posted August 11, 2009 at 15:24 EST in F1 Racing Articles
Michael Schumacher has called off Formula One comeback
by Charles Jay
IT'S A NO-GO FOR SCHUMACHER
Michael Schumacher won't be racing in the European Grand Prix after all.
Schumacher, who had been listed at +1400 in the BetUS Formula One betting odds to win the race at Valencia that is scheduled for August 23, has abruptly called off his comeback attempt, citing pain from a motorcycle accident that was suffered back in February as his reason for the decision. Schumacher is also said to have back problems from that incident.
“That is why my neck cannot stand the extreme stresses caused by Formula One yet. These are the clear results of the examinations we did on the course of the past two weeks and the final examination yesterday afternoon," he said in a prepared statement.
Schumacher is going to be replaced by Luca Badoer, a long-time test driver for the Ferrari team who is at least familiar with the Ferrari machinery.
What had the potential to become the biggest story of the Formula One season is now an non-event, and may even require some damage control. This is a big blow for the race organizers, who were hoping for at least something newsworthy to promote for the event that is lagging in ticket sales, since native son Fernando Alonso is part of the Renault team that has, as of now anyway, been suspended for that race (Renault is confident they'll be re-instated for this race, we should add).
All of this, of course, comes in the wake of controversy over the protests of the Williams and Red Bull teams, who were dead set against Schumacher being able to test drive the F60 car that was driven by injured Felipe Massa, as they did not want him to be given an exception from the rules that prohibit such testing during the season. Red Bull's "sister" team is Toro Rosso, and their teenage driver, Jaime Alguesuari, was not given the chance to test in advance of the Hungarian Grand Prix when he was brought aboard to replace Sebastien Bourdais last month.
Schumacher had been circumventing the regulations by driving a two-year-old "borrowed" Ferrari car around the team's test track in Mugello.
Mark Webber, currently second in the driver standings and +250 to win the championship in the BetUS F1 betting odds, told the London Daily Telegraph, "If it wasn't for the neck problems caused by his motorbike shunt, I think we'd have seen him racing in Valencia – I have no doubt about that."
His bosses, however, didn't want to see that happen, or so it appears.
Ross Brawn, a former colleague of Schumi's with the Ferrari team and now head of the Brawn GP contingent that currently leads the Constructors' standings (and is +200 to win it in the BetUS odds) had thought that Schumacher could be a winner in that Ferrari car. "Michael returns with his usual determination and seriousness, but above all with the intention of having fun," Brawn had said. "Personally, I admit I'm excited and can't wait to see him at work." He obviously must have assumed Schumacher would be given the chance to test.
Eddie Jordan, Schumacher's original F1 team owner, told the BBC that Schumacher must have had "rocks in his head" to have even fooled around with motorcycles, adding, “He has the speed but not the ability to go two hours in a race with his neck after the accident. Ferrari would have had the best medical people on the case, but he is not up to the job. We have been robbed, because I wanted to see how he could cope with these young guys.”
As for Badoer, he's thrilled to get this chance to finally drive the Ferrari car in competition after twelve seasons of test driving, but he admits the feeling is bittersweet.
"I'm really sorry for Michael, because I know how much he wanted to return," he said. "I'm saying that as his friend and his fan. We've been in contact during the last days and we drove karts together at Lonato last week."
There is a bit of concern, in that Badoer has not tested the F60 yet, but he doesn't feel that will be too much of a problem.
The 38-year-old Badoer would be the oldest driver in the Valencia field. He first drove in a Grand Prix back in 1993, and was last seen on an F1 track in 1999. He has never scored a point in 48 Formula One races, and that is a record; his best finish was the #7 spot in San Marino in 1993.
He is currently listed at +3000 to win the European Grand Prix at BetUS.
