"It is time for Michael to step down. Should he win the title this season, it would even be perfect timing.

He has been in the circuit for a long time and is starting to age. All of us had to fight that phenomenon and one day it is simply time to quit.

Michael would give his right arm to win the title and as long as there is a theoretical chance, he will keep on battling. Particularly, now that Bridgestone's quantum leap has made the title race wide open again."

Berger is quite possibly correct, Schumacher is still competitive, though he is ageing and he can not keep going on forever. The question is really, can Michael take his 8th World Championship? If he does not, he could not possibly retire "a loser." If Schumacher does reclaim his title, he may want to go for another and keep on racing.

We will know what Schumacher's plans are after this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.