Mercedes, Schumacher prepare for title bid
Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010
AFP/Getty Images
(From L) British manager Ross Brawn, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche, German driver Nico Rosberg, German seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, Mercedes motor sports director German Norbert Haug and British manager Nick Fry pose during the presentation of the new Mercedes GP Petronas Formula 1 team, at the Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart, southern Germany, on January 25, 2010. Having retired in 2006, the 41-year-old broke his three-year hiatus to sign a three-year contract to race for Mercedes GP and reunite with Ross Brawn, the man who orchestrated all of his world drivers' championship titles. AFP PHOTO / Patrick HERTZOG (Photo credit should read PATRICK HERTZOG/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
German seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher poses during the presentation of the new Mercedes GP Petronas Formula 1 team, at the Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart, southern Germany, on January 25, 2010. Having retired in 2006, the 41-year-old broke his three-year hiatus to sign a three-year contract to race for Mercedes GP and reunite with Ross Brawn, the man who orchestrated all of his world drivers' championship titles. AFP PHOTO / Patrick HERTZOG (Photo credit should read PATRICK HERTZOG/AFP/Getty Images)
STUTTGART, Germany -- Michael Schumacher is gearing up to try for a record eighth Formula One title with Mercedes, saying Monday "we have a world champion team" as the car's new livery was presented.
A relaxed-looking Schumacher joined teammate Nico Rosberg at the Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart for the presentation of the team's new silver-and-green livery — which was applied to last year's car.
The 41-year-old German said he felt "great emotion" at making his comeback. The former Ferrari driver has returned to Mercedes after three years in retirement.
"I cannot wait for the competition to get underway," Schumacher said.
The new Mercedes car is to make its track debut in Valencia, Spain, at the first Formula One test on Feb. 1. The season's first grand prix is in Bahrain on March 14.
"We have a world champion team in every sense of the word and I cannot wait to get into the car for the first time in Valencia," Schumacher said. "I am convinced that (Mercedes) will be in a very good position to fight for the championships this season and I will definitely give it a go."
Schumacher and Rosberg make up this season's all-German lineup for the former Brawn GP team, which won both drivers' and constructors' titles last season.
The two drivers "together complete the German Formula One national team," said Dieter Zetsche, the chief executive of Mercedes parent Daimler AG.
Schumacher competed in 249 F1 races from 1991-2006 with Jordan, Benetton and Ferrari. He won the F1 drivers' championship in 1994 and 1995 and five straight years from 2000-04. He set records with 91 race wins and several other milestones in the sport which still stand.
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