The rumored Michael Schumacher comeback is true, as the seven-time Formula 1 world champion will drive for the Mercedes GP in the 2010 season, the team announced today. Schumacher and Mercedes agreed to a three-year deal.

In a statement on his Web site, Schumacher says, "I don't want to deny at all that the intent of a German F1 team extremely tempts me. I guess every German driver would feel this way. And of course it plays a major role that I again can work together with Ross [Brawn] at Mercedes GP.

"Above all, however, my old hunger for racing is back. In Abu Dhabi, when Ross asked me if I could imagine returning to F1, I felt that I wasn't ready for it. But only two weeks later, when he called me once again, I realized that my old passion was returning. Suddenly I was on fire again. For me, the imagination to be back in a F1 car and to compete for the world championships is exciting and extremely inspiring."

Evidently, his neck injury from a February motorcycle happening has fully healed. "My neck is absolutely free of complaints," he says in the statement. "I can now do the same neck work-out as I did when I was still racing."

Schumacher has some history with Mercedes. He got his feet wet with the Mercedes team's junior program in 1990 and 1991, then prefabricated his F1 debut with the Jordan-Ford team at the '91 Belgian Grand Prix.

Autosport, Michael Schumacher official website