Michael Schumacher Rules? [UPDATE]

According to motorsport.com it has been confirmed that by FOTA vice-chairman John Howett that the eight Formula One teams in FOTA have agreed to Ferrari's request that Michael Schumacher conducts a one-off test at the wheel of Felipe Massa's Ferrari.

The FIA have yet to respond to the request, but it would not suprise me if they also sanction the test.

It strikes me somewhat ironic that Ferrari say that Schumacher needs the test to familiarize himself with the car. 

After all he just completed 67 laps at Ferrari's Mugello track in a "privately owned" 2007 Ferrari car. Interestingly, the FIA is reportedly investigating that test due to the fact that the car was fitted with slicks, which were not available in 2007 as they were banned.  (Schumacher last raced on slicks in F1 in 1997)

Now I am not really bothered by the test of the 2007 car with or without slicks, as I am not sure how you could prevent a driver from driving and older "privately owned car".

However asking the FIA to sanction a special one-off test in this years car, given the draconian regulations regarding in season testing seems more than a little disingenous.

I am not really bothered by the test of the 2007 car with or without slicks, as I am not sure how you could prevent a driver from driving and older "privately owned car”.

However, asking the FIA to sanction a special one-off test in this year’s car, given the draconian regulations regarding in season testing seems a little disingenuous.

This is Michael Schumacher we are talking about here, 7 world titles, 91 Wins, not some rookie who does not know his way around either and F1 car or a track. (Though he has not raced the Valencia circuit before). 

Speaking of rookies, where were the demands from Torro Rosso for Jaime Alguersuari to be afforded the same courtesy?

While I would not consider myself a Schumacher fan (I never forgave him for his role in his infamous with Damon Hill at the 1994 Australian Grand Prix), I am genuinely excited at the prospect of his return.  My only hope is that the FIA and the rest of F1 do not give him special treatment in their eagerness to see his return to a sport that is experiencing, like the rest of us, some challenging times.

UPDATE:  According to the BBC, the Williams F1 Team have blocked the request for Michael Schumacher to test this season's Ferrari ahead of the European Grand Prix.  The cited (as I did above) the example of Jaime Alguersuari stating:

"While we welcome Michael Schumacher back to F1, the fact is any form of in-season circuit testing is strictly prohibited, a regulation clearly laid out by the FIA and adhered to by all of the teams," said Williams in a statement.

"It was for this reason Alguersuari, who drove an F1 car for the first time in Hungary, did not have the opportunity to familiarise himself with the Toro Rosso before he made his race debut.

"Williams sees no distinction between Alguersuari's situation and Schumacher's and feels any deviation from the rule would create a precedent for the future."

They also went on to make another excellent point that both Ferrari test drivers Luca Badoer and Marc Gene, have both tested the team's 2009 cars and made the point that if Williams were in a similar situation they would "..unhesitatingly use its current test driver".