Schu admits he’s counting down the days

Michael Schumacher has confessed that he’s looking forward to his second retirement from Formula 1 following the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Six years after calling it quits on his first stint in the sport, also in Brazil, the German will again walk away from F1 following Sunday’s race at Interlagos.

But while his first retirement may have been more bitter than sweet, it seems like the opposite may be true this time around.

“I’m counting down the days to go to the life I have next from Formula 1 – that I’ve had in the years in between – and I look forward to this,” he admitted on Saturday.

Schumacher’s confession is perhaps not surprising, considering what a stark difference there is between this farewell and the last.

In 2006, he retired from the sport a seven-time world champion who only narrowly missed out on picking up an eighth title. He lost out to Fernando Alonso but still rode a great final race, coming through from 19th place to finish fourth.

His comeback, however, was a much less successful affair and, far from winning another world title, in truth he never really looked like winning a race.

Schumacher admitted he had no “concrete future plans”, but mentioned the possibility of staying at Mercedes in some capacity.

“There are good ideas and good options, so I’m pretty sure my calendar will be easily filled up,” the 43-year-old said.

Before that second retirement comes to pass, however, there is still one more race to run, and while Schumacher will start in 13th place on the grid on Sunday, the prospect of a wet circuit means there might just be one last little bit of magic from the German maestro.

“There’s going to be excitement, particularly with the conditions we’re going to face tomorrow. I very much look forward to this because it offers more opportunities,” he said.

True to his focused character, Schumacher insisted there will be no thoughts of his impending retirement until the race his over, though he may allow himself a few moments of reflection at appropriate times.

“Maybe in certain moments, such as going to the grid or after the race when the chequered flag is down then, yes, there are moments when I will think about this one.

“Who knows? I might even be emotional. But, so far, there’s not been too much of it,” he added.