Schumacher begins F1 preparations

Schumacher has three weeks to get in shape for an F1 return

Michael Schumacher began preparations for his return to Formula 1 by driving a 2007 Ferrari at the team's Mugello test track on Friday.

The seven-time world champion, 40, is to stand in for Felipe Massa, who suffered a fractured skull in an accident at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

F1's test ban means Schumacher cannot drive one of this year's cars.

"The cars are not current, but I simply like to drive as much as possible. It was a good option," he said.

"The next weeks are totally about preparation."

Schumacher, who retired at the end of the 2006 season, had not driven an F1 car since April 2008. His first race will be the European Grand Prix in Valencia on 23 August.

On Thursday he spent a day at the Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy, familiarising himself with the controls on the 2009 car's steering wheel in the team's simulator.

ANDREW BENSON BLOG Schumacher is not a man who makes these sort of decisions lightly, and he will have taken a long, hard look inside himself before making this decision

The car was fitted with untreaded slick tyres, which were reintroduced for this season and Schumacher has not raced on since 1997.

Ferrari have said the German, who won a record 91 grands prix in a 15-year career, will stand in for Massa until the Brazilian is fit enough to make a return.

Massa, 28, was taken out of intensive care on Wednesday and is set to leave hospital in Budapest on Monday to return to his home in Brazil, his personal doctor Dino Altman said on Friday.

"We have decided that he will go back home on Monday," Altman said, adding that Massa's condition continues to improve.

"He will be transported in a private jet, probably to Sao Paolo. In Brazil, he will continue his recovery and will go back into racing as soon as possible.

He added that he could not say how long Massa's recovery would take.

Massa was hit on the head by a spring that had come off Rubens Barrichello's Brawn while travelling at more than 160mph during qualifying at the Hungaroring on Saturday.

F1's governing body, the FIA, has launched an investigation into the accident.

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