Ferrari inspired by Schumacher challenge

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ROME: Ferrari insisted on Wednesday that they are desperate not to be upstaged by Michael Schumacher’s high-profile Formula One return.Seven-time world champion Schumacher, who enjoyed a 14-year association with Ferrari, has come out of retirement to drive for Mercedes in the world championship which gets underway in March.

But Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali believes that his new signing, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, can trump whatever Schumacher can produce.

“He (Schumacher) decided to accept this challenge so I think that he is convinced that he has the possibility to prevail, confirming the confidence we had in him,” said Domenicali.

“Now he’s a competitor and we’ll give it our all to be ahead of him, as we do with all the others, too. For the whole team his decision is a further stimulus.

“Naturally, seeing him yesterday (at testing in Jerez) with the red helmet he wore when he was with us, it seems that also he has some difficulties drawing a line under the past.”

With Formula One in the middle of a winter testing ban, the 41-year-old Schumacher got behind the wheel of a GP2 car, which is close to F1 specifications, at Jerez in Spain on Tuesday.

The German legend, who signed a three-year, US$30 million deal with Mercedes, was due to test again on Wednesday and yesterday.

Meanwhile, world motorcycling champion Valentino Rossi will test a Ferrari in Barcelona later this month.

The test on January 20-21 in an F2008 Ferrari will not be the first time Rossi has tested an F1 car.

Domenicali refused to rule out the possibility of Yamaha’s Rossi switching racing codes.

“Never say never. There has been a lot of discussion about a third car and this could be an interesting improvement,” said the Ferrari boss. Domenicali also announced the season’s new car would be unveiled on January 28 and insisted that the team has worked extensively on reliability issues.

“Considering the problems we had in some of the last seasons it will be fundamental to start with the reliability, relying immediately on a good performance and continuing the car’s development until the end of the season,” he said.

“Unfortunately the new rules foresee just four test sessions in February and at the moment it’s impossible to determine where we are compared to the others. The team is working hard and there’s the will to get back to winning.” — AFP