Schumacher waiting for new Ferrari

Their 2000-spec car is due to be launched on 25th January.

'I will resume testing only when the new car is ready,' he said. 'There's no need to work on further improvements to the old car.'

His new team-mate Rubens Barrichello and test driver Luca Badoer have been evaluating new components using a modified 1999-spec chassis at Fiorano over the past three days.

Schumacher also suggested that he has yet to regain full fitness after his leg-breaking accident at Silverstone in July.

'I still can't follow my normal training programme,' he explained. 'No-one can say at the moment how long this will last.'

The double champion missed six races while recovering from the injury, and initially suggested that he would not be fit enough to return to F1 until 2000. Pressure from the Ferrari team convinced him to return for the Malaysian and Japanese Grands Prix in an effort to support Eddie Irvine's title bid.