F1 News: Michael Schumacher's F1 comeback in pictures

Michael Schumacher did not achieve the success his fans hoped for ' and many of us expected ' during his F1 comeback.

But there was a neat symmetry in his return to Mercedes. The sight of Schumacher in a Silver Arrows brought back memories of him racing their glorious Group C machines in the early nineties.

Though the likes of Bernie Ecclestone consider his return a mistake there were some highlights during his three years back in F1. Have a look back at his return to Formula One in pictures.

2009-2010

Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello, Hungaroring, 2010

Schumacher originally intended to make his comeback with Ferrari in 2009 after Felipe Massa was injured at the Hungaroring. He tested for the team but was thwarted by a neck injury suffered in a motorbike race.

However his desire to resume racing had been fired up and his return with Mercedes was duly announced later in 2009. He began his preparations by testing a GP2 car to get used to the current generation of Bridgestone tyres.

His W01 sprouted an unusual twin airbox from the midpoint of the season but it failed to lift the car to the front of the field. And there was that notorious run-in with Rubens Barrichello at the Hungaroring.

: Michael Schumacher tests a Ferrari F2007 at Mugello, 2009

: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari F2007, Mugello, 2009

: Michael Schumacher tests a Ferrari F2007 at Mugello, 2009

: Michael Schumacher GP2 test day 1

: Michael Schumacher GP2 test day 1

: Michael Schumacher GP2 test day 1

: Michael Schumacher at the Valencia test

: Michael Schumacher in the Mercedes W01

: Nico Rosberg, Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Bahrain, 2010

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Melbourne, 2010

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Malaysia, 2010

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Shanghai, 2010

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Barcelona, 2010

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Monte-Carlo, 2010

: Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg, Istanbul, 2010

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Montreal, 2010

: Michael Schumacher, Felipe Massa, Montreal, 2010

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Monza, 2010

: Mark Webber, Michael Schumacher, Monza, 2010

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Singapore, 2010

: Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Abu Dhabi, 2010

2011

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Shanghai, 2011

In 2011 he went wheel-to-wheel with Nico Rosberg in Monaco, showed his mettle at Monza and came close to that elusive podium finish in Canada.

: Mercedes W02, Valencia, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Melbourne, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Sepang, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Istanbul, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Barcelona, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, Barcelona, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, Monaco, 2011

: Start, Monaco, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Montreal, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Montreal, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Montreal, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Silverstone, 2011

: Start, Hungaroring, 2011

: Nico Rosberg, Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Spa-Francorchamps, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Spa-Francorchamps, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Monza, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Singapore, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Suzuka, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Mark Webber, Suzuka, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Buddh International Circuit, 2011

: Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Buddh International Circuit, 2011

2012

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Valencia, 2012

Schumacher finally returned to the F1 podium at Valencia in 2012. But that was the peak of an often frustrating season and in Suzuka he finally announced his retirement. Seventh place in his final race in Brazil means his career tally stops at 1,566 points.