[Pedsshuth]

I ask this because several champions have previously tried comebacks but have not impressed. Perhaps they did not get into a top team, or maybe they have simply lost touch with developments in F1.

However, I do see SchM as a different personality, one who is more keen, is fit, and appears (to me anyway) to be a helluva lot more determined in every way.

Now, on the eve of his first real trial, the eyes of the F1 world are upon the all time champion. If he succeeds, there will be many here who will say :"I told you so". And if he doesn't, there will be many more who will say:"I told you so"

So what do I think? despite the fact that I never really liked the guy, my feelings are that he will kick arse. He will make some, who claim to be the the top guys in F1 look pedestrian when up against him.

The fun starts tomorrow, and we will see who is top, who is middle, and who is simply middling.

So, what do you think? ioan is exempt from voicing his thoughts - we already know what he thinks.

[orison]

I think he still has it in him... Whether Brawn/Merc does or does not will be the deciding factor.

[mloversia]

I'll put it this way - his 2006 season was more impressive than the championship winning seasons from subsequent drivers, in my view.

He won't be fooling around out there.

[Forexampleee]

They wouldn´t have signed him at merc if they hadn´t a clear idea of his future performance, so I think he´ll have an at least decent season for his starndards, which is already quite good. Anyway, I´ve never liked him very much, so I hope he does not have a monster season :P

[ROYMANgo]

I think he'll be a major threat at times during the season and I think he'll win a couple of races. As far as the championship goes I don't think he'll be in the top 3 in the last part of the season. Mclaren and Mercedes have both hinted that they have significant updates ready for Sakhir, and most teams will have pushed development further forward since testing, so Mercedes maybe a little more impressive come Saturday.

The grid is the toughest he has faced since 1993, and most of the top drivers are at least 13 years younger than the great man. They will want to prove themselves and Michael Schumacher is the ultimate benchmark IMO. I can't see the likes of Alonso, Hamilton, Massa and Vettel giving way or feeling in any way intimidated by Michael. Like Brundle said he might aswell paint a big target on his rear wing. Its going to be very exciting and I can't wait for Saturday qualifying..

[uncoodync]

I hope he'll embarrass himself but probably he won't... he's a decent driver

[lXvtm0ox]

He's still committed and enthusiastic about racing, so I can see him winning a couple of races. I don't see him being in the title fight by the end of the year though, and I think it'll be more down to the car than the driver.

[Nabeqiv]

i hope he can get 9 wins in 3 years to take it to 100 wins

[dexterljohnthefinanceguy]

Best possible scenarion IMO is a season like 2003 or 2006, a fight for the championship, he may win, he may not. Worst possible - like 2005. But we'll see. I'm a bit afraid, because he is older and some of the younger drivers are quite immature, but hopefully everything will be OK.

[ROYMANgo]

i hope he can get 9 wins in 3 years to take it to 100 wins

I personally think he'll be in F1 for one season depending on how he does. Then again if he storms to the championship this season he may retire again knowing he has beaten the current crop. If he does badly and the following seasons car is not to his liking he may retire anyway. He never committed to a 3 year contract in his whole career, and I agree with others when they say it may well be a smokescreen to divert awkward questions about contracts later in the season. We can only speculate however, and I'm sure he'll bring plenty of spice to the grid..

[JackTimQSR]

I don't really mind whether he's successful or not. His presence back in the championship will be fascinating, however well he does — and he won't do badly, I'm sure.

[PilotJargon]

The answer to the question will be determined by how you define success. If success is defined by a championship then it's going to be tough. If success is merely race wins then I think he'll be successful.

Another question is just how good are the guys who fought for the championships in Schumacher's abscence the last 3 seasons? The only driver on the grid who's beaten Schumi in a title fight is Alonso. Given the quality of the three Ferraris since he retired would Raikkonen, Hamilton and Button have won their championships? Button definitely because the F60 was rubbish, but the other two? Maybe, maybe not.

So this might be the toughest field he has faced since his early days but without Schumacher as a bench mark how do we really rate Massa, Hamilton, Vettel and Button?

[sportbos]

I hope he'll embarrass himself but probably he won't... he's a decent driver

That's got to be the understatement of the year - seven WDC and he's a 'decent driver'!! I don't much like the guy, but even I am forced to admit he's a little better than decent....

Whether or not he still has it in him to win another WDC is open to question, and a large part of that is whether the Merc is a championship contender or not. I await the outcome with great interest.

[boffincash]

The answer to the question will be determined by how you define success. If success is defined by a championship then it's going to be tough. If success is merely race wins then I think he'll be successful.

Almost word for word what I was going to write.

He'll certainly have a better come back than, say JV or Alan Jones who both tarnished their reputations by returning to less than front running material, but perhaps not the title success enjoyed by Prost or Lauda after their returns.

What I'm interested in seeing is how his racecraft has held up. Prost was out for a year and was rusty when he came back getting his a$$ handed to him by Senna in a weak McLaren in the early GP's, Lauda was out 2 years and took a handful of GP's to look like himself - Schu's been out double that time so its going to be interesting how he copes if he's P6 and in the pack diving into turn one.

[LomodiorCon]

Depends on what goals he's set himself on "success". Will he be competitive? Yes I think he will but i'm not sure he's got enough to win the championship (due to Ferrari and Mac steeping up their game vs Merc), however, he could decide who does by taking crucial points off them in some GPs

[ROYMANgo]

Another question is just how good are the guys who fought for the championships in Schumacher's abscence the last 3 seasons? The only driver on the grid who's beaten Schumi in a title fight is Alonso. Given the quality of the three Ferraris since he retired would Raikkonen, Hamilton and Button have won their championships?
So this might be the toughest field he has faced since his early days but without Schumacher as a bench mark how do we really rate Massa, Hamilton, Vettel and Button?

Thats a fair point, and a something which is impossible to establish. All the young drivers mentioned are great talents and all have beaten each other on occasion however. Once Schuey retired it left the driver market wide open and it allowed these young stars to move into top teams which altered the structure of performance quite considerably. Had Schuey not retired Raikkonen would have stayed at Mclaren alongside Alonso and Hamilton would have possibly found a place in a lesser team. In effect Schuey's retirement gave birth to a new era of F1 and the 2007 although controversial gave a huge boost to the sport in terms of people taking notice. Theres so many factors in this equation and that is what makes his comeback so appealing.

If he does badly his fans will put it down to age and time out of the sport. If he succeeds then some will claim the younger crop are not up to par. Its sure going to be an interesting season..

[TobaccoNUE]

He'll win a few races I have no doubt.

Unless he's being sponsored by Age Concern I question whether he has the hunger for WDC and go wheel to wheel and not lift. Schumi is now a sitting target and the young 'uns today have a bigger appetite for glory.

[uncoodync]

I don't think MS lacks appetite. That's why I've never liked him.... I find his grotesque appetite disgusting. Nothing was too much for him to get his win. I don't think people get cured from this.

[LomodiorCon]

Another question is just how good are the guys who fought for the championships in Schumacher's abscence the last 3 seasons? The only driver on the grid who's beaten Schumi in a title fight is Alonso. Given the quality of the three Ferraris since he retired would Raikkonen, Hamilton and Button have won their championships? Button definitely because the F60 was rubbish, but the other two? Maybe, maybe not.

So this might be the toughest field he has faced since his early days but without Schumacher as a bench mark how do we really rate Massa, Hamilton, Vettel and Button?

That's as pointless as asking whether Fangio or Lauda would have beaten Schumacher...they didn't race together but that doesn't diminish what they achieved.

It's like asking if McLaren and RBR had DDD from the start whether Button would have won? It's all ifs and buts. Ultimately it's meaningless.

[movlabz]

Don't know about him succeeding or not but he knows how to make an appearance according to redbullf1spy:
Schumacher strode into the press conference, sat right in the middle, glaring, arms folded. It’s like Darth Vader's in the building…