NOVEMBER 13, 1995

... and plans early retirement

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER says that he isn't planning to get old in Formula 1 racing.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER says that he isn't planning to get old in Formula 1 racing. The 26-year-old double World Champion says he is not going to hang around in Grand Prix racing like many of the previous F1 generation.

"I would say that I'm going to stay another five years," he told pressmen in Australia, "but I'm not going to get old in F1. Whether it will be five years or four or six I'm not sure yet."

In recent years F1 drivers have tended to retire late with the likes of Keke Rosberg, Emerson Fittipaldi, Niki Lauda, NigelÊMansell, Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet and Alan Jones all being in their mid-late 30s or older when they decided to hang up their helmets in F1. In the 1970s, retirements tended to be earlier: Jody Scheckter stopping at 30, James Hunt at 32 and Jackie Stewart at 34.

Schumacher said that his chief motivation is to "have fun."