And it's not a rumor, but a real proposition made by Ferrari's CEO Luca di Montezemolo to the Formula One Teams Association and, consequently, the FIA. What the Italian official is looking for is quite obvious, and he didn't take long to admit it: putting Michael Schumacher back in a Formula One car for a full season.
“This is perhaps an opportunity to have a third car for each team. I will do everything I can. And naturally we are thinking of Michael Schumacher for our third car,” Di Montezemolo was quoted as saying to Germany's Bild newspaper.
However, in order for this proposal to be forwarded to the FIA, all the teams part of the FOTA must agree on it. And there's at least one outfit that has no plans whatsoever to see such a rule be implemented in the Great Circle, namely Williams F1 (among others, of course).
Just to fuel the rumors a little bit, Michael Schumacher last month admitted that he doesn't rule out a potential return to Formula One in the future. Also, he told the media that part of the reason why he chose to give up F1 racing at the end of 2006 was to secure his good friend and teammate Felipe Massa a race seat at Ferrari for the future.
This would no longer be a problem with the 3rd car rule, but getting it into the Formula One rule book will certainly be as tough as one can get, maybe even close to impossible. In addition, the FIA seem more inclined to grant BMW Sauber with a 13th entry next year rather than spend the option of such futuristic ideas.
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