The Return of the Schumacher

We are very excited here in the Almost Daily Sports Blog. We have a resident F1 expert in our midst-Gavin. But unfortunately for us he's been tied up at work the last few weeks and the blogging and sports have been left to poor ole clueless me. It's a clever way to teach me about sport though so I'm not too worried. Either way when it comes to F1 we really need Gav....I'll try my best if you try not to hate me when I kill this story.

As you may have heard in passing a certain F1 superstar and seven times F1 champ Mr Michael Schumacher has signed a deal to drive for Mercedes in 2010. Woohoo! It's a year long contract and lets face it we all LOVE it! We missed Schumacher the last few seasons since his retirment in 2006 but now He's BACK! Micheal hasn't been doing nothing since his retirment though, he's a busy little Bee don't you know. Schumacher became a consultant for Ferrai to keep him busy and was even rumoured, for a while, to be going back to Ferrai as a driver this season for the injured Massa. Plans change however and Schumacher is going to Mercedes, who recently bought out Brawn. He'll be driving alongside Nico Rosberg.

Now we hear that Schumacher is testing a very fancy looking GP2 car while in Spain in preperation for his F1 comeback. Nice one Michael! He's running up the miles alright. Since calling off his temporary comeback with Ferrari because of a neck injury, Schumacher has been restricted to karting to sharpen his racing instincts. But he's looking real goooood out there on the tracks and his sights are set, as ever, at the very top. Roll around feb 1 and Micheal will get his chance to get his backside into a F1 car again during the testing in Valencia. There are still question marks over both Schumachers head and his team-mate Rosberg as to weather they'll drive in the 4 pre season tests that loom ever closer and closer. Although this GP2 testing is a great start to blowing away the cobwebs of retirment that the 41 year old driver may have picked up over the last few seasons.

"It is an honour and a privilege for us to have Michael Schumacher help us develop our car," said GP2 organiser Bruno Michel.

And as for Michael himself? Well he seems to be more than happy with the work done in Mercedes engine factory in Brixworth!

"I have to say I am very impressed about the high level you see there,"
"The people seem to be highly motivated as well and I find that encouraging as it perfectly fits my personal mood." Schumacher is quoted as saying on his official website.

Fantasy Football

A quiet week here on the blog as I’m on a short break with she who must be obeyed down in Kerry. Enjoying it I must say, even if I am still gutted by Michael Schumacher’s decision not to return to Formula 1. Badoer is no seven-time world champion, that’s for sure.

Break or no break, I’m aware that there are sporting events just around the corner, not least the long-awaited return of the Premier League.

If you play fantasy football ,it’s likely that you play it on http://fantasy.premierleague.com as it’s the official one...and free. If you do sign up for it, then be sure to join the league set up by us here at The Almost Daily Sports Blog. There will be a prize for the highest scorer at the end of the season. The code to join is 1007205-238235. I look forward to seeing you all there.

Michael Schumacher To Return!

I’ve been writing about a lot of other things today but the news from the world of Formula 1 has made me down my pen on all of those and give my initial thoughts on the shock return of Michael Schumacher.

I’d heard the rumours – there was a story on the BBC website yesterday that Schumacher’s spokesperson wouldn’t rule out a possible return in place of the injured Filipe Massa. But did I really think that Ferrari would choose him over both of their reserve drivers and even, possibly, Fernando Alonso whose Renault team have been banned from the next event in Valencia.



Yet, no, Schumacher will be breathing fresh life into what’s already been a compelling Formula 1 season.

In many ways, it’s an odd decision. If it were any other driver who was in his circumstances, my response would be as follows. This is stupid: Schumacher hasn’t driven competitively since 2006, and hasn’t sat in any Formula 1 car for the best part of eighteen months, since when the regulations have been given a complete overhaul. He’ll also have no possibility of stepping into the car for any testing in the meantime, due to the ban on testing between now and the race in Valencia. Schumacher picked up back and neck injuries in a motorcycle crash this year and after three years away from the sport, there’s no doubt that his fitness would have deteriorated. He also is returning to a car that is far from a race-winner and thus it doesn’t make sense for his career. Bringing him back makes no sense.

However, Michael Schumacher was never any normal driver. He’s arguably the fastest man in the history of the sport and if anyone can overcome all of those issues, it’s someone who’s as technically-minded, focussed and determined as Schumacher. It’s a decision that I’m sure is driven out of company loyalty rather than a lust for competition, but that doesn’t mean that he won’t be driven from the moment he pulls out the pits for Friday practice in Valencia. I, for one, can’t wait.