Schumacher tests Ferrari in first step of comeback

Rome: Michael Schumacher returned to the wheel of a Formula One car on Friday when he tested a 2007 Ferrari in the first step of his comeback.

The seven-times world champion is poised to fill in for injured Ferrari driver Felipe Massa at the European Grand Prix in Valencia on Aug. 23 and will continue to race until the Brazilian is able to return.Italian media said the 40-year-old, who retired at the end of 2006, had gone out for a few laps in the car at the Mugello track near Florence. F1 testing is banned during the season but Schumacher is being allowed to drive an old car as he undergoes a programme of preparation to make sure he is fit to race in Valencia. Massa is unavailable after fracturing his skull in an accident at last weekend`s Hungarian Grand Prix. Bureau Report