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Schumacher impresses on return

The first day of testing at Valencia saw all eyes, predictably, on the return to F1 of Michael Schumacher with the Mercedes team.

Having sat out the morning session while Nico Rosberg put the first miles on the new W01 car, Schumacher ran late in the afternoon and over the course of 40 laps set the third fastest time of the day.

Schumacher’s time of 1: 12.947 was four tenths down on the fastest time of the day set by Felipe Massa in the Ferrari F10, the Brazilian showing no signs of effect from the injury that kept him out of the latter part of last season, while eyebrows were raised by the pace of the new Sauber C29 in the hands of another returnee – Pedro de la Rosa – who set the second fastest time, two tenths slower than Massa, having shown well all day.

Rosberg’s best time from the morning was good enough for fourth, a promising sign for the sleek new Mercedes W01, while behind the young German Gary Paffett put 86 laps on the new McLaren MP4-25 and recorded a best time of 1:13.846.

Rubens Barrichello was out in the Williams FW32 and managed 75 laps with a best time over half a second down on Paffett’s best, while Sebastien Buemi gave the new Toro Rosso STR5 a troubled debut, missing most of the day with a problem and only managing 18 laps in total, yet still eclipsing Robert Kubica in the new Renault R30 in terms of fastest times.

Kubica declared himself unconcerned with the times, and with a variety of fuel loads and stint lengths confusing the issue little can be gained from the times.

More running takes place today, we will bring you a report later on.

Written: Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:53:19