team boss Ross Brawn, who masterminded all his seven titles at Benetton and Ferrari.

The German, who will be 41 in January, had to pull out of a temporary comeback to F1 last year as a replacement for the injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa because of a neck injury.

But Kehm said that while Schumacher had not had any new tests on his neck, it was expected to be healed by the end of the year.

Jordan said: “It started with a meeting between Michael, Ross Brawn and Daimler chief executive officer Dieter Zetsche at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

“At the moment, it is not possible for Michael to drive for Mercedes because he has a consultancy contract with Ferrari.

About the author: Shahir R. Ali General Manager and lead programmer at wemotor.com who loves cars and enjoys writing about them once in a while.