After retiring againMichael Schumacherstill needs to quench his thirst for racing and has taken up karting again, but one of his favourite past times is still riding motorcycles and according to German websiteSpeedweek.de the former multi-Formula 1 champion is going to be involved in a three-day IDM-Dunlop test in Valencia, starting today.
In 2007, Schumacher tested the factory Ducati Desmosedici GP7 and in 2008 and then in 2008 went on to test Carlos Checa’s Ten Kate Honda CBR 1000RR Fireblade and also got a chance to test, what was then BMW’s new S 1000RR at Albacete in Spain and then rodeTroy Bayliss’ Ducati and Noriyuki Haga’s Yamaha and that same year also took part in the KTM Super Duke Trophy in Italy, the 8 hour endurance race at Oschersleben, and also took part in 3 German Superbike races as a wildcard as he was building up experience to compete officially in the 2009 German IDM Superbike Championship.
In 2009 while testing the Holzhauer Honda 1000 CBR Fireblade at Cartagena, the German Formula 1 driver had a huge crash that left him, it was revealed only months later, a serious injury to the seventh vertebra of the neck, a fracture of the first left rib and a fracture at the base of the skull, a hairline fracture on the left side of the skull and two main arteries to Schumacher’s brain was also damaged, which put a stop on his Superbike racing, but not a comeback to Formula 1.
Whether Schumacher’s test at Valencia is just a rich man’s continuing lust for speed and fun, or if the 44-year old driver/rider wants to compete in motorcycle races again remains to be seen.
from TWOWHEELSBLOG
