Michael Schumacher: My motivation is completely intact

Michael Schumacher

Despite the continued uncertainty about his future, Michael Schumacher insists he remains highly motivated heading into this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.

It was confirmed last Friday that the 43-year-old German will be replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes for 2013, and while Schumacher is yet to reveal what he plans to do in the future, he says he still has the motivation.

“My motivation is completely intact after the news last week, especially because Suzuka is one of the season's highlights for me,” the record seven-time champion of the world said.

With Schumacher leaving a decision on his future to run and run, Mercedes decided to snap up Hamilton from McLaren, with the Briton signing a three-year deal to team up alongside former karting teammate Nico Rosberg.

Sauber have emerged as a surprise candidate to land Schumacher’s signature, and it is believed he is set for talks with his former side Ferrari, and possibly Lotus.

Coming into the Japanese Grand Prix, Schumacher is excited to be here at a track that has been good to him.

“I enjoy the circuit - it has sections that challenge you as a driver like almost nowhere else,” Schumacher said, who back in 2000 sealed Ferrari’s first title in 21 years at Suzuka.

It will prove to be a difficult weekend for him though, as he has a 10-place grid penalty after colliding with Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne in Singapore.

“Logically, it would also be nice to achieve a sporting highlight this weekend, although my chances are of course very limited because of my grid penalty. But I've always approached these things as a challenge,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn has said that Hamilton and Rosberg will have equal status next year, despite rumours that Hamilton had asked to be the number one driver.

“Lewis never asked for any priority at all, he just asked for equality,” said Brawn on the subject, putting an end to the rumours.

“He was pleasant in that he had no desires to have any special treatment or any unique facilities. Lewis just expects to have an equal opportunity in the team, as we would like to do as well.

"The conversation was relatively short in that area and I was impressed that he was positive enough to take that view and not attempt to protect some sort of position which would have been quite difficult for the team to accept.

"We never got into a discussion because Lewis didn't raise it. And if he had raised it, we probably wouldn't have wanted to do it,” he concluded.

The future of Felipe Massa also continues to be in doubt, with a report coming out suggesting that the Brazilian is one of three drivers to be at Ferrari for 2013.

While Massa occupies the seat for now, the Force India duo of Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta are in line to replace him for next season.

Massa though insists he is no longer worrying about his future as he gears up for the final six races of the campaign.

“Of course my future is important, but right now it’s the results that are the most important thing, which means I have to concentrate on each race as it comes,” commented Massa, further adding: “I know what I can do, what I can give to the team and what are my talents.

“The team also knows this, because I’ve been here with them for rather longer than a day or even a year. The best plan is to race without worrying about the future.”

İsmail Vedat

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