Schumacher top in testing

Michael Schumacher continues to insist that he has no desire to race a Grand Prix car again, despite his astonishing speed on his return to testing with Scuderia Ferrari.

After a brief demo run at Fiorano whetted his appetite, Schumacher asked if he could have a proper outing, and the team obliged by giving him two days at Jerez. Some 13 months after his last race, the German was back in the groove within a handful of laps, and astonishingly topped the times both days. Early indications suggested that he wouldn’t drive again, but he returned for another two days at Barcelona, where he ran with slicks and embroiled himself in a development programme.

The team insisted that Michael’s huge experience provided a valuable insight into running without traction control, and with slicks and 2009 downforce levels. Schumacher himself implied that he would take a back seat once the new car arrives and the race drivers need all the miles they can get, but didn’t rule out having another go. “It needs to make sense for the team to make me drive,” he explained.