It’s the one question on everyone’s lips – will Michael Schumacher return in 2010 with Mercedes?

And while there has been no official announcement, the rumours just won’t go away.

Does Schumacher want to race in 2010? The answer has got to be a solid yes.

The seven-times champion was gutted not to be able to fill in for Massa last year, and his passion for racing is obviously burning as bright as ever. A simple no would have put an end to all the rumours, but as there has been none, he must want to return.

In fact, all his quotes point to a willingness to get back behind an F1 car. With comments like:

“Who knows? Anything can happen.”

and earlier this year he said:

“From now to the end of the year, my neck injury will be healed to the point where I could drive again. I have nothing to prove to anyone, not even myself. I still slightly regret having retired three years ago but there’s no reason whatsoever for me to definitively announce that I will not come back.”

The major stumbling block seems to be his ties to Ferrari and their sponsors. But Ferrari appear to have now cleared the way for Schumacher to join the Mercedes F1 team.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said Schumacher’s role was “not binding”. He added:

“If he takes another road our agreement will no longer be valid. You can’t work with a competitor and with us at the same time. I still haven’t spoken to him about it. He is only a dear friend, not a team member. He is a consultant for our road cars.”

Mercedes are wanting to create a German superteam, and with Rosberg already in place, there’s only one seat to fill.

Before the Schumacher rumours started, Nick Heidfeld was tipped for the seat after BMW announced they were leaving F1, before selling the team back to Peter Sauber.

And it seems Heidfeld had pinned his hopes on a drive with The Silver Arrows, and he’s admitted to turning down other deals. He said:

“I have already turned down concrete opportunities and we are continuing to give other possibilities a lesser priority.”

It’s been a frustrating time for Heidfeld, who after learning BMW were leaving the sport must have been buoyed by the news on Mercedes. And now he’s hoping Schumacher will decide to stay on the sidelines. He said:

“I am not shy of my opinion about the speculation surrounding Michael’s possible comeback.

However, there is still a spare seat at Renault, which would see Heidfeld back with Robert Kubica if that move came off.

And it’s been a bad day for Mercedes, however, after a row over 90m euros in sponsorship money has developed with German consumer products firm Henkel.

It is understood that the team, then Brawn GP, believed it had a deal with the company earlier this year. However, Henkel now claims that the contract was put together by an ex-member of staff who was acting without the company’s authorisation. Henkel filed a law suit over the issue in November.

And so back to Schumacher, although I’m not going to put my neck on the line, he will be back, won’t he?