Retired F1 legend Michael Schumacher ushered in the 2008 Formula 1 season as he stepped back into the cockpit of a Ferrari in testing at Barcelona on Tuesday.
The seven-time champion, who has emphasised the test is merely to help the team develop its throttle systems now that traction control has been banned, was joined on the track by a number of unfamiliar names, cars and colour schemes as all the teams returned to action just over three weeks after the 2007 season finale ended in Brazil.
F1's newest team, Force India [formerly Spyker] turned out in a striking new purple and white livery as test drivers Giedo van der Garde and Roldan Rodriguez began work on the 2008 programme.
Honda meanwhile showed its advanced stage of development by doing its usual trick of pitching up in a blank livery and brand new hybrid machinery.
British test driver James Rossiter ran the all-white car, which features heavily-revised aerodynamics both front and rear.
He was joined in the team by GP2 Series front-runner Andreas Zuber.
Honda's B-team Super Aguri and its driver Anthony Davidson got to grips with a version of the 2007 factory car, the unimpressive RA107, which is also bedecked in white.
Sebastien Bourdais joined the fray for the first time as a fully-fledged F1 driver, having travelled back from Mexico following a final, historic, Champ Car victory to take his place at Toro Rosso.
Elsewhere Heikki Kovalainen resumed testing for Renault despite being unconfirmed for 2008, while further down the pitlane, having been confirmed in his seat, Kazuki Nakajima got on with work at Williams.
BMW's Nick Heidfeld, McLaren's Gary Paffett and Red Bull's David Coulthard are also present.
Pics:
Heikki Kovalainen in his Renault. He resumed testing for the team even though he isnt sure of a drive in the same team for 2008
Andreas Zuber in the Honda. Honda are upto their usual strategt of using a white car in testing and leaving space open for sponsors to bid.
James Rossiter in the Honda
Force India, the newest team on the block showed their new livery. What was surprising was the Kingfisher logo stamped all over. Mallya had initially said that Kingfisher would remain with Toyota and he was buying the spyker team with his personal fortune. Now, it remains to be seen how the Kingfisher-Toyota contract is fulfilled.
Liuzzi and Klien. Two of the 5 drivers testing for Force India at Barcelona this week
Gary Paffett testing the revised 2007 McLaren
Nick Heidfeld gets back to testing for BMW after a stupendous season
And now, for the pics you've all been waiting for. Michael Schumacher, the greatest F1 racing driver of all time makes his comeback in a competitive test for Ferrari. He is back because he has loads of experience driving F1 cars without traction control and TC is banned in 2008.
Michael Schumacher with another Ferrari great: Test driver Luca Badoer.
Schumi getting into the cockpit of the F2007 (modified to 2008 regulations)
Schumi driving the wheels off the F2007
Pictures are copyrighted. Taken from itv-f1
2007 Winter Testing (Pics and Reports)
