Schumi’s comeback—not as bad as it seems

Michael Schumacher's torrid race weekend—one during which he will start the Japanese Grand Prix with a 10-place penalty on the grid—continued on Friday when he lost control of his Mercedes AMG while turning into a corner, sliding wheels over the grass and damaging its front wing. The events surrounding Formula One's most successful driver during the second practice session at the Suzuka circuit, after which he accepted his driving error but also said that the car 'was not ready for the start' as the mechanics were making minor changes to the set-up, was a microcosm of his unsuccessful comeback to Formula One, in its third and what is now confirmed final year.

Schumacher's decision to retire at the end of the current Formula One season was undoubtedly precipitated by his Mercedes team's announcement of the signing up of McLaren's Lewis Hamilton—the 2008 world champion. Hamilton at 27 is 16 years junior to Schumacher and the struggling Mercedes team, a brilliant road car manufacturer, seem to have put their faith in the Briton.

While Hamilton's move to Mercedes is a coup, given that his talent has been nurtured by McLaren for over a decade since his days as a young go-kart driver, it does not guarantee the three-pointed star outfit success that they so desperately crave for since returning to the sport after buying over the Brawn GP team in 2010.

For Schumacher to find success in his comeback two seasons ago, after retiring in 2006, was always going to be tough. Yet one podium finish and one pole position—both earned this year—will be considered below-par for a seven-time world champion who has a record 91 wins to his name.

Sportsmen, more so those whose records at their pomp gave them an aura of invincibility, have often made the wrong call of coming out of retirement fuelled by their belief that they they are still good enough. Multiple tennis Grand Slam champion Bjorn Borg, basketball star Michael Jordan, heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, to name a few have met with little success on return. Of these, Borg in his comeback played with a wooden racquet similar to the one with which he lifted 11 Grand Slam titles but failed to win first round matches against average players.

... contd.

ALSO READ

Sex barometer for a president?

“If you are not in India today, you may be too late”

I Admire

"Competition drives innovation"