Retired World Champion Micael Schumacher will continue in Formula one with Ferrari as an super assistant to support newly appointed CEO Jean Todt who also will remain as an interim MD for the team. Both these decisions were announced by Ferrari at Monza on sunday while Ferrari’s technical director, Ross Brawn will leave Ferrari before the end of this year. In a long anticipated move, Brawn will stand down from his post of technical director to devote more time to his personal life and will hand over his duties to Mario Almondo. But Ross Brawn will hold talks with Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and CEO Jean Todt in the middle of next year to discuss about rejoining the team and how they feel about how the team’s running. Brawn could potentially rejoin the team as principal allowing Jean Todt to concentrate solely on being CEO.
Even though Schumacher retired officially from racing, lot of media have been spreading rumors that he may be back. The 37-year-old Schumacher retired as a driver after placing his Ferrari to fourth place in the Brazilian Grand Prix last Sunday. Michael Schumacher won a record seven world titles and was with Ferrari as driver from 1996 until he retired. But Micheal Schumacher turned down the offer to become a regular test driver for Ferrari. This was revealed by Italian team’s chiefs Luca di Montezemolo and Jean Todt at Monza at the weekend. Montezemolo, the Ferrari president, said
Yes, I do not think that it is what Michael wants to do. But if he should turn up at Fiorano tomorrow and want to do a dozen laps, we will of course reply to him ‘why not?’. I’m very happy that Michael will continue to work with us and to share our choices and contributing to them and this is important. Even if he won’t be inside the cockpit, his experience and his professionalism will be very useful for the future of Ferrari.
Montezemolo also hailed Schumacher for never hitting out at Ferrari, even when at Suzuka we left him with a smoking motor. Team Principal and newly appointed Ferrari CEO Todt added,
If Michael wants to test the car he is free to do it, but to this date he has not said that he wants to. Michael has always been interested in following young drivers. I remember Michael talking to me about Felipe when he still was in lesser series. One of Schumacher’s responsibilities as a super-assistant in the future will be his involvement in driver decisions, even though he will not be at the races. We are eager to utilise Michael’s knowledge and expertise for our technical and strategic needs. It will not be necessary for him to be at our factory nor at our test sessions and races, but he will be an important interface for the all the important decisions. Finally, as he’s done up to now, he will make his contribution on the definition of the road cars.
The news conference was attended by Schumacher and his co-driver of last season Felipe Massa too. Schumacher said that he would leave it until December before fully getting to grips with his new responsibilities.
I don’t think right now there is any need to specify in concrete terms exactly how and what. For the moment I just want to get away from things and turn my attentions to my new life. After that I will see what I can do for Ferrari. I’m so happy that Ferrari gave me this opportunity. As it’s always been, Ferrari gave me the confidence but also gave me the freedom to reach decisions and come to terms in common agreement.
I hope I can see him in Ferrari Paddock for the next year’s season starting Australian GrandPrix, because I will be attending it at Melbourne Park.#.#.#.