Schu confirms F1 return with Mercedes

[Monseratto]

It's OFFICIAL!!! Comeback ni IDOL!!!

(CNN) -- Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher is to return to Formula One next season to drive for Mercedes, the German carmaker announced on Wednesday.

The 40-year-old German, who retired in 2006, has agreed a $10 million one-year contract and will be on the grid for the curtain-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on March 14.

Schumacher, who was unveiled at the team's factory in Brackley, will join compatriot Nico Rosberg at the former Brawn GP team, who were taken over by Mercedes at the end of last season having won the constructors' and drivers world championships.

Rosberg, who signed for Mercedes shortly after the final grand prix of the season in Abu Dhabi, told German newspaper Stuttgarter Zeitung: "I have no idea if it (a comeback) is true or not, but if he did join that would be an absolutely fantastic move."

The deal, which would confirm an all-German driver line-up for the Stuttgart based carmaker, is expected to be officially announced at 1030 GMT according to the BBC.

Schumacher, who won five of his world titles with Ferrari, attempted to make a comeback for the Italian team last year in place of the injured Felipe Massa, but a neck injury sustained in a motorcycle race thwarted his return.

Rumors have been circulating for several weeks that he would return instead with Mercedes, where he will be reunited with team chief Ross Brawn, who helped to him to his string of titles at Ferrari.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo told reporters at their Christmas lunch last week that Schumacher had revealed to him he was close to a return with Mercedes.

"I hadn't spoken to him since Abu Dhabi but I spoke to him on Wednesday," Di Montezemolo said. "He phoned me and he told me that there is a very, very, very strong possibility [of joining Mercedes] "

Schumacher, who has acted as a consultant with Ferrari since he retired, will be ending a 13-year association with the famous marquee, but with the returning Mass and new-signing Fernando Alonso in their line-up for 2009 that route to return was blocked.

His aborted 2009 comeback created worldwide interest and he said then that abandoning his plans was one of the most disappointing moments of his life.

But Schumacher has worked his way back to fitness and was put on an impressive display in the Race of Champions exhibition in China in November to underline his readiness for a new comeback.

If the former world champion is confirmed, it will cap a good week for the fledgling Mercedes team, who announced a long-term sponsorship agreement with Malaysian national oil and gas company Petronas.

From 2010, the new "Silver Arrows" team will compete in the World Championship as the Mercedes Petronas Formula One Team according to statement on their official Web site.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/12/23/...ion=cnn_latest