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How will one of the sport’s greatest racers fare when he returns to the circuit next year?

After weeks of speculation Mercedes confirmed on Wednesday that Michael Schumacher will make a comeback to race for the team next season alongside fellow German Nico Rosberg.

Schumacher, who retired at the end of 2006, has signed a deal that will see him return to the Formula One grid at the age of 41, looking to add to his record tally of 91 wins and seven world titles.

Where will he place in the wide history of athlete comebacks? Some have sizzled and some have tarnished their image returning to the sports action. George Foreman, Michael Jordan, Brett Favre, Tommy John, Bjorn Borg and countless boxers like Sugar Ray Leonard and Muhammad Ali  – Schumacher joins some big time names heading back to competition.

There are also some comeback attempts in F1. Alan Jones was F1 world champion in 1980 and retired for the first time in ‘81 after winning 11 races in a three-year period. He had a one-race stint in ‘83 and then a two-year stint in ‘85 and ‘86. Each time there were moments where he had to stop because he was tired. Nigel Mansell not fit as well and had to sit out two GPs so they could widen the cockpit. A couple of sad-looking drives later and his F1 career is over for good. One of the keys to Schumacher’s success was his commitment to fitness.

I see Michael Schumacher working out the kinks in the early races and by the end of the season he is among the leaders fighting for the crown like he never left.

What do you think?