• Mercedes news

Schumacher gets new Mercedes role

Michael Schumacher will be an ambassador for Mercedes-Benz © Daimler

Enlarge

Related Links

• Drivers:
• Michael Schumacher

• Teams:
• Mercedes

Michael Schumacher will work with Mercedes to develop future technologies for its road car division.

Having retired from Formula One for a second time at the end of last season following three years with Mercedes, Schumacher has been retained by the manufacturer in a 'long-term partnership'. Schumacher will focus particularly on Mercedes' 'Intelligent Drive' safety systems, while also representing the company as an ambassador.

"The future interests me much more than the present and past," Schumacher said. "During my Formula 1 time I always believed that you must not allow yourself to rest on your laurels, but that you must continuously try to improve. In so doing I was very often able to rely on the help of all the technologies available to me in the car and use them to my advantage. That is why I am a declared supporter of driving assistance systems both in the racing car and in the road-going car.

"I wanted to have a clearly defined remit within the new partnership and I find it very exciting to be able to contribute towards further developments and the optimisation of safety together with the inventor of the car."

Dr. Joachim Schmidt, executive vice president of Mercedes-Benz cars, sales and marketing, said it was obvious the company needed to keep Schumacher on board.

"We are proud that Michael Schumacher, the most successful and best-known racing driver in the world, is again joining us as our partner," he said. "Right from the time when he was a Mercedes-Benz junior and of course in the last three years as a driver in our Formula 1 team, Michael Schumacher has always been committed to our company's projects. This is why it is only logical for both sides to pool their expertise and know-how and to use them, for instance, for enhancing driver assistance systems and thus improve safety on the roads within a partnership."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.