By Peter Farkas Monday, April 23rd 2007, 10:02 GMT
Michael Schumacher says he's not missing racing at the moment, and he's happy with his newly found spare time.
Thirty-eight year-old Schumacher, a seven times world champion who has retired from Formula One at the end of last year after his 248th Grand Prix, made a rare public appearance in Poznan, at an event organized by Shell to mark the 60th anniversary of the company's partnership with Ferrari.
"I live a good life," a sun-tanned looking Schumacher told a press conference in the Polish city. "I'm very close to the racing, I'm involved with almost everything that's happening.
"I'm not missing driving at the moment, and I'm a pretty happy man."
Schumacher, arriving at Poznan in his own private jet, and staying for only a couple of hours to give a few VIP guests the ride of their life with a Ferrari road car, joined test driver Marc Gene at the event.
He said he was happy to spend more time with his two kids and wife Corinna.
"I have had good times in the past in this respect, and I have certainly better times now, that's very clear," he said.
"I spend more time at home now, I can draw my schedule in a way that at least in the holiday times I can be at home and spend the vacation with the kids. That is very nice for us."
Schumacher, who won 91 Grands Prix during his nearly 16 years long Formula One career, admitted it was strange to watch the races on TV.
"It's funny, but it's normal," he said. "Watching is interesting, seeing it from a different side. But I'm not looking it to learn something, it's not my ambition. I'm looking it just to enjoy it with my family and my friends together, and enjoy the event as you do."
Answering to questions of the local media, who have clearly been interested to hear his opinion on Polish driver Robert Kubica, if it was easier to start a Formula One career nowadays than during his time, Schumacher admitted this could indeed be the case.
"You could have the impression because there are many young drivers who come in and show up very good," he pointed out.
"Whether this is because they are more talented than other people have been in the past, or whether the characteristic of the cars do allow to dive into F1 more easily, it's something we will not able to answer for 100%. I don't know."
Finally, when asked who would he most like to see winning the title this year, Schumacher replied: "Ferrari, that's all that is important."
