Ralf Lines Up His Spot in the DTM Graveyard

SO,

It was finally confirmed on Monday that F1 reject Ralf Schumacher has signed for Mercedes in the 2008 DTM Championship.

Ralf commented in a recent interview with Autosport.com: "During my last three years in F1, I didn't have much success and it almost sounded strange to me when Norbert (Haug) mentioned in a conversation that a little while ago I managed to win two Grand Prix within only eight days.

"However, I am still the same Ralf as at those times, the same racer who has fun in motor sports and who wants to compete with the best.

"I like the DTM, I like the environment, and I like the enthusiastic and positive spectators. And I like Mercedes – with them I got my first chance to test a Formula 1 car in 1996 and who knows how my Formula One career would have turned out if I had accepted the McLaren Mercedes offer to become their test driver for 1997.

"But then I wanted to drive races, and that's what I still want today, more than ten years later."

Of course, there will be constant question marks hanging over Herr Schumacher the younger, as his Formula 1 career passed in a similar vein to that of Jacques Villeneuve – as a man whose early success and respect seemingly vacated him, leaving a much maligned also-ran towards the end.

But it does appear in the little snippet above that Ralf may be turning a new leaf, renowned as he was for being one of the most miserable and least approachable participants in the highest echelons of the sport, he seems amicable, almost chummy after confirming his Mercedes Drive.

Maybe the DTM is what Ralf needs, maybe he needs to step out of the world of the Ron Dennis christened “Piranha club” that is the F1 paddock, and enter a realm in which he might be able to flourish again, under the wing of Mercedes in a German flavoured series (even if he has to do it in last years car).

One other thing.

While Schumacher himself may appear fresh and keen now he has firmed up a paid Trilux Mercedes race seat for ’08, there is still a big question over whether or not DTM is a bit of an F1 graveyard; a place where the dying stars of the single seater top flight come to have their last remnants of stardom squeezed out before finally being placed on the scrap-heap they seemed destined for until Merc appearance brandishing a friendly shoulder and an even friendlier cheque.

If properly successful, the ex-Williams and Toyota peddler would break the mould. Jean Alesi, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Mika Hakkinen. All venerable race winners in F1. One a double world champion. Each had his moments in the DTM, but none became a real regular frontrunner.

Those positions fell to the likes of Bernd Schneider, Gary Paffett and Bruno Spengler. Touring car drivers in up-to-date touring cars, not past F1 pilots in second-rate machinery providing a nostalgic surname on a timing sheet.

Best of luck Ralf. You will need it.