Schumacher says comeback bid ‘not rational’

• Last Updated: November 03. 2009 11:15PM UAE / November 3. 2009 7:15PM GMT

Germany’s Michael Schumacher at the Race of Champions in Beijing. Ng Han Guan / AP Photo

BEIJING // Michael Schumacher’s abortive decision to return to Formula One racing last season as a replacement for the injured Felipe Massa was “emotional not rational”, the seven-time world champion said on Tuesday.

The Brazilian Massa sustained serious head injuries in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix in July and missed the rest of the season, leaving a vacant seat in the Ferrari team.

Schumacher, who retired at the end of 2006, was ultimately unable to take up the vacant spot because of a neck injury.

“It wasn’t really a rational decision, it was an emotional decision, which, at the time, I thought ‘why not, it’s part-time, it could be funny’,” he said at the Bird’s Nest stadium, where he was defending the Race of Champions title with fellow German Sebastian Vettel, runner-up in this year’s Formula One drivers’ championship.

Schumacher, 40, said he had weighed up the pros and cons of making a comeback after a talk with the Ferrari boss Luca Di Montezemolo. “Having the meeting with him I looked at all the points, in particular that it was Felipe, who is like a brother to me. So taking the fact that it was him, having the accident, having to suffer, it was very easy to convince myself, so I finally said ‘yes, I will try’.”

Asked whether he would ever return to the sport he dominated for so long, Schumacher said: “Right now, no.”

* Reuters

Schumacher was out to defend the Race of Champions “Nations Cup” title with fellow German and 2009 Formula One runner up Sebastian Vettel on Tuesday.