Michael rides a Ducati again - 5th June 18:20pm GMT

Motorcycling is, as everyone knows, one of Michael's great passions. The German driver takes the chance to get away from the intense preparation for his many sporting events, whenever possible, to ride. Last Saturday, seated in his Harley Davidson, Michael and a few friends decided to line up at the Mugello start line.

During his visit to the circuit for the Moto GP of Italy, he also took the chance to try out a Ducati two-seater with Randy Mamola in command. "Mamola rode fast", declared Michael. "Surprising. I cannot say anything else. On a bike you feel less protected than when in a car. You feel the speed and the movement more. It was exciting for me as, for once, I was not in control of things".

It was a sharp change from the two test days at Barcelona. Michael was very pleased with the session. "We managed to develop the car well. The tyres are ready for Silverstone and, overall, we worked hard ahead of next weekend's race. I have to say that everything seems positive. We can still improve in some areas and I think that the results should come from this weekend on.

"We should be competitive and challenge for the win. This is our aim".
The record breaking man is fuelled with a competitive spirit. With eleven races to be disputedd, the title is, for him, still open even though he trails by 21 points. "It all depends on how we develop our car", declared Schumacher. And he has said it ever more frequently since the start of the season. "This, in my view, is the crucial point and Ferrari is superb at this development. Our race and test teams are extremely careful about the details of their work. They are surprisingly highly motivated. Consequently, everything is done to ensure the best possible result is obtained. Anyway, we have already obtained what we hoped for".

Next weekend will not only mark the GP of Great Britain but also the start of the World Cup in Germany. "I am very happy. I hope that there will be a fantastic atmosphere and I am convinced that we will see marvellous games. I am, though, crossing my fingers for the German side".