Michael Schumacher Interview

Remember Michael Schumacher? It might be difficult, what with all the talk and celebration surrounding Lewis Hamilton's first world championship title as the youngest ever and first black driver to win the title.

But just so that we don't forget the greatest F1 driver of all time - at least in terms of records and achievements - I thought it was the perfect time to look at Schumacher, two years after he retired from racing. Like all athletes, Schumacher has a post racing career to think about. He'll turn 40 in January, and he's the kind of guy who likes to work and involve himself in things he's passionate about.

Last month in my job as Formula 1 correspondent for the International Herald Tribune, I managed to get an exclusive, one-on-one interview with Schumacher in Dubai on the occasion of the launch of a Michael Schumacher World Champion Tower apartment building, to be built in Abu Dhabi. My story about that Schumacher interview appears in tomorrow's IHT, and is already online on the IHT. But I have transcribed the full Michael Schumacher interview for presentation here on Formula1.about.com.

Oh yes, and I believe that it was with me during this talk that Schumacher said for the first time that he was indeed offered the job to replace Jean Todt at Ferrari, although there had been much speculation on that. Todt spoke about it in Monaco at some point, I believe, but I think this is the first time Schumacher discusses it. Correct me if I'm wrong.