Schumacher Insists Age Is Not an Issue

Michael Schumacher insisted once again that his recent struggles in Formula 1 don't have anything to do with his age. While admitting that he is not in the shape that he was about a decade ago, the German driver made it very clear that he still has what it takes to compete at high level in the Great Circus.

The last winning season Schumacher had in Formula 1, even though he didn't went on to become world champion, was back in 2006. During that campaign, while fighting to catch up with Fernando Alonso after a struggling first half of the season, the German driver managed a remarkable comeback and scored a handful of victories to eventually finish runner-up in the championship.

At the end of 2006, Schumacher retired at the age of 37, and has spent the following 3 years watching F1 racing on TV. In 2010, at his return with Mercedes, the 7-time world champion was constantly outpaced by younger teammate Nico Rosberg, who scored 70 points more than the 42-year old at the end of the season.

“Certainly it is not possible to turn back the biological clock,” said Schumacher in a recent interview with ADAC Motorwelt magazine.

“It is a fact that I am not absolutely the same now as I was 10 or 15 years ago. But as to whether I am still good enough, I would say yes.”

Additionally, he insisted that when he signed with Mercedes GP at the end of the 2009 campaign, the car designed by Ross Brawn was pretty much definitive. Under the circumstances, he basically had to make it work with the material that was handed to him for 2010.

“I came on board in December 2009 and the engineers knew already that the car would not suit me. But, of course, it was done,” he added.