Schumacher frustrated by F1 politics

Source: www.autosport.com

By Jonathan Noble

Former world champion Michael Schumacher says he has grown tired of the political wrangling that is overshadowing Formula 1 - but believes a breakaway championship is becoming a realistic proposition.

Schumacher hopes that the current controversy caused by a split between F1 teams and the FIA comes to an end soon, as he thinks it is damaging for the sport.

"I find it extremely unfortunate that in Formula 1 recently there is so much talk about politics and so little about sport," Schumacher wrote on his own website."

"I really hope those political games will soon be ended - they were already getting on my nerves during all my career. Because in the end doesn't it all come down to one simple fact: Motorsport is a great sport, Formula 1 has always been the best of it and has to remain the pinnacle."

"Formula 1 has always been the platform for the best drivers and the best teams. This is what is admired all over the world; this is what everybody wants to see. But if this is constantly put into question due to permanent uncertainty of rules it is maybe better to really defend that value, leave and establish it somewhere else in a reasonable way."

Schumacher says he is baffled by the fact that the teams and the FIA could not agree on rule changes that would have secured the long term future of the sport.

"It is simply not understandable that all teams share their view on how to approach the reforms and the governing body still wants to implement something else," he said.

"Of course this seems unimaginable in the first moment, but this time all big teams stick together. This makes a new championship much more realistic. It is starting to be a real alternative to me. As a motorsport fan I want to watch the best show which is where the best drivers and the best teams compete with each other."