Motorsport: Ferrari could make a slow start, warns Schumacher

MELBOURNE - Don't expect Formula One champions Ferrari to run away with Sunday's season-opener like they did last year, champion driver Michael Schumacher has warned.

The German is chasing his sixth successive title and eighth in total. He said his team's decision to start the season with a modified version of last year's car will blunt their usual clinical effectiveness on the grid.

"Running the old car will move us a little bit backwards compared to running the new car," the German told a news conference.

He says the team want to allow more time for the new car to "arrive at a higher level".

Ferrari, winners of 15 of last year's 18 races, plan to introduce their new car in May at the Spanish Grand Prix, the fifth round of a season which is now expanded to a record 19 races.

- NEWSTALK ZB