Taken from the BBC
Schumacher to quit at end of year
Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher will retire from Formula One at the end of the season.
The German made the announcement after winning the Italian Grand Prix to reduce title rival Fernando Alonso's lead to just two points.
The Ferrari star's victory was the 90th in a career in which Schumacher has broken every single F1 record.
He will be remembered as one of the greatest, and most controversial, drivers in the history of the sport.
"I have decided that I am going to retire from racing. It has been an exceptional time," the 37-year-old said.
"What motorsport has gven me over the last 30 years, I have loved every moment of it, good and bad."
It has been a tough decision to not work at this level
Michael Schumacher
Schumacher, who will be replaced at Ferrari by Finn Kimi Raikkonen, has dominated the sport since the death of Ayrton Senna in 1994.
That was the year in which Schumacher won his first world title, with Benetton-Ford, and he added further championships in 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004.
He added: "It has been a tough decision to not work at this level. The day has come and I felt this is the moment.
"As well as timing the decision I though it was fair so Felipe [Massa, his Ferrari team-mate] has a chance to decide his future.
"He has done a great job, good team-mate and he had to decide.
"My future replacement is a driver [Raikkonen] - I was pleased that he was the person and now like to concentrate on this last three races and finish it in style. We have done a big step to the championship today and I look forward to that now."
The records Schumacher has set will probably never be broken, and he set a new standard for F1 drivers with his extreme fitness and commitment to his job.
But his legacy will also be as a driver who stretched the rules to their limit and sometimes beyond in his quest for success.
Controversy followed him throughout his career, and he was involved in a series of incidents that left many observers questioning his sense of fair play.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/5332630.stm
That's pretty crazy. It will be really weird not to see him on the podium next season.