Schuey's new Ferrari quick out of box at Fiorano

Schumacher hit the team's test track at 09:42 local time (08:42 GMT) and drove the new Ferrari for 68 laps, with no mechanical problems reported before the end of play at 17:30 (16:30 GMT). Although new Ferraris are notorious for setting impressive times on their first run at the team's home circuit, the F2001 is the genuine article, according to the World Champion.

"The first impression is very good," he said. "The car is very competitive. The times are very good, thanks to the new Bridgestone tyres which perform better than last year's. The car handles well and seems reliable. We did a lot of laps without any problems and that is a good sign."

Schumacher's best lap was 59.505s, comprehensively beating the lap record set last February by Luca Badoer in an F399 of 1m00.310s. The German will continue testing at the track tomorrow.

"The plan was to do several runs of around five or six laps, to try and build up the mileage," he added. "We made a few changes to the set-up to see how the car reacted. Now we have to look at what problems may arise. There will be problems and we must find and solve them."

Ferrari was busy on three fronts: As Schumacher tested with the F2001, his team mate Rubens Barrichello conducted Bridgestone tyre tests at Barcelona in a 2000-spec car, with stand-in test driver Fabrizio Giovanardi conducting straightline aerodynamic work at Varano in another 2000 car. The Alfa touring car racer completed 38 straightline runs, which amounted to about 90 miles.

"This was a new and enjoyable experience," he said. "I have tried something unique in life. At the start, I was a bit nervous, but then, being a professional racing driver, everything seemed normal."

Over in the UK, Arrows had planned to give its first car designed specifically for the Asiatech V10 engine, the A22, a shakedown at a foggy and cold Silverstone. However, the team failed to show and will instead give the car a first run out tomorrow morning. Jos Verstappen, who was finally confirmed on Wednesday as a 2001 Arrows driver, will put the first miles on the machine.