The FOTA approves Schumacher’s tests on the F60

The vice-president of FOTA, John Howett, confirmed that eight out of the ten Formula 1 teams are happy to support Michael Schumacher to conduct a test drive with Massa’s F60 before the Valencia race weekend.

Ferrari has made a request to the FOTA teams, as well as to the FIA and to Williams and Force India, for Schumacher to familiarize himself with this year’s car before his big return to competition in three weeks.

« All the FOTA teams have agreed to accept this request, » stated John Howett, the president of Toyota, to the Daily Telegraph.

« The situation of Felipe [Massa] is very unfortunate, and this gesture is completely respectable towards Ferrari, » he added.

The teams managed to put things into perspective by thinking that Schumacher would simply be getting acquainted with the car rather than undertaking any kind of technical development.

The Telegraph specifies that the FIA has received approval from certain teams, including Red Bull, subject to conditions.

Ferrari confirmed that the request has been submitted to the FIA and it is awaiting a response.

On the Mugello circuit, Schumacher completed nearly 70 laps on Friday driving an F2007 through a private company. Ferrari thus circumvented the regulations but without breaking them.