Mar.14 (GMM) Michael Schumacher is not ruling out staying in formula one beyond the end of his current contract.

Mercedes' Norbert Haug at the weekend said he can imagine teaming up with the famous seven time world champion in 2013 "If Michael wants it and we can agree on a right price".

Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm responded to Bild newspaper: "Of course we are open to discussions, because with the team we feel very good.

"Michael is totally motivated and is able to give F1 a lot more," she added.

By the end of 2013, Schumacher will be approaching his 45th birthday, but the great German's doctor Johannes Peil said age is not an obstacle.

"Michael is so fit," he insisted, "he could still be driving at 50."

Perhaps the key to Schumacher's willingness to re-sign beyond 2012 is the better performance of the Mercedes team, following a disappointing return to F1 last year.

Until very recently, the new W02 was a second off the pace but last week at Barcelona "We made the big step we had calculated", admitted a relieved Haug.

"We took a giant step forwards," confirmed Schumacher's teammate Nico Rosberg, who admitted that Schumacher's best laptime in Barcelona with the upgrade package showed that the W02 is "very fast".

"Even if the time was with low fuel, it surprised us. And many others, I am sure," said Red Bull's reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel.

But Haug told the SID news agency: "I don't see us as the favourites; that is going to take a while yet."

Latest F1 News - Mobile version

26 Feb: New Ferrari not quickest in field - Domenicali 26 Feb: Red Bull still best in 2013 - Tost 26 Feb: 2014 French grand prix 'possible' - Prost 26 Feb: Danica Patrick 'not interested' in F1 switch 26 Feb: Report - Gilles Simon working on F1 engine for Honda 26 Feb: Gutierrez plays down link to Carlos Slim 26 Feb: Caterham exhaust 'legal' insists van der Garde 26 Feb: McLaren replaces Mercedes-bound Lowe 25 Feb: 'Engine maps' trouble for Red Bull, Lotus - report 25 Feb: Mercedes-bound Lowe to miss 2013 opener - report 25 Feb: Mercedes 'in group of teams' behind Red Bull - Lauda 25 Feb: Gutierrez expects Hulkenberg to beat him early in 2013 25 Feb: New Ferrari 'much better' than 2012 - Massa 25 Feb: Teams 'will adapt' to new tyre situation - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Tight rules make today's F1 cars 'the same' - Forghieri 25 Feb: Williams removes controversial exhaust trick 25 Feb: Contract 'conflicts' cause of Marussia test snub - Razia 25 Feb: Lotus to fight Red Bull for title - Gutierrez 25 Feb: Marussia 'ahead of Caterham' - Chilton 25 Feb: Sutil will not stay in F1 as test driver The latest F1 News - Mobile Version