The imminent announcement of Michael Schumacher’s return

The return to full-time F1 racing for Michael Schumacher took another step toward reality on Tuesday evening, after the German newspaper Bild reported on its website that the seven-time world champion has signed a one-year contract with the former Brawn GP team, now renamed Mercedes GP.

The announcement confirming the agreement will be published very soon. Schumacher, whose last participation in a Grand Prix was three years ago for Ferrari, told his former team last week that there was a very, very, very strong possibility that he would be racing in 2010 with Mercedes GP.

An agreement was reportedly reached in principle earlier this month, but both parties are said to be on hold. Indeed, the German had to be examined by medical experts to ensure that his neck could withstand the 19 race weekends in 2010.

The article from the daily newspaper Bild suggests that Schumacher signed the agreement at the Mercedes team headquarters in Brackley yesterday. His contract amounts to 7 million euros. He will have Nico Rosberg as a teammate. So far, neither Schumacher nor Mercedes have publicly commented on this rumor.

The agreement would also mean the reunion between Schumacher and Ross Brawn, who helped the German win each of his seven world titles, including his first two with Benetton in 1994 and 1995. He is the most successful driver in the history of the sport, amassing 91 victories, including seven in his final year of competition in 2006.

The 40-year-old man seemed on track to make his return to competition as soon as this season as a replacement for Felipe Massa within Scuderia. But Schumacher was forced to abandon his plans due to a neck injury that hadn’t sufficiently healed.

The president of Ferrari, Luca di Montezemolo, recently stated in the press that Michael Schumacher’s desire to return was intact and that he was disappointed not to be able to replace Massa.

« Michael was more than sad not to replace Felipe, he was devastated, » declared the Italian during Ferrari’s Christmas lunch.

According to the latest information, Michael Schumacher will be confirmed during the day at a press conference organized by Mercedes-Benz.

Reality thus meets rumors. Schumacher has indeed reached an agreement to join Mercedes GP. The German reportedly flew to Great Britain earlier this week to sign his contract.

Mercedes GP confirms that the identity of its second driver will be revealed a little later this morning. The team had already confirmed several weeks ago the presence of Nico Rosberg in 2010.

Article modified at 9:40 am Wednesday, December 23