Schumacher: Ferrari a winner.

Michael Schumacher has confirmed what much of the Formula One world already feared, after climbing from Ferrari's new F2008 and claiming that it would be the car to beat from round one of the world championship in Australia.

The seven-time champion may have been retired since the end of 2006, but made one of his occasional frays into group testing at the Circuit de Catalunya to provide another opinion on the Scuderia's latest charger. Although he failed to dislodge McLaren's Lewis Hamilton from the top of the times, the ring rusty German insisted that Ferrari was in good shape for the coming campaign.

"We had a good day today, especially considering the conditions," he told Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport after stepping from the car, "I am satisfied with what I achieved, as we were concentrating on the start of the season.

"It is going to be very interesting. There are two teams that appear to be at the front and we will see how things play out when we arrive [in Australia]. However, I believe that we are ready to fight for the victory - and to win."

The 39-year old posted the third fastest time of the opening day in Barcelona on what was his first run in the 2008 car. Although almost his entire career spanned the drivers aids era, the Scuderia is keen to get Schumacher's feedback on how the car felt to drive with the likes of traction control and electronic braking removed as per the 2008 regulations.

"You have to pay attention because, without the electronic aids, everything depends on you," the German reflected, "It is all in your hands and in your head."