Berlin: Seven-times world champion Michael
Schumacher warned today he is ready to fight for success when
he returns to Formula One with Mercedes GP this weekend.
The 41-year-old signed a three-year deal with the German
outfit before Christmas and is looking forward to bidding for
his eighth world drivers' championship title starting with
Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix.
"Absolutely, yes," Schumacher wrote on his website when
asked if he was ready to fight for the title.
"This is what I am here for, and I am confident we can
play a role in this fight.”
"If we win it at the end will be a different question, as
always in sports.”
"But our entire team is extremely motivated, as am I."
Mercedes took over Brawn GP last year and with current
world champion Jenson Button switching to McLaren, Schumacher
will race alongside team-mate Nico Rosberg.
He will be reunited with Mercedes team principal Ross
Brawn, who oversaw all seven of his world titles at Benetton
and Ferrari, and Schumacher is hoping the Mercedes Silver
Arrow car will be his key to another global crown.
"The guys have won both titles last year, and now, with
Mercedes Power on board, they want to repeat this success,"
said Schumacher who retired in 2006.
"We all want to win.”
"The season will be long and hard, no doubt about that,
but I love this fight -- it is because of this fight that I
came back to Formula One."
However, he played down expectations of immediate
success, saying: "I said it quite clear from the beginning: we
do not have to -- and probably will not -- be in the position
to win right from the start."
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, March 08, 2010, 20:30