Schumacher wishes Ferrari luck

The German attended Ferrari's final pre-season meeting at Maranello on Friday and will continue to work with the team this season, but he will not be in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix.

"I have the feeling that we are very well prepared for the first race and that we should do well," said Schumacher.

"I cannot wait for the championship to begin as I think it will be very close and exciting.

"Now all that I can do is cross my fingers and wish Ferrari the best of luck."

Ferrari's chief executive Jean Todt acknowledged that starting a season without Schumacher on the driver strength after such a long and successful alliance was a very significant change for the team.

"Melbourne will mark a new chapter in the extraordinary history of the Scuderia," Todt said. "After eleven years, Michael Schumacher will not be behind the wheel.

"Now it is the turn of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen to fly the flag.

"We have been working as hard as ever over the past few months but we will only know what condition we are in after Saturday's qualifying session."

But while Ferrari will be well aware of Schumacher's absence within the team, Honda's Jenson Button believes that Schumacher's shadow will still loom over F1 this season.

"I think we're never going to miss him because we're still going to get questions all season about him - would he have won the championship if he was here, and what would Michael have said if he was in this situation?" Button told BBC Radio Five.