Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher came out of
retirement on Tuesday to set the fastest lap in testing for Ferrari
at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya.
The 38-year-old German, who will also be in action on Wednesday
at the Spanish circuit, has no intention of returning to Formula
One racing after quitting at the end of 2006, however.
Champions Ferrari has described the test as "half for pleasure,
half for technical reasons".
Formula One's rules are changing next year, with traction
control and other so-called "driver aids" being removed, and
Schumacher can give useful input as a driver who has raced cars
with and without the systems.
Schumacher topped the unofficial timesheets, completing 64 laps
in the F2007 car with a fastest lap of one minute 21.922 seconds.
The circuit website (www.circuitcat.com) said 3,000 spectators
attended the session.
The first test since the end of the season last month was also
Schumacher's first serious outing in a Formula One car since the
Brazilian Grand Prix of October 2006.
"It looks as though he's got talent. He will make his way to
F1," quipped Red Bull's David Coulthard, at 36 the oldest active
driver in Formula One, at the reappearance of his rival.
Ferrari's regular test-driver Luca Badoer was second fastest, in
1:22.129, with McLaren's Spanish test-driver Pedro de la Rosa third
in 1:22.687.
Briton Gary Paffett also tested for McLaren, who has yet to name
a replacement for departed double world champion Fernando
Alonso.
Quadruple Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais of France made
his debut as an official Toro Rosso driver while other teams tried
out a variety of new faces.
Red Bull had promising young Indian Karun Chandhok, a race
winner in the GP2 support series this year, in their
Renault-powered car. He completed 39 laps and was 18th out of the
20 drivers present.
"For me, it's a huge thing - for any driver Formula One is the
ultimate ambition," the 23-year-old told Reuters Television.
"To have your first Formula One test, you know, gets my foot in
the door and allows me a chance to see how it's really like at the
pinnacle of the sport."
He shrugged off comparisons with compatriot Narain Karthikeyan,
who became the first Indian to drive in Formula One when he raced
for Jordan in 2005.
"Of course people in India will always compare but I just do
what I have to do, I have my own career," said Chandhok.
"At the moment it's on the way up for me - I'm here today
testing a Formula One for the first time and that's all I really
care about."
Force India, formerly Spyker, tested with Dutchman Giedo van der
Garde and Spaniard Roldan Rodriguez propping up the timesheets in
19th and 20th places, respectively.
(China Daily via Agencies November 15, 2007)