Schumacher to race bikes

**Cleve** · 30th March 2008, 20:48

Motorsport: Schumacher happy to qualify for first bike race
11:45AM Sunday March 30, 2008

MILAN - Retired Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher has ruled out any chance of winning when he takes part in his first competitive motorbike race in Italy on Sunday.

The 39-year-old German, whose seven titles and 91 grand prix wins make him Formula One's most successful driver, said he would be happy just to make the starting grid for the KTM minor series race at the Misano circuit on Italy's Adriatic coast.

"Here it will be impossible to win, there are real and well-prepared riders, practically professional. I will just be happy to qualify," the ex-Ferrari driver told Saturday's Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

Schumacher, who has tested a Ducati MotoGP bike since retiring from Formula One at the end of 2006, will ride a 990cc KTM Super Duke in the 10-lap KTM Trophy race at the challenging circuit.

Misano also hosts a round of both the MotoGP and world superbike championships later in the year.

"This is just for enjoyment, no one is obliging me to do it. Maybe I will stop here," said Schumacher.

The German, an advisor and occasional test driver for Formula One champions Ferrari, has some experience of racing on two wheels but said Sunday was for real with 400 riders gathering for a weekend of competition.

"A week ago in Hungary and the other day in Barcelona were only non-competitive races," he said.

"In Spain there were some boys on motorbikes and I asked to do a little race. I finished in front but they were young boys. This instead will be a real race, the first official one I've done on a bike."

**NZsarge** · 30th March 2008, 20:57

I did'nt see it myself but my brother told me earlier that he put it 3rd on the grid about a tenth of a second of pole.

**Storm** · 30th March 2008, 21:01

He'll probably be a freak and pick it up in a couple races,and start cleaning up

**Tony.OK** · 30th March 2008, 21:01

I hope he can afford to run for the whole season

He's the sort that'd be quick even in a shopping trolley,be nice if it were on telly here.

**NZsarge** · 30th March 2008, 21:32

Originally Posted by Storm

He'll probably be a freak and pick it up in a couple races,and start cleaning up

Yeah I would'nt bet against it.

Originally Posted by Tony.OK

I hope he can afford to run for the whole season

He's the sort that'd be quick even in a shopping trolley,be nice if it were on telly here.

Yeah I reckon, doubt it though.
He could probably run his own team without to many worry's financially, he's probably been over overtaken by Tiger Woods by now but he was the richest sportsman in the world for a while.

**Toast** · 31st March 2008, 17:11

Also did pretty well on a CBR thou':

http://www.worldsbk.com/pubb_EN/news_ext.php?id=2145

I think that's a top-level Euro championship, but could be wrong.