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[Amanda]

if anything i think this will fire Kimi up

Do you think it's possible it already has fired him up? Raikkonen had his best race of the season at the weekend, I distinctly recall EJ saying it was the most fired up Kimi had looked in a while. I'm wondering how soon the rumours started going around the Ferrari garage that Schumi might be taking Massa's seat.

[scotty]

if anything i think this will fire Kimi up

That's what i'm hoping too. Especially around Spa, where Kimi seems to have taken Schumacher's 'title' of being king around there, after that drive in 2004 where he owned him head to head in a far poorer car.

[Leo-The_Red]

Has anyone else noticed how ironic Schumi's return to F1 is? A lot of fans were driven away from Formula One because of his dominace, and many called it "Boring". But now he is returning many fans are coming back into F1?! We will never learn will we.

[EwanM]

I think this would be an excellent topic for discussion, however it is probably best suited for the MS return thread, so I will move it to there.

Edit: There.

It is an irony, but to be fair it always happens in sport.
People love winners, deep down they do. And they will always tune in when they have a winner on the bill, so they are there when the moment comes and he is defeated. - Bernie Ecclestone said that himself.

I mean think of what this does for F1, the first bit of positive news all year to be honest, bar that Massa will be ok.

Think of the ££££$$$$$'s that the sport will now gain from this.

I mean nobody complained about Armstrong's return to the Tour, and well he dominated that for years!

[Leo-The_Red]

I think this would be an excellent topic for discussion, however it is probably best suited for the MS return thread, so I will move it to there.

Ok sure

[Denthúl]

Has anyone else noticed how ironic Schumi's return to F1 is? A lot of fans were driven away from Formula One because of his dominace, and many called it "Boring". But now he is returning many fans are coming back into F1?! We will never learn will we.

The difference is, he won't be setting foot in to a dominant car, which means it will be far more interesting.

[EwanM]

Has anyone else noticed how ironic Schumi's return to F1 is? A lot of fans were driven away from Formula One because of his dominace, and many called it "Boring". But now he is returning many fans are coming back into F1?! We will never learn will we.

The difference is, he won't be setting foot in to a dominant car, which means it will be far more interesting.

Which is sorta the case for Armstrong, replace car with legs...

[SAS88]

I'm so damn excited!! F1 was just not F1 without him, and now he's back, to **** Button, Webber and whoever else.

[EwanM]

I'm so damn excited!! F1 was just not F1 without him, and now he's back, to **** Button, Webber and whoever else.

*facepalm*

[stonemonkey]

I mean nobody complained about Armstrong's return to the Tour, and well he dominated that for years!

I thought he only went to the moon once.

What's that in your av ewan?

[EwanM]

I mean nobody complained about Armstrong's return to the Tour, and well he dominated that for years!

I thought he only went to the moon once.

What's that in your av ewan?

It's Michael Shoe-maker

[stonemonkey]

I mean nobody complained about Armstrong's return to the Tour, and well he dominated that for years!

I thought he only went to the moon once.

What's that in your av ewan?

It's Michael Shoe-maker

Ahhh, Muckle Shoe-maker...........for those with larger plates.

[EwanM]

I mean nobody complained about Armstrong's return to the Tour, and well he dominated that for years!

I thought he only went to the moon once.

What's that in your av ewan?

It's Michael Shoe-maker

Ahhh, Muckle Shoe-maker...........for those with larger plates.

Also the man from Del Monte

[Amanda]

From the BBC

Reigning F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton says it will be "an honour and a privilege" to race against seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher.

The German is coming out of retirement to drive for Ferrari while Felipe Massa recovers from a crash and will return to racing at the European Grand Prix.

"He is one of the sport's greatest competitors, a legend - it'd be great to compete against him," said Hamilton.

"The whole world will be watching his return to the cockpit in Valencia."

Schumacher, 40, retired at the end of 2006 but has remained closely involved with Ferrari.

The German will now cover for his former team-mate Massa while the Brazilian recovers from the serious injuries he suffered when he crashed in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, which was won by Hamilton.

The English driver has previously spoken of his regret at never having had an opportunity to go head to head with Schumacher, but at the next grand prix, on the street circuit in Valencia, he will finally get his chance.

"It will not only be fascinating to see how he readies himself for his grand prix comeback, but also an honour and a privilege to race against him for the very first time. I wish him well," added Hamilton.

This season's championship leader Jenson Button also said he was pleased at Schumacher's return.

"Everyone is saying he can only lose because if he wins it will be expected, and if he doesn't, they'll say he's lost it," said Button.

"It's a tough position for him to be in but I'm happy he's taken up the challenge and it's very brave of him.

"He's still young - 40 is not old and he'll still be competitive.

Brawn driver Button leads the championship by 18.5 points after a sensational start to the season, winning six of the first seven races.

But he has gone off the boil recently, without a podium place in the last three races, and at the next race he will also have Schumacher to contend with.

And Button does not expect the man who has already won 91 grands prix to just to make up the numbers.

"His reactions will still be there and I'm sure he's fit enough," he said.

"He tested in winter and was quick, he jumped in and on the first run he was competitive."

Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen said he is looking forward to working alongside Schumacher.

"If it really happens I will be happy to partner him, even though it may not have much effect on my own performance," said the 30-year-old Finn, who was the 2007 Formula One world champion.

Since retiring from racing, Schumacher has remained in touch with the sport as well as taking part in motorcycle racing.

However, he suffered neck and back injuries in a bike accident in February and must now go through a rigorous training regime to prove his fitness.

The ban on in-season testing could also count against the F1 legend, who must rely on Ferrari's simulators to prepare him for his first drive in a 2009 specification Ferrari.

"I'm sure he's fit enough as he trains pretty hard, it's just whether he's been able to do enough work on his neck, and Valencia is a circuit he doesn't know," added Button.

[Rivelution]

If Lewis beats Schumi we're gonna hear it for a week about how great Hamilton is.