Michael Schumacher’s 2010 comeback was one of the most iconic sights in Formula 1 history, but one of his confidants knew it wouldn’t work out.
The seven-time champion broke the sporting internet when he announced his comeback with Mercedes four years after stepping away from the sport with Ferrari.
Schumacher’s Mercedes comeback stunned the sporting worldGetty But he never got anywhere near the heights of his title-winning Ferrari daysGettyPictured in his new team’s silver next to a Christmas tree on December 23, 2009, the image was front page news across the world, but despite the smiles, Franz Tost gave him a reality check.
Tost worked in F1 for over 20 years before his retirement in 2023, and was most notably the team principal of Red Bull’s sister team since they were founded as Toro Rosso in 2005.
A colleague of Michael’s brother Ralf, the Austrian became close friends with the legendary German, who confided in him about his potential F1 return.
However, Tost has now revealed how that conversation went, and why he was such a downer.
“Michael’s comeback was completely pointless,” he told Sport1. “I discussed it with Michael at dinner shortly before his return.
“I told him: ‘Your time is up’, I asked him: ‘What do you expect?’ He said: ‘I want to win races and become world champion again.’
“I said: ‘You can forget about that. Formula 1 is completely different today. When you left Ferrari, you could test without any willpower’.
“‘You had your own tyre manufacturer, Bridgestone, that did everything for you. If you had understeer, for example, you tested a tyre until the problem was solved.
“‘Today you have standard tyres and only seven test days, half of which are for you, the rest for [Nico] Rosberg. Forget it’.
“‘But the crucial thing: your direct competitors are 20 years younger than you. Especially in Formula 1, after a certain age, the film moves too quickly. Then it’s over’.
Schumacher had to adjust to being in the middle of the packGetty But his epic Monaco pole is still part of F1 folkloreGetty“He accepted it without grumbling.”
Despite that advice, Schumacher did make the switch and completed three more seasons with the new Mercedes team from 2010 to 2012.
The manufacturer had bought the remains of Brawn GP from their 2009 title winning season with Jenson Button, but were miles off the pace as they prepared for new regulations in 2014.
Schumacher spent much of his time struggling in the middle of the pack, but there were two big highs in his final year: a pole position at the hardest track to do so – Monaco – and later his one and only podium with the team in Valencia.
However, Schumacher and those at Mercedes at the time will certainly argue the move wasn’t pointless for the team as a whole.
The icon’s expertise helped them prepare for the 2014 rule changes, which they exploited to a record-breaking degree, winning eight consecutive constructors’ championships, an F1 record.
They also lifted seven drivers’ titles, one with Schumacher’s old teammate Rosberg, and the other six with his replacement Lewis Hamilton.
Had Schumacher stuck around for two more years, who knows what could’ve happened.
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