Tough start predicts Schumi - 4th February 18:56pm GMT

World champion Michael Schumacher believes he will struggle to match last season's blistering start of five wins from the first five races.

He begins his title defence in Australia next month in an updated version of last season's all-conquering Ferrari, which has been modified to meet new aerodynamic regulations.

The rest of the field will be starting the season with new machines in a bid to steal a march on the serial winners.

Schumacher, 36, will not get his hands on the 2005 car until the fifth race of the season in Spain.

But despite setting similar lap times as its predecessor, the German is concerned the Scuderia's new car might be left in the wheeltracks of McLaren, Renault, BAR and Williams.

"It's encouraging to see that the modified car already laps as fast as the hybrid (test) one but I keep thinking that a difficult start of the season awaits us," he told Gazetta dello Sport.

"We must keep in mind that we are using a car which is basically the one used last year and it's therefore at its maximum development.

"I'm aware that we are facing a very difficult challenge - if not an impossible one - during the first phase of the championship."

But on the upside Schumacher says Ferrari know the car "in its tiniest details so we can make the most of it immediately set-up wise."