Looks like the rumor is true after all! Mercedes GP, the team that recently got Petronas as its title sponsor has officially signed up 7-times World Champion Michael Schumacher as its driver for the 2010 season. Schumacher will join Nico Rosberg behind the wheel of the Silver Arrows racer, which helps give an indication that Nick Heidfeld will stay at Sauber. Schumacher was racing for Mercedes before joining the pinnacle of motorsport in 1991 with Jordan. Mercedes even backed Schuey’s jump into Formula 1.
The German who will turn 41 this January will reunite with team principal Ross Brawn as the duo worked together for all of Schumacher’s seven titles, two achieved with Benetton and the rest with Ferrari. Schumacher’s move should also mark his official relationship with Ferrari to an end. The deal with Mercedes is said to be worth £6.2 million and is valid for a year, although I won’t be surprised if both Schumacher and Mercedes decide to extend it.
“Mercedes GP Petronas represents a new challenge for me both in a sporting and a personal context. It is a new chapter in my racing career and I am really looking forward to working with my old friend Ross Brawn and my companions from my days with the Mercedes Junior Programme,” said Schumacher.
“I am convinced that together we will be involved in the fight for the Formula 1 World Championship next year and I am already looking forward to getting back onto the race track. For me, this partnership closes the circle. Mercedes supported me for so many years when I began my Formula 1 career and now I can hopefully give something back to the brand with the star,” he added.
Team principal Ross Brawn said, “I am delighted that we can confirm today that Michael will make his much-anticipated return to Formula One next year and drive for our Mercedes GP Petronas team. As seven-time World Champion, Michael’s outstanding record in Formula One speaks for itself and I am looking forward to working with him again. With the completion of our driver line-up, I believe that we now have the most exciting partnership in Formula One with Michael and Nico, who provide the perfect mix of talent, experience, speed and youth.”
“We can now turn our full attention to the preparations for the new season and everyone at Mercedes GP Petronas is extremely excited about the challenge ahead. With the investment and support in our team provided by Daimler, Aabar and our new title partner Petronas, and with two such exciting drivers, we have all of the building blocks in place to have another successful season in 2010,” he added. This is definitely the biggest come back news in Formula 1 history and it looks like Schumacher is set to increase his career statistics of 250 races, 91 wins and 68 pole positions! Look out for Petronas ads with Schumacher on board!
UPDATE: Look after the jump for a video interview with Schumacher.
Harvinder Singh Sidhu thinks there's nothing better than Formula 1, not even sliced bread. Having written about cars since 2006, he plunged head first into the industry out of a passion for all things four-wheeled and everything in between. The F1 enthusiast has been following the sport since 1999 and has been keeping up with it since. In between races he keeps himself busy as the host of the Driven motoring TV programme and as our version of the Joker.
this is definitely makes 2010 season more interesting!! F1 is back to its glory days!
wow.. petronas must be damn happy with all the publicity they are getting lately each time the full team name is spoken out loud by famous ppl
This makes sense. Petronas is not making that much money nowadays, and every ringgit must be stretched as far as possible. With the Mercedes team plus Schumi on board – it's a marketing dream come true. One can not argue the same with Lotus F1. At most this year they'll be the best of the newbies. Surely there's less TV time for them.
So this makes it two teams to cheer for this year! Go Mercedes! Go Lotus!
welcome bek Schumi!!
Next…. Petronas employee get 12 month bonus…. happy happy joy joy…
May be Jean Toddt & Michele Yeoh involved ?. ha ha
I'm so happy for it…looking forwards…:)
PETRONAS, please have a Meet & Greet session with your drivers next year! I'll be the 1st in line to get the King's signature..as well as Rosberg, of course.
welcome to Petronas! =D
Woho. He'll risk his image if he does not perform well
welkomen schumi… selamat datang schumi..
this sounds wrong….so what happened about his eternal companionship with ferrari
Schumi got nothing to lose actually… anyway, it's a 3 years deal..
see ya in sepang mate…..
kinda weird feeling when Schumacher goes to Mercedes..Is it really closen the long time relationship with Ferarri?
If you check the news today from TVBS, CNN, ESPN to Aljazeera is all talked about Schumi back to F1.
It is like Jordan back to the BULLS! Regardless Schumi wins or not, sure the whole season got camera is on him (AND PETRONAS LOGO) all season long!
Eat that Tony and Lotus!
welkomen schumi, selamat datang schumi, meh pekena nasi lemak & teh tarik..
personally i cant wait to watch a post race intview with schumi wearing a PETRONAS cap…. Way to go PETRONAS…..
Just imagine a PETRONAS Syntium ad featuring schumi, in malaysia. NICE MOVE!!!
aiyoyo, this old uncle somemore want to go racing ar?
3 years yo………………. 3 superb future years……….
Now F1 gets intersting….
Welcome back Michael Schumacher! Too bad it's not with Ferrari. Kinda like another equally famous Michael retiring from Chicago Bulls after winning 6 NBA titles and came back out of retirement to play with the Washington Wizards.
i only hope is that Nico Rosberg not be second fiddle to shoe-marker just like happen to barrichelo and massa….i hope ross brawn do not use his 'theory of winning' by using second fiddle like years ago…..
Wow. I am sure to watch the race in Sepang, watch both Malaysian sponsored teams.
I want SEPANG TICKETS NOW!
i now that petronas deal got something with schumi comeback with merc rumour …..
all the best for mercedes-petrona gp and lotus f1…now if only tony can make ah yoong close his mouth…
go Lotus beat mercedez
Will he wear a White helmet with no sponsorship and no design's whatsoever like Stig:P?
and now Petronas get his way to Schumi for the advert.. this would be a good investment? next… to really export the lubs to all the F1 race country..
i was never a fan of schumi.. cuz i don't really like ferrari.. but this time i definitely will cheer him for the whole season!! go go mercedes gp petronas!!
ooooo hot hot hot my idol perh schumi wlcome back…. make next year more fun hahah ferrari, watch out
itlanevo said,
December 23, 2009 @ 10:22 pm
aiyoyo, this old uncle somemore want to go racing ar?
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i think shoe marker will drive for only one year until Mercedes GP Petronas wait for schumi baby's vettel contract due at RedBull….2011 Nico Rosberg & Sebastian Vettel will be teammate at Mercedes GP Petronas………………….
mystvearn said,
December 24, 2009 @ 6:16 am
Will he wear a White helmet with no sponsorship and no design’s whatsoever like Stig:P?
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i think so…LOL
With Schumi on board at Mercedes GP Petronas, expect to see some exciting techical developent on the racing cars. For long as I followed F1, after Prost and Senna, Schumi is probably one of the few and best drivers with technical knowledge to air the race car development. That explains the absurd string of wins and success he has had in Formula 1.
With Pteronas on the car, the helmet and the cap…I am more inclined to tune in to every race, as now I too have a stake in it as a Malaysian and a Petronas customer.
Now, If Only Petronas can make Primax 3 (Ron 97) Fuel available in every Petronas Stations in the country.
Exciting times ahead!
Talking about advantage of advertisement for Petronas, does Schumacher is under Shell? Does it will clash between two oil company?
no body could 100% sure that schu could win the title again….but i dont think pet should care about that….the most important think schu have a lot of follower/fan ….who always want to see him… and to watch him with pet and syntium logo make us proud… damn… could we delay F1 1malaysia team another 2 years?
Hamilton finally gets his wish to race with Schumi… Who will prevail? Anyhow with Schumi back everyone will get excited, even the non-F1 fans so overall is a masterstroke from Ross Brawn again, irregardless if he wins the title or not (which I'm sure he has a very goof chance
)
now Im waiting to see a petronas commercial with schumi saying "pergi lebih jauh dengan petronas".. while swapping 5series with E-class @ S-class cars..
In this short interview, already twice Schumacher mentions about Petronas and their partnership..so I hope this small little Alex who can now understand why Petronas make the best decision yet in F1.
Go!Go! Petronas
Go!Go! Lotus
p/s: EnD 2010 4 sure RON95 @ RM2.50 p/litre
harakah has the worse journalism quality in the country… they never get anything accurate and have those one brainer kampung lines at the end of their articles… half of the time its baseless and the other half exaggerated to the point only an hardcore supporter will believe what is printed.
Lets use our brain la petronas did not decided to switch from sauber to Mercedes over night it was probably their intention waaaaay back when bmw decided to bail. Why they keep it till now could be a the teams plan 3 major Mercedes news in under a week… you got to sense this was planned
who cares about what Alex said??? he even struggled to pass qualifying & race!… gosh…
selepas sekian lama, terasa tahun depan nak mengadap balik tv tuk melihat perlumbaan F1 walaupun siaran tertunda. harap ada stesen tv yang boleh bawa live lagi bagus. ambe skong petronas sponsor team ni sebat Petronas akan sentiasa d sebut sebagai nama pasukan, dan nama petronas akan duduk lagi besar berbanding sponsor yang team satu lagi. tak salah 22nya. sama2 bersaing. 2kali akan d sebut nama Malaysia sekurang2nya. ini yang penting. semoga maju jaya tuk semuanya
Welcome back schumi~~i juz cant believe…like drem come true! thanks Schumi…..i'll always support you~~!!! u r a legend forever~~
Tahun depan Schumi akan buat iklan petronas ""Selamamathari raya""
Wow best nye raye.!!!
Go go go mercedes gp petronas f1 team
so sepang tickets ade discount x tahun nie?
next year petronas will introduce new petrol;
PETRONAS RACING FUEL.. hehee..
just like SHELL RACING FUEL..
GO SCHUMI..!!
Suddenly I am happy that Petronas sponsored Mercedes.
What happended to ferrari?!
saya masih igt lagi ketika mana Petronas menaja pelajar Malaysia yang cemerlang ke Swiss utk melanjutkan pelajaran di institusi Sauber seiring formasi pasukan Sauber-Petronas. Hasilnya terbentuk Powertrain Technology yg dibangunkan oleh Petronas sendiri. Sepatutnya apabila saluran pelaburan di bwh subsidiari Petronas patut dipersoalkan oleh MP supaya semua jurutera2 pakar tempatan dapat memberi output fizikal dlm teknologi automotif.
If Yasmin Ahmad was still around, there'd be some pretty good Petronas F1 ads.
good to have Michael Schumacher back