Michael Schumacher courted by Pirelli
Just as he has barely announced his retirement from sports, Michael Schumacher is already a highly sought-after driver. Recently, Pirelli has shown particular interest in the German champion to offer him a potential test driver position. This job is currently performed by Jaime Alguersuari.
This week saw the announcement of Michael Schumacher’s second retirement from sports. However, the seven-time world champion may not have truly finished with Formula 1.
Indeed, the tire manufacturer of the discipline, Pirelli, has expressed interest in a possible collaboration with the German driver. Paul Hembery, the head of competition at the Italian firm, would not be opposed to benefiting from Schumacher’s immense experience: « I think he is the most experienced tire tester in Formula 1 history. If he’s bored up in his Swiss mountains, I’m sure we can find something to keep him occupied. »
However, the financial aspect of this association might be the only shadow on the horizon: « We do not have 20 million pounds to offer him. Therefore, it will have to be for the love of the work more than for the love of financial gain. »
We remember that earlier in the year, Michael Schumacher had openly criticized the behavior of Pirelli tires, but Paul Hembery assures that there have always been very good working relations between them. Furthermore, his proposal wouldn’t be limited to Formula 1: He has done Superbike with us, and we also do rally and GT. Kimi Räikkönen used our tires in rally, and Robert Kubica also worked with us in this discipline. Maybe Michael would like to try something else.
The door is therefore wide open for the German champion should he wish to partner with Pirelli: « We are open. If Michael is interested, we are open to any proposal. »
