Michael Schumacher was missing one vital ingredient as he prepared to defend his world championship in Melbourne last night - his cars.

While the rest of the Formula One grid were setting up shop for Sunday's curtain-raiser in Australia, the pit garages of the German six-time world champion were conspicuous only by the howling wind and empty silence.

It was not until 24 hours later that the famous flame red Ferrari machines were wheeled into sight as embarrassed officials admitted to a lengthy flight delay during refuelling at Singapore.

It was hardly a disaster in the scheme of things, but in the regimented lives of the team who have dominated the sport since 1999, anything less than relentless perfection calls for an inquiry.

Especially when you are last of one of the biggest movements of freight in the planet's history - 600 tonnes of it - more than will serve the 200-plus countries taking part in the Athens Olympics.

It is like turning up last at the start of the new term; ultimately irrelevant if you are top of the class in four months' time, but a psychological irritation until then.

And with many predicting the toughest title scrap in years it is not the time to be losing ground before the race had even begun.