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!
We picked up these renderings of the Mercedes GP Formula 1 car complete with Petronas livery from the Brawn GP official website (Brawn GP is the 2009 Constructors Champion, bought by Daimler and renamed as Mercedes GP). We’ll have to wait for pre-season testing in February to see the car for real, but here’s a teaser of how it could look.
The based colour is silver (of course) but there are streaks of Petronas green to break the monotony – previously BMW Sauber didn’t allow any of it on its car. The Petronas name is prominently displayed on the rear wing, front wing and side pods; the latter location has ‘Malaysia’ below the brand, just like on the BMW. There’s also a Petronas Syntium logo on the engine cover. Other sponsors such as Henri Lloyd, MIG and Graham are carried over from Brawn GP.
Look out for one more picture and downloadable hi-res files after the jump.
UPDATE: It’s official! Mercedes GP has unveiled latest signing Michael Schumacher at its Brackley HQ. About the condition of his neck, the seven-time champ has this to say: “It wasn’t OK in the summer, but it’s had the time to heal completely, there is no further issue with the neck – 100%,” he told BBC.
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