F1 legend Michael Schumacher preparing for a race with his Mercedes team.
Michael Schumacher, the man who rewrote the Formula One record book, has announced plans to retire – again – at the end of the F1 season. The news comes just a week after the Mercedes team announced Schumacher would be replaced by Lewis Hamilton next year.
Schumacher’s departure follows a season in which he simply couldn’t deliver the consistent performance he had while driving for the Benetton and Ferrari teams where he racked up seven world championships and 91 individual grand prix wins, both records.
The 43-year-old German legend made his announcement while getting ready for the upcoming weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, in Suzuka. Last week’s decision by Mercedes to replace Schumacher was clearly a setback, but there had been numerous reports he was being sought by another team, most likely Sauber.
Instead, Schumacher revealed his decision “to retire at the end of the year.” He insisted he was “able and capable” of continuing to compete but realized, “at some point it’s time to say goodbye – and this time it might be forever.”
If that comment was meant to close the book on “Schumi’s” racing career, some believe he was actually leaving open the possibility of another return. Indeed, he later suggested, “I have options obviously, but whatever it will be will be made in time.”
Schumacher dominated the Formula One circuit for most of the years during an incredible 15-year period that began in 1991. Indeed, he came within one race of landing an eighth championship before getting flagged for a false start at Suzuka in 1998, handing victory to long-time Finnish arch-rival Mika Hakkinen.
Schumacher didn’t make that mistake the following year, however, taking the checkered flag again and again and landing both the individual driver and constructor’s trophies. He took a victory lap at every race but one of the 14 during the 2004 season – an all-time record in itself – and continued his machine-like domination year after year until retiring in 2006.
Reputed to be one of the world’s wealthiest athletes, most expected Schumacher to turn to any number of lucrative opportunities awaiting the retired legend. But four years later, he was back, this time for Mercedes.
Unfortunately for both Schumacher and the team, he couldn’t seem to match the precision and drive that had worked so well before. Since his 2010 return, the German was only able to land one podium finish, leading Mercedes to invite Hamilton to take Schumacher’s seat next year.
During the announcement of his latest retirement, Schumacher appeared to be spreading some of the blame when he suggested, “It’s without doubt that we did not achieve our goals to develop a world championship fighting car.” He insisted that he “can be happy with my overall achievements.”
While some were betting Schumacher would find a way to keep his helmet on in 2013, there were growing signs that a change was needed, whether he would, indeed, be ousted, or would beat Mercedes to the punch by announcing his retirement first.
Despite having pink-slipped his once-dominant driver days earlier, Mercedes team manager Ross Brawn was full of compliments following Schumacher’s announcement.
“He’s the most courageous racing driver of the century,” said Brawn, adding that, ” I feel very privileged to have worked with Michael from the beginning.”