Schumacher upbeat despite grid penalty

The Mercedes GP driver was handed the punishment for the way he pushed Rubens Barrichello towards the pitwall during their fight for position late in the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Although it means Schumacher will face a difficult time at Spa, he reckons there are still benefits he can take out of the event - especially when it comes to getting more understanding of his car.

"Spa has always been my favourite race track and so for that reason alone, I am really looking forward to going back and racing there," he said. "It has been ages since I have last been there.

"Our weekend will obviously be handicapped by my grid penalty and consequently it will be difficult to expect special things from the race. On the other hand, every racing kilometre is important and welcome because we can learn from it with regards to our car. I will definitely try to make the best out of the weekend."

Team-mate Nico Rosberg said he hopes Mercedes can enjoy a step forward in performance after recent struggles.

"It's been nice to have a short break but it will be good to start racing again next weekend," he explained. "The last race in Hungary was difficult for us but I know that everyone at the factory has been working hard since the shutdown and we
hope to have a better weekend in Spa."