Franz Tost revealed he urged Michael Schumacher to stay retired, warning that Formula 1 had changed too much for a successful return.
Franz Tost has revealed he once tried to convince Michael Schumacher not to come out of retirement to join Mercedes F1 in 2010. Despite his efforts, the seven-time world champion went ahead with his comeback, a decision Tost still believes was a mistake.
“Michael’s return was completely unnecessary,” Tost said. “We had dinner together shortly before he announced it. I told him, ‘Your time is over.’ That sparked a conversation between us. I asked him, ‘What are you hoping for?’ He answered, ‘I want to win races and become world champion again.'”
Tost explained why he thought Schumacher was chasing a dream that no longer matched reality. “I told him, ‘Forget it. Formula 1 is a completely different sport now. When you left Ferrari, you could test as much as you wanted. You even had your own tire supplier, Bridgestone, who would adjust everything to suit you. If you had understeer, you just kept testing tires until it was solved.'”
“Today, you have one standard tire and only seven test days, half of which you have to split with Rosberg. On top of that, your direct competitors are twenty years younger. Especially in Formula 1, aging catches up with you fast. After a certain point, it is over. End of story.”
According to Tost, Schumacher accepted his arguments calmly but ultimately chose to return anyway.
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Tost Warned Schumacher Comeback Was a Risky Mistake Tost Warned Schumacher Comeback Was a Risky Mistake
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