Schumacher’s return has created huge excitement among fans and media. News of his signing with Mercedes has overshadowed the FIA/FOCA controversy, “Crashgate”, and the election of Jean Todt.
But Michael Schumacher is an unknown quantity. Strip away the hype, and Michael Schumacher, 41, is an aging driver trying to make a comeback after three years out of a formula car—a driver who in August was deemed physically unfit to drive.
Formula One is a game of hundredths of a second. Precise split-second reaction makes the difference when squeezing the extra few hundredths of a second out of each corner.
The game has changed since Schumacher retired. The tires, the cars, and the strategy are entirely different.
But the biggest change is the test ban. Michael Schumacher was the legendary testing iron man, logging hundreds of thousands of kilometers between races and off-season, honing his skills, learning the cars, training his instincts. With almost all testing banned, Schumacher will have to learn the car, and develop his skills, while practicing for each race.
None of this is to say that Michael will not do well in his comeback. The man has won nearly twice as many F1 races as any driver in history for a reason—he has enormous natural talent and ability. But he also faces some serious obstacles.
No matter how Michael does at Valencia, everyone who has ever heard his name will be trying to get tickets or a seat at the television to watch him race.
The German Grand Prix is a guaranteed sellout. And even if he doesn’t come out of the box on fire, fans will tune in to see if he hits his stride in the next race, or the next.
What If?
But what if he never again becomes dominant? What if he is a steady mid-pack driver? What if, relegated to the middle of the grid, he allows his equally legendary aggressiveness to lead him into avoidable accidents?
Michael has never been shy about assisting other drivers to take off-track excursions. Maybe the stewards would tolerate some contact when he was driving for Ferrari and winning every race. Will they have the same respect when he is a mid-pack Mercedes driver?
And, should he be merely a good, and not the greatest, driver on the grid, how long will it take before the press—and the public—turns on him. How long will it take before he is facing boos at the track and sharp criticism in the press? Is F1 generous enough to accept Michael Schumacher, average driver? Will this take the pleasure out of F1 for Schumacher?
The entire F1 world will be watching the Circuit de Valencia on Feb. 1. Who is fastest will be secondary. The primary question will be, “How did Michael do?”
