Schuey's Return - Wise or Pointless?
Is it really wise for Ferrari ace Michael Schumacher to return to the cockpit of his Ferrari F399 for the final two races this season?
by Michael Bass
It was revealed last week that Michael Schumacher is returning to Formula One for the final two races of the 1999 season.
Originally, Schumacher was going to return to Formula One at the Belgian Grand Prix this year; but intensive testing, showed his fitness was poor, and he decided to stay out until he was fully recovered. However, in an amazing u-turn, he's announced he will race again at the Malaysian Grand Prix next weekend. Accordingly, it has been reported that Mika Salo will be on stand-by should he be needed any more this season.
Advantages for Schuey's return include aiding the cause of team-mate Eddie Irvine's title bid. Irvine is two points behind former world champion Mika Hakkinen.
Schumacher decision to return to Formula One was all the more surprising as it came after he said he wanted to end speculation on his participation on the season's final two Grands Prix by announcing he wasn't to race in Malaysia and Japan.
The big question still remains, however, is it really worth Schumacher returning for two more races this season?
He has clearly lost the chance of recovering his points that he scored just before his crash at Silverstone this year; however Irvine could certainly benefit from his decision as Schumacher's backing provide the difference between winning and losing against the previously favoured Hakkinen.
Reports show that Michael Schumacher's broken leg has fully healed but is now suffering from an inflamed knee. It was this which kept him from participating in the Italian and European Grand Prix, but results from a full race distance test showed that, whilst painful, no lasting damage was being inflicted.
If plans are to go ahead, we should see him driving at the new $120m Malaysian Sepang circuit next weekend.
Whether he will be assisting his loyal team-mate, who, in my opinion at least, deserves to be supported by Schumacher, or whether he will be racing for himself is something no-one knows quite yet.
Article is written by and copyright (c) 1999 Michael Bass.
Michael is a reliable, kind and generous chap, who enjoys school to a reasonable extent. He is working hard to gain A-levels and start a career as a newspaper journalist. His hobbies include Formula One, photography, writing and bike riding, to name a few.
Views expressed in these articles do not necessarily coincide with the views of the F1 Rumors Team.
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