Ferrari may be tempted to re-hire Michael Schumacher as "a short-term fix" if they dispense with Felipe Massa's services, according to Sky F1's David Croft.
Sky Sports F1 commentator reckons sensational Ferrari return for Schumi not out of the question if Hamilton arrives at Mercedes
Ferrari may be tempted to re-sign Michael Schumacher as "a short-term fix" if they dispense with Felipe Massa's services at the end of the season, according to Sky Sports F1's David Croft.
Schumacher, now in the third year of his second coming as a F1 driver, revealed in Spa that a decision on his future would be announced in October. Since then, however, events have seemingly overtaken the seven-times World Champion with reports suggesting that Mercedes are waiting to learn if their overtures towards Lewis Hamilton will be succcesful before considering whether to retain Schumacher as Nico Rosberg's team-mate.
A transfer for Hamilton would thus seemingly signal the final end of Schumacher's twenty-one-year F1 career. However, during the build-up to this weekend's Italian GP and a
Practice One session in which Schumacher set the fastest time, Crofty raised the fascinating possibility of the 43-year-old extending his time in the sport with a return to Ferrari, who he drove for across a decade until retiring first time round in 2006.
"The likelihood is that Michael would step down but there might be an opening at Ferrari for him because there is still a big question mark against Felipe Massa's career there," he added.
"Michael would be a good short-term solution - he might not necessarily challenge Fernando Alonso but he would push him.
"Michael's not had the greatest season but it's not all been his fault and I think there might be enough of the old magic left to tempt Ferrari."
It remains to be seen, though, whether Ferrari will jettison Massa and Hamilton will decide to leave McLaren. Of the two scenarios, the former remains the far likelier to occur, with reports announcing that Hamilton's transfer to Mercedes was 'imminent' believed to be wide of the mark.
"He hasn't signed for Mercedes, that's misinformation," Martin Brundle confirmed during
Sky Sports F1's coverage of first practice at Monza.
"But it's a bit of a muddle. I'm sure McLaren are looking around at other drivers and Lewis and his advisers are looking around at other teams, but I suspect he'll end up re-signing."
