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Mercedes Could Sign Mercedes Extension After 2012

It's incredible what one day of testing can do to a driver's F1 future. At least in the papers. As soon as Michael Schumacher topped the timing reports in Barcelona the other week on board of the improved Mercedes W02 challenger, reports have emerged about the possibility of the 7-time world champion extending his stay at Brackley beyond 2012 (his final year of contract).

If until now the majority of the F1 pundits had criticized Schu for his struggling season in 2010, the prospect of him actually staying with Mercedes as a race driver longer than initially expected now appears feasible. And it was his very manager Sabine Kehm who addressed the issue in a recent interview with Germany's Bild newspaper.

Of course we are open to discussions, because with the team we feel very good,” said Kehm, hinting that her client would also fancy a Mercedes extension past 2012. “Michael is totally motivated and is able to give F1 a lot more.”

By the end of the 2012 season, when his contract with Mercedes as a race driver currently expires, Schumacher would be approaching his 44th birthday, making such an extension highly unlikely. However, according to the German's doctor Johannes Peil, age should not be one of the issues why Schu would turn out such a deal.

Michael is so fit,” said Schu's doctor, “he could still be driving at 50.”

As far as the new package goes, Mercedes' motorsport director Norbert Haug admitted that his team has improved a lot through the past few weeks and that the new updates, although not turning the W01 into a race winner, have certainly helped it close the gap to the front-runners.

We made the big step we had calculated,” said Haug. “I don't see us as the favorites; that is going to take a while yet,” he added.
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