Left field
The Reuters global sports blog
Schumacher – The Comeback Part II (or not?)
A lot of people are getting quite excited about the possibility of Michael Schumacher coming out of retirement to race for the new Mercedes F1 team (formerly known as champions Brawn) at the age of 41.
The German’s spokeswoman Sabine Kehm feels it is highly unlikely while Mercedes said at the weekend that “some speculations are nothing but dreams which will not come true” (although note the carmaker did not specifically say this particular piece of speculation was one of them).
Team principal Ross Brawn, who is currently on holiday, has been quoted by Germany’s Bild newspaper as saying that “the media are trying to put together a dream. Michael would have returned to the cockpit for Ferrari, but only temporarily. He has no ambitions to start a new career.”
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone told the BBC on Sunday that he was “very doubtful” about any such comeback, however appealing it might be.
On the other hand, Kehm told Britain’s Times newspaper on Monday that “I can see a lot of tempting things in it for Michael, but I can also see a lot of non-tempting things. I don’t know.
“It is as it was in August when you couldn’t tell what was going to happen. Then I was convinced Michael would never come back and suddenly all the circumstances were right for him,” she added, referring to the champion’s abortive attempt to return as a stand-in for injured Brazilian Felipe Massa at Ferrari.
A Schumacher comeback has a lot of media appeal — witness all the stories — and not least because McLaren will have two British world champions next season in Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.
How will Button rate as a champion?
Jenson Button needs at most six points to clinch the Formula One title in Brazil this weekend and become Britain’s 10th world champion.
If he does wrap it up at Interlagos, a debate that has been going on for some weeks now will only pick up speed — just how does the 29-year-old rate as a champion compared to all the others?
There are some who hold the view that Button will somehow not be a truly worthy champion, their opinions influenced by the Brawn driver’s inability to assert himself in the latter part of the season.
Some might argue that champions like Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna or Lewis Hamilton made their greatness evident from the moment they arrived in the sport.
They could add that someone like Button, who had to wait seven years for his first win and scored a total of just nine points in the 2007 and 2008 seasons combined in a dire spell with now-departed Honda, is surely not on a par with them.
Did he simply luck into a dominant car, thanks to rule changes wrong-footing the usual suspects until halfway through the season, or is he being rewarded for his loyalty to a Brawn team that some were writing off as dead and buried back in January?
There is no arguing that, after winning six of the first seven races, Button has struggled. He finished this month’s Japanese Grand Prix in eighth place and is limping agonisingly to the finish, his early advantage seeing him through.
Daljeet’s mention of Mika Hakkinen is pertinent. Don’t forget that the Finn had to wait an age (96 races) before his first win with McLaren. If Button (who took 113 races to get to the top of the podium) does take the title, it will be interesting to watch how he goes next year when he will undoubtedly feel more liberated. Not suggesting he could do a Mika and win two in a row but we might see a bit more of the real racer.
Peace breaks out in Formula One
Formula One stepped back from the brink on Wednesday as FIA president Max Mosley agreed a compromise with FOTA, the Teams’ Association, to save the sport from a rival breakaway series.
The disagreement, which centred on Mosley’s plans to introduce a budget cap for the 2010 season, had threatened to end Formula One’s 60-year existence with eight teams including champions Ferrari prepared to walk away for good.
To the relief of Formula One fans and teams including McLaren, Red Bull and Brawn GP who all faced having to start again in what would have been a hastily arranged rival championship, Wednesday’s world motor sport council meeting in Paris has finally ended that threat.
The compromise comes about as Mosley also announced that he would not stand for re-election as FIA president, something many thought would have to happen for any agreement to be reached.
The controversy of a possible split has overshadowed the sport in recent weeks but hopefully attention can now return to a season which promises a championship showdown between Jenson Button’s Brawn GP and Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel.
Roll on Germany’s Nuerburgring.
Formula One on the brink as eight teams threaten split
Formula One plunged into its biggest crisis in 60 years on Friday with eight of the 10 teams announcing plans to set up their own championship.
The teams association FOTA said BMW-Sauber, Brawn, Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull, Renault, Toro Rosso and Toyota were united in a decision that would split the sport in two if carried through.
“The teams cannot continue to compromise on the fundamental values of the sport and have declined to alter their original conditional entries to the 2010 world championship,” said a statement.
“These teams therefore have no alternative other than to commence the preparation for a new championship which reflects the values of its participants and partners.”
Click here for the full story, and check back for more news as it happens on a decisive day for Formula One.
Interviewing Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton is resigned to the fact that his formula 1 world title defence could last only a handful more races and the McLaren driver has anointed fellow-Briton Jenson Button as his heir apparent.
“I think Jenson’s got a great chance, a great shot at it so I wish him all the best,” Hamilton told Reuters in an interview at the McLaren factory when asked who was going to win the championship.
“I think if I were to wish anyone (else) to win, it would be him.”
Click here for the full text interview, or see the rough cut video above.
I agree if Lewis doesnt win, Jenson all the way http://www.ssafreestylers.com
Has time run out for Rubens to shed the number two tag?
It was hard not to feel just a little bit sorry for Rubens Barrichello after his second place behind Brawn GP team mate Jenson Button at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday.
After passing Button at the start to take the lead, Barrichello’s hopes of a first race win since 2004 were apparently dashed when the team switched the Briton to a two-stop strategy.
The Brazilian may be determined not to play second fiddle to Button as he did to Michael Schumacher for all those years at Ferrari but these things tend to develop a momentum of their own.
As Alan Baldwin’s piece illustrates, Barrichello was still talking the talk afterwards but the fact that he was addressing questions about preferential treatment and team orders was an indication that his chance of retaining parity with Button in the team may have already passed.
Button’s four wins in the first five races of the season make him a clear favourite for the drivers’ championship and Ross Brawn is unlikely to let sentiment stand in the way of securing the title in what would be a sensational debut year for his team.
As Alan pointed out, Brawn was technical director at Ferrari when Barrichello was controversially ordered to let Schumacher pass him to win the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix, triggering rule changes forbidding team orders.
Remember last year last race last corner? Remember how both Toyotas posting similar times on that last lap to use as evidence that there was no foul play.
Remember the year before, the 17 points gap that evapourated within two races (I speculate Mr E promised Ferrari the title in return for keeping the McLaren drivers in the show) and how Kimi didn’t even look excited by achieving his dream of becoming a world champion? I wonder who controls those timers up from his control room?
Did you notice how surprised Button was when he got pole position yesterday when he clearly didn’t expected?
I bet Button required #1 status in return for his 50% pay cut. I bet Rubens was told whoever is on Pole would win the hence his BIG shock yesterday. I bet Mr E manipulate the Button’s time yesterday.
Please prove me wrong just so I can enjoy real F1 again 
Ali
Button still has the Brawn after car modifications
Free practice for the Spanish Grand Prix took place on Friday with most teams bringing modified cars to Barcelona as they attempt to catch the high flying Brawn-Mercedes team.
Brawn’s Jenson Button and Nico Rosberg of Williams set the fastest laps in the two practice sessions but despite having opportunities to upgrade their cars, Ferrari and McLaren were well off the pace.
Red Bull, second in the constructors’ table, recovered from a weak first session, as Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel finished fifth and seventh fastest second time around.
Practice is rarely an accurate gauge as to the result of the race, however, if you’re 14th and 13th fastest, as reigning champion Lewis Hamilton was in today’s sessions, it leaves you facing an uphill challenge.
Button got poll but I think Ferrari have improved a lot so modifications have made a difference. Button will be raced right to the end.
Button the Bollard?
Formula One championship leader Jenson Button came up with a nice riposte to being likened (in terms of speed) to a kerbstone (‘paracarro’) by Renault boss Flavio Briatore:
“He also needs to remember that he tried to employ me for this year.”
If that is indeed the case, then it prompts several observations.
Firstly, was Briatore trying to ditch Nelson Piquet (no great surprise, perhaps) or looking for a replacement for Fernando Alonso?
Piquet, whose rookie season was distinctly lacklustre, was confirmed for 2009 on Nov. 5 — a month before Button’s Honda team, Brawn GP’s predecessors, announced they were pulling out.
Remember that it was Briatore who described the lineup of Piquet and double world champion Fernando Alonso at the time as “one of the most exciting driver pairings with the perfect blend of youth and experience.”
So exciting that he wanted to replace the young Brazilian with a British bollard?
Hmmmmmmmm,
It is very interesting, this scenario.
There are two things to happen, the first one would be that Michael is very happy and rich in his castle never to return to the circuit, and the other that this media circus is suppose to keep on our toes. In my personal opinion, he will come back to racing, he’s too much of a showman to pass on this chance.