Let’s be honest – Formula1 has been hogging the limelight in the global media every single day since the season finale in Abu Dhabi. It was less for the newly crowned champions – Button and Brawn – but more for the biggest comeback of all time. So, unlike his earlier attempt, is the current attempt of a comeback genuine, or yet another PR gimmick – only time will tell. But the important question is – all the free media aside, does Formula1 really need a Michael Schumacher? Why does everyone on the grid want him back?

2009 has been a funny season – while we had underdogs beat the masters at their own game, we also saw more off-track and board room action in Formula1 than on-track. The new regulations got off to a bad start, the diffuser saga not only created factions between the teams but also created confusion for the fans. Winning and losing races was down to one ‘stupid part’ at the rear of the car! So much for all the driving talent that F1 pilots are paid millions for – F1 2009 started off as a victory ground for the smartest (read: cheekiest) engineer, rather than the fastest driver.

Just when the diffuser saga seemed to be hurriedly addressed, along came the power wars! FIA and FOTA battled it out to claim their dominance on the sport. Constant fighting over the ever-changing rules and regulations led FOTA (for those who still didn’t know – Formula One Teams Association) to announce their own breakaway series. While much of this drama was to settle personal scores, yet again it took the fun out of racing, and disappointed the fans and TV audiences.

While all this off-track drama was being scripted, on-track the Brawns and Red Bulls were out to create their own place in history. 2009 will always be remembered for the success story of Brawn GP, and the successive failures of the manufacturer teams – McLaren, Ferrari, Renault and BMW. While the top teams did attempt to comeback in the second half of the season, the damage was done – not only were the teams far behind in the championship tables, but subsequent under-performances only drove their fans away, yet again. Humans are always happy to see underdogs win – but not when they do so with quite so much regularity, and that too by beating your favourite team every fortnight. Favourites will always remain favourites, which is why you’ll support Bangladesh to win against Australia in a one-day cricket match, but not the World Cup!

So, while we discussed how badly the product (F1 is a product remember) fared – let me throw some light on the poor management decisions that accelerated the downfall. Honda, BMW and Toyota announced their exit from Formula 1. Renault, on the other hand, has partially exited from the sport. Whether you like it or not – these big brands maketh Formula1. F1 is a product that comprises of multiple global brands – the function of F1’s brand value is only a multiplication of each of these brands and their respective values!

While the Renault race fixing scandal robbed F1 of its credibility, it was losing its charm anyway. Rather, the cost at which brands could afford its charm was way too high, and that’s what led to major manufacturers pulling out. Business decisions yes, but the fact that M/s Bernie and Max didn’t preempt this occurrence made things worse. Worst was when they let them go, and didn’t attempt to reassure them of F1’s future. All of this for allowing three unknown privateer teams onto the grid. Bad move you’ll agree!

The other move that backfired was the introduction of new circuits. Yes, it’s on any businessman’s (Bernie!) agenda to grow his business, and expand to new markets. And he did, but he did wrong. Valencia, Singapore, et al, were introduced at the cost of the classic racing circuits like Spa and Suzuka. These new road circuits did offer some world class facilities to teams, but failed to offer world-class racing to fans!

Formula1’s biggest market is Europe, and whether you like it or not the product is still programmed to suit that market – whether it’s TV timings, or actual scheduling of the races. The Asian nations, who were fast turning into F1 fanatics, were given a raw deal and felt let down. Imagine having to witness F1 cars wade across a Sepang only so that the Europeans don’t have to wake up in the wee hours to catch their dose of Formula 1.

So, in typical management guru style, what would Bernie Eccelstone do? What would you do when all else that you’ve attempted appears destined to fail? You go back to your most trusted and successful product, which clearly happens to be Michael Schumacher – especially in modern day Formula 1. Bring in the ‘one’ man who has not only tasted success at the highest level, but also flirted openly with controversy. The one man that every fan has loved to hate, but was nonetheless forced to love. The one man who beat drivers through various generations, before stamping an era all his own.

Having sung Schumacher’s praises, I don’t take anything away from the current crop of drivers. Talented they are, but charismatic they are not. They are much like robots who drive their cars and slip and hide away in their motorhomes. They certainly are not global brands that would drive a new era of fans to the track, or the TV screens for that matter.

Formula 1 is in a very tricky state of survival. While most teams have committed participation till 2012, their survival banks heavily on the growth of Formula 1 as a brand. What F1 needs at this hour is that one ‘superstar’ who can singlehandedly drive the sport back to its glory days.

While I do support a Michael Schumacher comeback for personal reasons, I also believe that it’ll be one of the most shortsighted management decisions in modern times. Isn’t it time that Formula1 moved on, and went on the hunt for the next superstar – rather than going back in time, and pleading a former star to takeover once again?