Schumacher will still join Jerez test

After Schumacher's engine failure at Suzuka dropped him out of realistic contention for the drivers' title, team boss Jean Todt was not sure whether Schumacher would still run at Jerez.

But the former champion told Gazzetta dello Sport that he would still be participating despite the outcome of the Japanese Grand Prix. Ferrari test drivers Marc Gene and Luca Badoer will be in action at Jerez today with Schumacher driving on Wednesday and Thursday.

"If these tests were necessary for Brazil, I don't see why that shouldn't still be the case," said Schumacher.

"While I consider my championship virtually over, there's still the constructors' title to fight for, therefore I want to do the maximum until the end for Ferrari. No problem, I'm going."

Gazzetta reports that Schumacher will hold a farewell party with the test team following the test.

Ferrari have the opportunity to take a gamble with their engines in Brazil, as the V8s will only have to be used for the one race, but Ross Brawn suggested that they would maximise the potential of their current unit rather than introducing a new development. They will use the Jerez test to evaluate their options.

"It should be the same specification to the one we've used from Monza onwards, but adapted since it will have to be run for a single Grand Prix," he said.

"It will be possible to exploit its power thoroughly, but we'll also have to check its reliability in Spain."

Team president Luca di Montezemolo added that Ferrari would continue pushing until the final lap of the season.

"Losing a World Championship this way is something I don't wish even for the worst of my enemies, but we'll try until the last centimetre in Brazil," he said.