More than half of Michael Schumacher’s German compatriots think the seven time world champion will return to retirement at the end of this year.

After three years of retirement, the 43-year-old returned to F1 in 2010 on a three-year Mercedes contract, which runs out in 2012.

SID news agency commissioned the German market research company Promit to carry out a survey as to whether respondents think Schumacher will quit at the end of this year.

55.4 per cent answered yes, while only 26.2 per cent said they think Schumacher should sign on for at least another season.

The winner of a record 91 grands prix has failed to see the chequered flag in three of the five races so far this year, finishing just tenth in both Malaysia and Bahrain.

In contrast, teammate Nico Rosberg’s three top-seven finishes in 2012 included pole and victory in China, netting him 41 points compared with Schumacher’s 2 overall.

“I don’t think we can write him (Schumacher) off yet,” insisted Telegraph correspondent Tom Cary this week.

“His pace hasn’t been bad and he started the season very well. (He) was unlucky in quite a few races, his wheel fell off when he was running second in China and could have had a big haul of points.

“He is making mistakes in wheel-to-wheel racing though. But if he gets a few decent finishes or even wins a race then we could see him continue (in 2013),” added Cary.

Mark Webber’s future in formula one seems secure, after reports this week linked him to two top teams for the 2013 season.

First, Spanish specialist reports said Ferrari is interested in the experienced Australian to replace struggling Felipe Massa next season.

And now, the Australian Sydney Morning Herald newspaper claims Red Bull, 35-year-old Webber’s current team, is “all but ready” to extend his contract through 2013.

That would give junior team Toro Rosso’s Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne, tipped to eventually replace Webber, “a further season to adjust to the category and prove themselves worthy of the top drive”, the report added.

Whatever top team he is in, Webber confirmed he is not ready to retire.

“I’m really enjoying my driving and clearly I’m off to a really good start this year,” he said.

“I feel completely reinvigorated and am just really enjoying it, which has been reflected in my driving and my results.

“So I’ll keep pressing on. Retirement isn’t even on my radar at the moment. The results are there and when they are there I keep driving,” added Webber.

Michael Schumacher could be the next silver-clad driver who takes a Mercedes to the top step of the podium.

His teammate Nico Rosberg dominated the Shanghai weekend and, at his 111th attempt, finally broke through with a maiden pole and win.

The much-younger German also dominated Schumacher, the 43-year-old, at Mercedes in the last two years — ever since the seven time world champion returned to formula one in 2010.

But former Benetton and Ferrari title winner Schumacher appears much more on Rosberg’s pace this season, and in fact even solidly outqualified his 26-year-old teammate in Australia and Malaysia.

“It’s simple,” Schumacher told Brazil’s O Estado de S.Paulo.

“The way I can drive this car is much more how I have driven a car throughout my whole life.

“If you look at my driving today and compare with ten years ago, not much has changed,” said the famous German. “But if you look at 2010 and 2011, my arms never stopped working.

“It wasn’t my way to drive,” insisted Schumacher.

Having followed Rosberg early in the Chinese grand prix – before his retirement – Schumacher admitted that he could not quite match the leading pace.

But, despite not standing on a podium even once since his F1 comeback, he has now smelled that a victory is close.

“It will be the same feeling as when I went to the podium for the first time with Benetton, and Ferrari,” Schumacher predicted.

“When I started with those teams, we were far away from being able to think about it. But after a lot of work, I would say years – just as now with Mercedes – we had reached the stage of being able to fight.

“Most people have no idea how many things need to be changed, how much effort and investment is required. At 43 I’m going through all of this again, but it’s because I really love what I do.”

Schumacher’s Mercedes contract expires at the end of this year.

“You might not believe it,” he responded, “but I’m so focused on developing this car that I don’t think about it.

“Later on in the season, of course, it’s inevitable.

“Of course it gives me great pleasure that we are starting to see the results of this great work. I am still perfectly capable of winning in formula one,” Schumacher insisted.

Monisha Kaltenborn will become F1′s first ever female team boss.

That is the revelation of Peter Sauber, who at the age of 68 has hinted he might call it a day before his 70th birthday.

Indian Kaltenborn, 41, is already Hinwil based Sauber’s chief executive, while Peter Sauber remains the team principal.

“I have always said that I will not be sitting on the pitwall as a 70 year old,” Sauber told Der Sonntag newspaper.

“With certainty, my successor is Monisha Kaltenborn. That is for sure. When it (the handover) happens is still open.

“She will be the first female team boss in formula one history,” Sauber continued. “She’s been with us for 13 years, always with leading roles. I’m sure she will do the job very well.”

Sauber, in fact, has already departed the pitwall once before, when he sold his team to BMW and handed over to Mario Theissen.

Somewhat reluctantly, he returned in 2010, having rescued the Hinwil based employees in the wake of German carmaker’s sudden withdrawal.

“I could not jump into the breach a second time,” smiled Sauber, hinting that his retirement this time around would be final.

Timo Glock has revealed he is happy to know F1 spectators still rate his talents.
2012 is the 30-year-old’s third consecutive season with backmarkers Marussia (formerly Virgin), after an impressive earlier career at Toyota.

But a recent online poll in Germany showed that a majority of his countrymen think he would be a worthy successor at Mercedes for Michael Schumacher, should the seven time world champion return to retirement.

“It’s very positive that the fans who follow the races on TV are still able to say ‘Glock could still do it if he had a fast car,” he is quoted by Auto Bild.

But for now, he will have to wait even for an improved car, with the first real fruits of Marussia’s tie-up with McLaren not expected until the European race season.

“Our current car was still built just with CFD,” Glock told Auto Motor und Sport. “The first concept of the car was already done when we went for the first time into the McLaren wind tunnel.”

Two experts have tipped Lotus to shine this weekend at Sepang.
The black and gold E20 car was a standout of the winter pre-season, but Kimi Raikkonen qualified poorly in Australia while Romain Grosjean was punted into early retirement by Pastor Maldonado.

Seeing the chequered flag first in Melbourne was McLaren’s championship leader Jenson Button, but he said he is expecting a “strong fight” this weekend.

“Of course we’re not relaxing,” said the Briton.

“Both Red Bull drivers were very quick in the race (in Australia), and I think we can expect further strong challenges (in Malaysia) from Mercedes and Lotus,” added Button.

Also anticipating a Malaysian push by Lotus is team ambassador Jean Alesi, the former Ferrari race winner.

“The car should suit Sepang well,” said the Frenchman.

“In testing in Jerez and Barcelona it was particularly good in the fast turns, which is what defines the Malaysia track.

“Lotus appear to be quicker than everyone except McLaren,” added Alesi.

He is worried, however, that the former Renault team might not be able to keep up its pace throughout 2012.

“Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari have much bigger budgets,” said Alesi.

“They have a brilliant team at Enstone but it is really tough to match the development pace of the biggest teams, and I think that will be Lotus’ challenge this year.”

 Lewis Hamilton has been earmarked by Mercedes as a potential replacement for Michael Schumacher beyond the end of this season.
That is the claim of the German Sunday newspaper Bild am Sonntag, following the Stuttgart marque’s recent denial that Schumacher has already been offered a new two-year contract for 2013 and 2014.

The newspaper said Briton Hamilton, the 2008 world champion whose McLaren deal ends this year, is the ‘plan B’ should seven time world champion return to retirement before his 44th birthday.

Bild am Sonntag said Mercedes already knows Hamilton after powering his F3 title in 2005.

“If we had a plan B already,” motor sport vice-president Norbert Haug is quoted as saying, “we would not be well advised to talk about it in public.

“Before we talk to Michael, this is not a topic,” he insisted.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone said recently he doubts Hamilton will see out his career with McLaren.

“If he doesn’t perform this year he’ll be looking to move on. And the team, maybe, will also be looking to him to move on,” the 81-year-old Briton said.

According to Bild, however, more than 50 per cent of German fans surveyed want Marussia’s Timo Glock to replace Schumacher.

Hamilton secured 3.9 per cent of the vote.

“This is all just speculation,” a Mercedes spokesman is quoted by Germany’s Sport1. “There are no negotiations with any drivers and we will only speak with Michael at the appropriate time.

“For now our entire focus is on the start of the season.”

Mercedes on Tuesday gave the strongest hint yet that Michael Schumacher is set to stay with the Brackley based team beyond 2012.
The seven time world champion returned from retirement with the German team in 2010, and has been widely criticised for failing to live up to the hype of his meteoric initial career.

But 2011 was undoubtedly a better season for the 43-year-old, moving team boss Ross Brawn to hint that Schumacher could receive a new deal for 2013.

“At the moment we aren’t talking to any other drivers,” he told Sport Bild magazine.

“I am also assuming that he is not talking to other teams.

“So if Michael is still enjoying what he’s doing while bringing in the results that we expect, then why not? He definitely has not said that he is toying with the idea of stopping,” added Brawn.

Mercedes’ competition director Norbert Haug added that the great German is “still one of the best race drivers in the field”.

Haug said Schumacher is often as fast or faster than his younger teammate Nico Rosberg, which is impressive “because Nico is undoubtedly among the five best drivers in F1″, he is quoted by FAZ newspaper.

Added Brawn: “It took a little longer than planned for Michael to be where he wanted to be — and even longer than I would have thought.

“The first year was difficult,” admitted Schumacher’s former Ferrari colleague. “I think he did an excellent job in the races in the second year, while Nico was slightly better than him in qualifying.

“I think that really frustrated him (Schumacher),” added Brawn.

 Toro Rosso’s new drivers look set to be given longer than just a single season to prove they can step up to the senior Red Bull team.
Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne have replaced the Faenza based team’s 2011 lineup and are tipped as likely contenders to oust the Australian veteran Mark Webber at Red Bull Racing next year.

But Franz Tost, Toro Rosso’s team principal, said a 2013 promotion for either Ricciardo or Vergne is unlikely.

“I have no idea. But I doubt it, as the level of Red Bull Racing is extremely high,” he told F1′s official website.

“So my guess is that they will have to wait a little more. So far Mark has not given any hint that he is thinking of retirement.”

Tost said Red Bull will only be looking for a driver with the ‘wow-effect’ to replace Webber, so 2013 could be too soon for Australian Ricciardo, or the French rookie Vergne.

“In general I would say that this wow-effect is not so easily manageable in a first season,” said the Austrian. “But it definitely has to be delivered in the second season.

“I don’t have a problem when a driver has a good race and at the next race he has a shunt — that’s part of the game. Both drivers will have a ‘crash period’ but that is part of their development phase,” he insisted.

“It was the same with Sebastian Vettel. But at some point they have to get their game together — and the question is who will be better at doing that? Let’s wait and see.”

Mark Webber has contradicted recent reports that said he re-signed with Red Bull for 2012 because he had no other options.
The Australian revealed that, in fact, the interest expressed by rival teams when he was still on the market was “amazing”.

Webber, 34, has had a difficult season alongside Sebastian Vettel, failing to win a grand prix compared with his dominant teammate’s ten so far.

“What was amazing this year was the amount of response I had from other teams when I was about to sign with Red Bull,” he is quoted as saying by the Sydney newspaper Daily Telegraph.

“They were very, very interested in having a chat to me, which was another little reminder to me that things were going pretty well.”

Webber therefore leaves the door open to switching teams after next season, saying he considers retirement to be “incredibly overrated”.

“I’ll go again next year, (but) to say where I’ll head in 2013 and 2014, we need to another six months and see how we go,” he said.

As for 2012, he insists that F1′s youngest ever back-to-back reigning world champion Vettel is beatable.

“Yes, it’s possible, absolutely. I’ve seen enough, and knowing how close it is, it’s possible,” said Webber.

Two formula one veterans have played down suggestions they are racing towards retirement.
31-year-old Jenson Button, the 2009 world champion, has just signed a new multi-year McLaren contract but he admitted at Suzuka that he could go on to ink another one.

The Briton is enjoying a solid run of form at present and looks set to outscore his highly rated teammate Lewis Hamilton in the 2011 points standings.

“I’ve been asked if this is my last contract and, probably, two years ago, I would have said definitely,” Button said.

“Even last year I probably would have said definitely. But time flies and I think it (retirement) will end up going back and back.

“I’m really enjoying where I am at the moment and, hopefully, this feeling will continue. If it does, I might be racing for a lot more years,” he added.

Another F1 veteran commonly believed to be closer to retirement than the beginning of his career is Mark Webber, who only has a contract with Red Bull until the end of 2012.

But he told F1′s official website that he could be on the grid for “many more years”.

“Yes, if I can keep up the racing I’m doing now,” said the 35-year-old Australian. “I think retirement is overrated. I think the first few weeks it’s nice, but then…

“I enjoy my driving and I like the challenge on this level — and if you have the possibility to do this then why walk away?” added Webber.

He also made clear that when he does hang up his helmet, he will also permanently check out of the F1 paddock.

“I haven’t thought so much of what I would do after F1, but it’s definitely not here,” Webber told Yahoo Singapore.

“Why? Because of the politics — I really don’t like it.”

Nearly half of all German sports fans think Michael Schumacher should return to retirement, according to a survey.
Citing the German market research company Promit, SID news agency said 47.2 per cent of respondents would advise the seven time world champion against signing a new agreement to stay in formula one beyond his 2012 contract.

In contrast, just 32.2 per cent said the Mercedes driver should stay in 2013, with 8.5 per cent advising a move to the German touring car series DTM to reunite with his brother Ralf.

As for the 42-year-old German himself, Schumacher insists he has not decided what to do.

“I will definitely be here (in F1) next year,” the German is quoted by the Kleine Zeitung newspaper.

“Then we will see what happens.”

Meanwhile, 62.7 per cent of those surveyed tipped Sebastian Vettel to wrap up the 2011 title before the last grand prix of the season in November.

The daughter of F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone insists she has no plans to follow in her father’s footsteps.

27-year-old Tamara Ecclestone, the eldest of Ecclestone’s two daughters, has worked as a F1 reporter for Sky Italia and earlier studied at the London School of Economics.

But she told the Mail on Sunday that she has no plans to replace her dad, the British billionaire who for decades has sat at the helm of formula one.

“Recently my father declared that he could envisage a female CEO at F1 in the next three years. I wouldn’t advise anyone putting a bet on that woman being me,” said Tamara Ecclestone.

“Those are big shoes to fill and my feet are completely the wrong size for that job. I would hate to be the person to undo his years of amazing work. I’d reduce the whole operation to chaos within hours,” she joked.

At any rate, Ecclestone said her diminutive father – who turns 81 in October – has no plans to step down.

“For my dad it’s not about making more money, it’s about the next successful deal,” she said.

“It’s not like he needs an extra few million. He doesn’t need to work and hasn’t needed to do so for years — but he’s got too much of an active mind to ever consider retirement.

“For him the financial rewards are secondary to the passion he feels for what he does,” she added.

Ross Brawn on Friday said he can imagine extending Michael Schumacher’s contract beyond 2012.
Two weeks ago, the Mercedes boss triggered a wave of speculation by revealing that seven time world champion could if he wanted trigger a break clause in his three-year deal at the end of 2011.

But Schumacher, 42, said at Silverstone that he is definitely staying for his third contracted season next year, and Brawn on Friday suggested a contract extension is even possible.

“For us there is no time limit of how long Michael will continue driving,” he is quoted by the German news agency SID.

“If we can give him the right car and he continues to enjoy driving and is successful, there is no reason to stop,” added the Briton.

“Let’s see what happens.”

Amid talk Schumacher has chosen to spend his leisurely retirement years on the F1 grid, Brawn insisted the great German is still up to speed.

Asked if the record winner of 91 grands prix is still able to win races and titles, he answered: “Yes, I think he is.

“Nothing motivates drivers more than success, and in Montreal he had a bit of a sniff and his performance was fantastic.”

Michael Schumacher has denied that the existence of a break clause in his contract means he might not return for the third year of his F1 comeback in 2012.

Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn triggered the speculation two weeks ago when he revealed at Valencia that German Schumacher, 42, has the power to return to retirement at the end of the season.

“I’ve always had the option to stop at any moment I wanted,” the seven time world champion told reporters at Silverstone.

“I’m here for a fixed target, a three-year programme, and that is what it is.”

Schumacher acknowledged that his return to formula one has not always been smooth and that there is room for improvement.

“But I aim for an achievement and a fixed time. In all my first 16 years of F1 I always felt that I constantly developed, maybe in smaller rates than you do initially. And so I do now,” he added.