London: The return of Michael Schumacher, after three years away and at the age of 41, was always going to take top billing in a blockbuster of a Formula One season.
The big question, with the championship kicking off in Bahrain next week, is whether the German can roll back the years and deliver what is expected of him in a new era and against one of the most competitive fields in ages.
The box office needs the most successful driver of all time to be back with a bang, fighting wheel-to-wheel to increase his record tally of 91 race wins and challenging for an unprecedented eighth title.
Failure with his new Mercedes team could otherwise damage the glittering, and at times controversial, legacy that Schumacher had established over the 16 years before he retired from Ferrari in 2006.
"A lot of people will be interested to see how he copes," reigning world champion Jenson Button told reporters this week.
"It's not just Michael at 41 that people are talking about, it's Michael coming into a team that's new to him," added the Briton, whose place at the former Brawn team was taken by Schumacher after he decided to move to McLaren.”
"He was with Ferrari for many years, where I'm sure he could pretty much have anything he wanted, whereas now Formula One is different."
There will be many challenges ahead for 'Schumi', not least racing against three other world champions including one -- McLaren's Lewis Hamilton -- who was not even in Formula One last time Schumacher was around.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, March 05, 2010, 08:45