F1 News
Date: 4/October/2012
Michael Schumacher will retire from F1 for the second and time at the end of the 2012 season.
The German’s place at Mercedes has already gone to Lewis Hamilton, but the seven time World Champion waited until the eve of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix to confirm the end of his career.
Schumacher, who won world titles for Benetton (’94, ’95) and Ferrari (2000, 04), originally retired at the end of 2006, before being tempted back into grand prix by the chance to drive for the ‘Silver Arrows in 2010.
It was to be no Hollywood comeback, with just one podium and one (unofficial) pole to show for his efforts, but Schumacher remains one of the biggest names in the motor racing and could doubtless have chosen to continue racing with a lessor team.
Schumacher, 43, insists he is still able to hold his own in F1, but has decided that now really is the time to retire.
“I have decided to retire from Formula One at the end of the season, although I am still able to compete with the best drivers of the world. This is something that makes me proud, and this is part of why I never regretted my comeback,” he insisted.
“I can be happy with my performance and the fact that I was continuously raising my game during the last three years. But then, at some point it is time to say goodbye.
“Already during the past weeks and months I was not sure if I would still have the motivation and energy which is necessary to go on; and it is not my style to do anything which I am not 100% convinced about. With today’s decision I feel released from those doubts.”
Schumacher, a winner of 91 grands prix, has finished eighth and ninth in the Championship since his return. He is currently ranked twelfth in the 2012 standings, having finished only half of the 14 races due to a combination of technical problems and incidents.
Team-mate Nico Rosberg is seventh in the Championship, the same position he has finished each previous season alongside Schumacher. Rosberg, who will continue alongside Hamilton, has claimed one win from four Mercedes podiums.
Schumacher admitted that he had fallen well short of his goal to help turn Mercedes into Championship contenders.
“I said at the end of 2009 that I want to be measured by my success, and this is why I had a lot of criticism in the past three years which partly was justified. It is without doubt that we did not achieve our goal to develop a world championship fighting car within those years.”
Schumacher added that he had learnt a lot about himself since his return, including that “That losing can be both more difficult and more instructive than winning; something I had lost out of sight sometimes in earlier years.
“I am at ease with myself,” he declared.
Hamilton isn’t comfortable with the description of ‘replacing’ Schumacher next year and simply feels privileged to have had the unexpected chance to race against him.
“I don't see myself as replacing Michael,” said Hamilton, who joined F1 in 2007. “I don't think anyone can replace Michael, he's a legend in the sport and has achieved so much.
“I watched him winning all his World Championships at home in my living room and then for him to come back and for me to get to race with him has been a real privilege.
“I hope that one day, I can achieve some of the things he has done.”
Hamilton, who is cutting his long McLaren ties to join Mercedes, has so far won 20 F1 races and one World Championship (2008).
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