The crazy summer of sport continues
If Ronaldo's transfer, the return of Lance Armstrong to cycling or Tom Watson's antics in the Open weren't enough to make the summer of '09 one of the craziest summers of sport in recent memory, the news of Michael Schumacher's imminent return to F1 has literally just blown the competition out of the water in the metaphorical sea of sporting-significance.
When compared with Ronaldo's over-inflated transfer fee, or the ultimate failure of Tom Watson to make history, Schumacher's return to F1 puts every other story of the summer thus far well in the shade. Only Freddy winning back the Ashes in the Final Test - perhaps even with the final ball - could hope to knock this story off the top of the sporting pile of the summer, and with good reason too.
Why? Because like him or loathe him, Michael Schumacher is the prodigal son of F1 and perhaps the greatest driver in F1 history. The sport has been crying out for someone like Schumacher since... well, Schumacher, and as I alluded to in my last blog, the Schu-factor above all others is one of the very few things that can hope to prop up a sport on its last legs.
I use the term 'sport' loosely of course, for F1 has long since lacked competition in terms of drivers, and if you read my last blog you will no doubt find some of the many facets of the 'sport' which make me look upon it with a pessimism born out of long years of being a passionate motorsport fan.
My passion was born of course, back in the days of Schumacher, Hakkinen,Coulthard and co; back when the sport was at least relatively exciting, and there was some opportunity for skill to shine through on the F1 track.
When taken in light of F1's quite frankly abysmal record in recent years' is it any wonder that news of Schumacher's return has stirred up such excitement? I mean it's even got me excited. Yes that's me, the great F1 pessimist.
Obviously we don't yet know how many races Schumacher will compete in, and of course we all dearly wish Massa all the best in his recovery, but you have to think that Massa's temporary withdrawal and the associated arrival of the great Michael Schumacher may be the spark F1 sorely needs to reignite the passion of old. Glossing over of course the news of BMW's coming withdrawal from the sport, just consider this: Brawn vs Schumacher. The great bastions of the old championship-winning Ferrari team facing off against each other on the track, Brawn with the car, Schumacher with the skill. It's a battle I challenge any fan of sport to ignore.
Forget Ronaldo: this is the story of the summer.
I just hope it lives up to its potential...
