10/08/2006
NEWS STORY
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Over at GrandPrix.com, the much respected Joe Saward began the week by stating that the "only logical conclusion" to be drawn from a number of recent events, is that "Michael is stopping", quitting at the end of the season.
Come Wednesday, and having received "no official response from Ferrari", Joe has changed tack, claiming that "word seems to be that Michael is not retiring", the change of heart based largely on "a number of helpful remarks from people who are apparently in the know about what is happening at Maranello".
Fact is, and no disrespect to Joe intended, it appears that only one person really knows what the future of Michael Schumacher is, and that is Michael Schumacher. To further complicate the issue, it is doubtful if even Michael Schumacher has made his final decision.
We are facing a very strange situation here, and it is because nobody really knows what Michael is doing that certain parties 'gathered around the table' have been forced to blink, Renault, surprisingly, being the first when it signed Giancarlo Fisichella.
Unable to hold out any longer, and not wanting to be left up the creek without a paddle - the fate facing Renault - other drivers and teams have had to make a move rather than wait for Michael's decision.
Earlier in the Summer, according to Pitpass' well-placed sources, it was virtually cut-and-dry, Michael would remain at Ferrari, while Kimi would head to Renault. The Finn had wanted to go to Ferrari, more than happy to go head-to-head with the seven-time Champion, but this isn't what Michael wanted.
There remained some doubt over the Kimi move (to Renault), but that appeared to have been resolved when the French outfit met Ferrari's original offer, dollar for dollar. Ferrari had wanted Kimi, indeed contracts had been signed, but Michael didn't want him as a teammate.
Then, something happened, and the truth of the matter is that the Renault move, for Kimi, is no longer a certainty, and the Ferrari seat could still be on.
The issue is further complicated by a number of things, the futures of Jean Todt and Ross Brawn, and the proposed (Renault) engine deal with Red Bull.
However, the key to everything, certainly as far as the driver market is concerned, is Michael, and no matter what "people in the know" might think, or believe they know, we can all only speculate.
Even calls for an 'off the record' opinion, are met with a simple, but often sincere, "I don't know".
Too many times this season, Schumacher has shown that he is as much of a fighter - a scrapper if you will - as he ever was, the desire for victory is as strong as ever, possibly stronger.
Pitpass remains of the opinion that the German still doesn't know what his future is, but at the same time believes that when a decision is made it will be instant, he will wake up one morning, or maybe even turn up at a test session, or even a race, and say; "that's it". There will not be a long period of notice, just a spur of the moment decision... pffft, he'll be gone.
It has been said that Michael is waiting to see if he can win the 2006 title, and will then decide. This could account for the confusion regarding the Kimi Raikkonen move, after all, a couple of months ago Alonso and Renault had the titles well and truly in the bag, or so we thought. But who is to say that having won the 2006 title, Michael won't want to defend it?
Then again, should he win the title and retire, do any of us truly believe that Michael is the type to sit at home for the next couple of years, restricting his skills to the school run or driving the lawnmower.
The Michael Schumacher 'will he, won't he saga', will continue to run, and plenty more of us will be following Joe Saward's example and changing our opinions in the weeks and months to come.