Schumacher tests for Ferrari at Mugello

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Michael Schumacger at the wheel of a Ferrari F2007 in Mugello

Michael Schumacher began preparations for his F1 comeback at Mugello yesterday. Here’s some pictures of the 40-year-old in action in a Ferrari F2007.

He’ll be testing again between now and the European Grand Prix at the end of the month. Following a request from Ferrari the other teams have allowed him to have a dispensation from the testing ban and spend a day acclimatising to the F60.

However there reports are emerging which suggest the FIA may look into the Mugello test following Schumacher’s use of GP2-spec slick tyres.

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Images (C) Ferrari spa

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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59 comments on “Schumacher tests for Ferrari at Mugello”

  1. Oh, he is already cheating…

    1. My main concern is that testing is banned, and here we have the rulebook being thrown away, for one driver, the team being Ferrari.
      the same rulebook should have applied here that applied to Jaime,and Torro Rosso, no testing!!

      1. At least Jaime has been competitively racing open-wheel single-seaters recently. Is it not worth it for what it’ll bring to the sport to have the multiple championship-winning, popular, competitive Schu back in a Ferrari for the rest of the season?

        Or would you rather he took three cars out at the start in Valencia?

        1. I agree with Achilles, why allow it for Shumi and not for a newcomer like Alguessari.

          shumi could do a straight line test and do a few zigzags on the way back.

          BUT, he is 7 times world champion, and i think perhaps, because of that there could be some exceptions. but then that should apply for all champions that have won multiple titles in the future…

          1. He’s hired a car to drive from the Ferrari hire company. You or I could drive that car if we had the cash. No cheating.

            And I think half of the problem here is that it’s called “testing”. Looks like “driving” to me.

        2. That same argument could be used for Jaime, yet he managed, schumi has been playing with the Ferraris privately for awhile, so no, I don’t think it is worth it! Let’s not forget that this is a guy who, Willingly, takes other racers out, the latest being Gene.
          Testing for everyone is out, fota have nothing to do with it, it is a decision for the FIA, and is grossly unfair. Maybe it is because the stewards did’nt think about the repercussions of their actions over Renault, one of the knock on effects being that Valencia is grossly undersold, so let’s bring in a ‘celebrity’ driver, see if the publicity, and status of the ceeb boosts sales??
          The only way for the FIA to retain credulity after this season’s turmoil, is to stick to the rules for EVERYONE, and leave the controversy behind.

      2. well… does anybody knows if Toro Rosso ASKED for permission to test?

        1. Toro Rosso just decided to change drivers, ferrari were forced to

          1. yes, I know… but anyways what I meant to say is that I’m sure toro rosso didn’t even ask FOTA to test. I’d understand complains if they told Alguersuari not to test and allow Schumi, but it’s not even that situation.

          2. autosport

            Norbert Haug @ Schumacher’s testing:

            “Giving Jaime a test would have been justifiable, but having said that I don’t think there was an official request.”

            that’s exactly what I meant

          3. Yes, but not forced to pick Schumacher. They have 2 test drivers with F1 experience and testing time in the 2009 spec car. Either of them could have stepped straight in. No other driver should be shown favour in those circumstances.

      3. totaly agree

  2. cheating? you must be crazy then…..the rules say that yu can test cars that are 2 seasons old.

    1. Yes but his tyres weren’t two years old but slicks which are used today.

      1. Slicks are typical tyres for all racing cars in the world.
        You can have an old car, but Bridgestone won’t make “old tyres” specially for you. They don’t produce them anymore, you know.

        When you test a car, you can obviously make the car better – but when you test the tyres, you won’t make them any better, you just drive them. You can make no adjustements to the tyres – only to the car, and since he drives an old car, then those adjustements are irrelevant.

        1. they may test reliability issues in brakes, engine and gearbox. Also the understanding of the tires for shumi is very important for his performance in two weeks, and this can be achieved by this unfair and out of the rules way
          I agree that testing ban is a stupid rule but it should be applied to everyone even to a formula 1…well… god …michael shumacher …

      2. They are not even F1 tyres. They are GP2 tires. So it’s quite irrelevant to whether he is cheating or not. Think of it this way, you take road car slicks and bolt them on to f1. lets say it fits, are you going to say that is cheating just because they are slicks?

      3. Slicks from GP2 cars, not F1.

  3. Woohoo, awesome to see Schumi back in an F1 car.

    Why would they investigate hom for running GP2 spec tires? Are there even 2007 spec grooved Bridgestones available? He wasn’t developing a car, he was just getting used to driving an F1 car again.

    1. well the haters are just looking for anything to pick on Schumacher to call him cheater. Clearly he was not cheating in any bloody way. He simply did some laps after being absent from F1 for ages, as he stated he was able to pull consistent lap times and he is happy with his performance, and he wants to see how his body responds now.

      In terms of trying to run the F60, that is another story and FIA should make it clear what they support and what they do not support, so that there is no misunderstanding.

  4. Those pictures reminds me on how good formula 1 cars looked in the past.

    1. yeah all the people who say ‘i think i’ve got used to this year’s cars (’09)’ have been brainwashed.
      2009 cars look utterly cr*p compared to the 07/08 beasts. previous cars just looked so much faster too.

      1. work of the free masons :)

      2. Well besides the noses on the Renaults and Red Bulls, and that boxy monstrosity they call a BMW, I don’t think this years cars look too bad compared to last season. The McLarens and Brawns are the best looking IMO.

        1. I think the red bulls are one of the prettier cars on the grid. That, williams and ferrari are not too bad looking.

          1. I agree. I think the red bull is the best looking of the new cars, but I wish the rear wing couldbe wider on it!

      3. The 2009 cars look just fine. The rear wing is a tad too high.

        The 2008 were absolutely disgusting. I’m glad that mess is gone.

        2007 looked better though, I have to admit.

    2. I don’t like the look of that Ferrari actually. I did like the McLaren from that year though.

    3. Casino Square
      1st August 2009, 19:31

      I was thinking exactly the same thing- the F2007 wasn’t an especially good looking car but it makes the ’09 cars look seriously ugly!

    4. I think that if the front and rear wings looked in better proportion and they didn’t have those sidepod deflectors or whatever they are called, then some of the 2009 cars such as the McLaren, Williams, Brawn and Ferrari would be some of the best looking F1 cars for ages, however the Renault and BMW would still look ugly.

      Although I did like some of the aero bits and pieces which are now banned I think by 2008 overall the look of the cars was bad.

  5. if you closely observe, his scarlet helmet doesn’t match the scarlet ferrari :) :)

    1. I really hope he would come back to his TRUE helmet design:
      http://tjcdesign.com/tjcimages/Schumacher%20helmet.jpg

      He made his helmet red only when Barrichello joined him in Ferrari, because their helmets were too similar and hard to distinguish.
      And he seems to have forgotten to get it back to normal when Barrichello was replaced by Massa. :(

    2. Yeah, noticed that too, hope he changes it…. looks horrible ;)

    3. his scarlet helmet was due to vodafone sponsorship. Now vodafone has dropped Ferrari, so ferrari has returned to their original darker red color

  6. Surely its not the other teams who can give permission to break the testing bam, its the FIA? I bet Torro Rosso are annoyed that it would have been that easy to get Jaimii a test.

  7. I think the issue with the tires is being blown out of proportion across the web. The fact is that 2007 spec tires are probably not available. The FIA probably just want to make sure they are GP2 tires as claimed.

  8. It’s not really cheating as he’s been allowed to do it, although that privilege should now be extended to Alguesari and he should be allowed an extra day before Valencia to practise if he needs to.

    1. agreed.

  9. I looked in F1.com and there is a pole ;
    ” What do you think Michael Schumacher can achieve in his first race back in a Formula One car?
    Points
    Podium
    Victory ”
    I can’t understand why there is not an option of not finishing in the points. I really think that jamie will easily beat him, not because shumi stoped being a good driver but if you remember an old test which Hakkinen did some years after his retirement He was very slow. In that case Hakkinen at least was racing in DTM, shumi is doing quite nothing…He will be ridiculous , I can’t understand how Ferrari took such a stupid decesion…

    1. exactly!!!is the race in valencia already rigged up in favour of schoe? schoe should consider him self lucky if he’s not lapped by jamie ;) . as you mentioned even mika, imo the greater of the 2, was atleast 3sec off pac during a test at silverstone. and not to mention the fact that he’s gained some weight, i really feel sorry for all the schumi fans, who are in a dream land. If the 107% rule was still in place, shoe wouldn’t even be eligible to race!!! he’ll seriously be off colour. atleast +4 sec off jamie:)

      1. you are just disappointing each time I read your comments.

        is the race in valencia already rigged up in favour of schoe?

        the race in Valencia is rigged how to Schumacher? Do explain that to me clearly mp4.

        as you mentioned even mika, imo the greater of the 2, was atleast 3sec off pac during a test at silverstone.

        You are already making yourself look silly here as Schumacher has ALREADY done equivalent lap time at Mugello with a 1:23.736, two tenths quicker than Felipe Massa’s time back in January with an F60.

        If the 107% rule was still in place, shoe wouldn’t even be eligible to race!!

        Schu is a F1 driver he can come back anytime and restart his carrier if he wants to , what bloody rule are you talking about?

        he’ll seriously be off colour. atleast +4 sec off jamie:)

        haha ooo… riiiiiiight…. he better be cause if he is not im gonna come back here after Valencia and blast the #%^# out of you..

      2. mika, imo the greater of the 2

        Mika: 2 WDC
        Schumi: 7 WDC, most wins, most pole positions, most race triples (pole, win fastest lap), most points

        Are you maybe confusing Schumi with Jacques Villeneuve ?

        1. 7???????? what about Damon Hill and adelaide, what about 2001 and 2003 when bridgestone clearly support Ferrari for the title against mika and in 2003 FIA asked Williams, a clear and favourite championship
          contender to change the whole front package of the car due to some stupid rule for michelin tires
          I don’t say that shumi is a bad driver nor mika is better, however shumi DOES NOT deserves 7 championships!!!
          And about shumi return this time was made by the faster F2007 with the faster slick tires, just check what the time was in muggelo with an 2007 spec car not an 2009. Also my point was supported by comparing Mika’s time in a similar situation( race again after his retirement)All you sumacher fans support your opinion by saying Shumacher was great 4 years before Shumacher was the fastest, Shumacher was unbeatable…Damon Hill, Mika Hakkinen, Fernando Alonso all beat him !!! I don’t know if he is the greatest ever, for sure he is the most supported driver by FIA FOM and every media!!!!!!

          1. however shumi DOES NOT deserves 7 championships!!!

            lol

            he clearly won 7 so he clearly deserves his wins

            And about shumi return this time was made by the faster F2007 with the faster slick tires, just check what the time was in muggelo with an 2007 spec car not an 2009.

            there will be plenty of time to prove how silly and embarrassing your comments are regarding what lap times Schu can do.

            All you sumacher fans support your opinion by saying Shumacher was great 4 years before Shumacher was the fastest, Shumacher was unbeatable …Damon Hill, Mika Hakkinen, Fernando Alonso all beat him !!!

            no one said he was unbeatable, but we have said AND it is clear that he WAS amongst “one of” the greatest drivers F1 has seen, that is fact dude.

            Also, if we wanna go there, to truly beat Schumacher one must beat all his records, if we wanna statistically and fairly analyze the situation. It is like saying , if you win 1 game against Roger Federer in tennis that you beat him and therefore you are better than him? lol No bloody way. In order to be better than say Federer one must achieve what he has achieved and thus beat his records. So no dude, if we look at that way none of those drivers you mentioned have beaten Schumacher.

            Whether you believe me or not I am not totally crazy supporter of Schumacher, but to see you and other haters here is beyond me. We all know Schumacher did many stupid things, but majority (90% at least) of his wins were done fair and square, and were won due to his exceptional driving skills. Statistics are there to show dude, ignoring them just makes you look stupid.

            Also, as much as you hate it, you cant delete the history.

    2. Spoken like a true Eddie Irvine. Just put a sock in it dude.

      Schumacher is an F1 driver and he can go back and drive F1 if he wants to. But just to make you feel better I doubt Shumacher will do more than 2 races, I believe Massa will recover quick and will take over.

      HOWEVER, if Schumacher still wants to race in Formula one, there is bloody nothing you or anyone can do to stop him, he can even buy and start his own bloody team and race in it if he wants, he can do it next year, the year after, hell he can even do it when he is 50 years old and there is nothing anyone can do about that.

      If you are so narrow minded to think that Schumacher does not have a chance to score points, then you my friend dont know jack about F1, and you have been sitting on your eyes for the past 15 years.

      so shut the ____ up with anti Schumacher comments.

  10. Who are they? The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile may investigate, though.

  11. Well, I don’t know if f1technical.net can be trusted but here we come

    link

    Michael Schumacer’s first test in preperation for the European GP is already over, with the German having completed 67 laps in an F2007 shod with GP2 specification slick tyres. And although the test bares little in comparison to a current F60, Schumacher said he was happy that he put down consistent lap times throughout the session.

    His best time of the day was a 1:23.736, two tenths quicker than Felipe Massa’s time back in January with an F60.

    1. But then the 2007 cars were probably running at about the same pace as the F60, but then on grooved tyres. Doesn’t running on slicks help about a few seconds?

      1. Max should resign now!!!
        3rd August 2009, 16:28

        I heard it’s only 6 tenths of a second…

  12. It is the stupid rule of no in season testing .The cars aren’t being developed as in previous years and this is the reason we lost BMW if they could of developed that car and been more competitive them they would still be here.The rules make it so that the fastest car at the beginning of the year will always be ahead look at brawn&red bull noone will be able to touch these guys until next year and if you aren’t fast out of the box kiss it good bye.Rookie or temp drivers have to be able to test if only for safety reason’s will it take soone to get seriously hurt until the rule get’s changed.
    Yes and what about mclaren but how much of mercedes money did it cost for that one win probably 10 times more than a normal year.

    1. FOTA proposed the test ban so the teams all decided on this.

      If a team feels unfairly treated by this, they should learn to think ahead.

      I guess you weren’t a fan of FOTA breaking away then? I mean you imply that FOTA is unable to set up proper rules.

  13. Ferrari asked and received permission from all the other teams and also FIA. If one team had said “no” they would not have been able to let him have a day in the F60. Maybe Toro Rosso should have asked in the fashion Ferrari did. Case closed. After watching Schuey win 7 titles I was a little tired of him winning all the time. Kind of like when there is no passing of any regard in F1. However, can anyone else besides me see the excitement this is generating in the sport we all love? Give the guy a break. This is kind of cool. Besides, when Felipe returns Schuey’s seat is gone. OK?

  14. It’s not really cheating as he’s been allowed to do it, although that privilege should now be extended to Alguesari and he should be allowed an extra day before Valencia to practise if he needs to.

    As Norbert Haug said, ask and you shall receive. Torro Rosso never thought to ask though, more fool them!

  15. Schumacher’s return will also bring back froth-mouthed fealty on one hand and the bitterness of non-red fans on the other. He was a polarizing figure and its interesting how his return is immediately again causing tension in the sport and among its followers.

  16. Is the F2007 a darker shade of red than the F2008?

    I thought it was, and in some pictures it looks a lot darker, but in these pictures it looks the same.

    Can anyone help clear this up for me?

  17. Williams have objected to F60 testing so it can no longer take place:

    http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/77534

    1. oh well, not really sure what Franks issue is against FOTA obviously he has one from the start of the season. This is obviously to do with political issues between Williams and FOTA.

      But regardless, that is fair enough. To make it fair for everyone the rule should either stand, or be lifted for everyone.

      nothing to discuss about it anymore

  18. I find myself in a strange postion, I am about to defend Michael Schumacher and I would never have found myself in this position before he retired…

    Schumi has done nothing wrong by testing in that F2007 – as other have stated, anyone could do the same if they had the money – ergo if Jaime A had wanted to hire a track and hire a 2 year old Red Bull he could have (assuming they are available).

    Personally I think there should be a clause in the testing ban that allows any driver coming into the sport mid-season to have a limited mileage test in the car.

  19. Seems like Williams are now blocking the F60 test. No skin off Ferrari’s nose I’d guess, but what goes around comes around….

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