Though It's An Old News .
Schumacher tests Ducati MotoGP bike
October 24, 2005
Mugello, Italy - Michael Schumacher spent a day in Valentino Rossi's world on Monday (October 24) when he tested a MotoGP bike for the first time at the Mugello circuit.
Schumacher rode a Ducati Desmosedice similar to the one used by Loris Capirossi to win consecutive races in Japan and Malaysia earlier this year.
He started the session gently, lapping the Italian MotoGP circuit at around 2min40sec. He completed about 40 laps and by the end was almost 30 seconds faster, circulating at about 2min15sec - still nowhere near Rossi's record of 1min49.223sec.
A Ferrari spokesman said: "It was just for fun
'I was looking forward to this for a long time; it was worth it, super fun'
."
Ducati is based in Bologna, near Ferrari's Maranello factory, and shares the same title sponsor as the Italian Formula 1 team as well as the same tyre and fuel partners.
Schumacher commented: "I was looking forward to this for a long time; it was worth it, super fun."
Rossi has tested twice for Ferrari, in April 2004 and more seriously in August this year; it has expressed an interest in luring him to Formula 1 when he tires of MotoGP.
Schumacher will be 37 in January and is already the oldest active Formula 1 driver; he has said he will see out his career at Ferrari.
He won only one race last season, the six-car US Grand Prix at Indianapolis, and finished a distant third in the Drivers' championship.
While Schumacher was having fun on two wheels, Brazilian team mate Rubens Barrichello said farewell to Ferrari by taking his family and friends for rides in a Ferrari three-seater Formula 1 car.
Barrichello will join BAR next year.
'SUPER FUN': Michael Schumacher rides a Ducati MotoGP bike at Mugello. Picture: AFP