Formula One News

Michael Schumacher announces F1 comeback specifies Ferrari officials titles in graf 7 (3rd Lead)

Jul 29, 2009, 17:38 GMT

Hamburg - German formula one racing star Michael Schumacher on Wednesday announced his aim to return to racing after a nearly three-year retirement to the F1 Grand Prix circuit to fill in at Ferrari for badly injured driver Felipe Massa. Schumacher made the announcement on his own internet homepage, confirming a report earlier Wednesday in the tabloid newspaper Bild's website. There had been increasing speculation in recent days that the 40- year-old former F1 world champion would return to Ferrari in the wake of Massa's bad accident last Sunday in Budapest which left him hospitalised. Schumacher has seven F1 world titles to his credit, along with 91 individual race victories in 250 Grand Prix races. He ended his career in October 2006. The next F1 race is the European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain on August 23. In his website statement, under the title, Michael Happy To Help Ferrari, Schumacher said that 'thank God, all news concerning Felipe are positive' - a reference to the improvement in the Brazilian driver's condition in Budapest and prospects that he could be transferred to a Paris hospital. 'I wish him all the best again.' Schumacher then went on to say he had talked with Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and racing team boss Stefano Domenicali and 'together we decided that I will prepare myself to take the place of Felipe.' The German racing star added that although the F1 racing chapter had been completely closed for him, 'it is also true that for loyalty reasons to the team I cannot ignore that unfortunate situation. 'But as the competitor I also very much look forward to facing this challenge,' the brief website statement said.