Schumacher returns to his spiritual home with Team Germany

�Compared to the past there was one team to compete with, now there are two or three more,� said Schumacher. �The drivers? It doesn�t matter if they are young or experienced because when you are in the car you don�t look how old they are, you just look at being better than whoever it is.�

He looks in great shape; age has not exactly withered the man and the talent will remain. Brawn said: �Michael is an exceptional athlete. He will cope with any demands we make on him. I have seen amazing commitment and he is like the old Michael.�

The big question is whether Schumacher retains the win-at-all-costs attitude which many former drivers feel has stained his great achievements. The answer is not forthcoming.

�Ninety-one victories, seven titles � yes, you win only in a bad way,� said Schu macher sarcastically. �I didn�t win them all in the manner in which is suggested. Let�s be sensible about this. Think about the reality and look forward to what we might all face and learn and enjoy together.�

Alongside him is Nico Rosberg, completing Team Germany, which is how they will be seen as they take on Team Britain with Hamilton and Button at McLaren.

Schumacher may find the new breed a bit tougher to intimidate but it will make for a fascinating season and he is not a man to have doubts about his abilities.

�I am sure,� he replied when asked if it was the right thing to risk his reputation and life by coming back in his forties. �I am hot. I am not used to having to sit around in January. It is taking far too long to get going but that is the way now in F1 and the test is next week.�

That is when Mercedes will roll out Brawn�s latest creation, for yesterday was simply an old model in new colours. �It�s not ready,� said Brawn. �We could not afford the time to bring it over.�

Schumacher�s car will display the No3, after he asked Rosberg to swap to No4 in the belief that racing with an even number is bad luck.

�Of course, the number they�re both interested in is No1, but they will have to earn that,� said Brawn.

Over the years, Mercedes have dreamed of luring Schumacher away from Ferrari and made several approaches. They have managed it now by circumstance and without having to pay him anything like the fortune Ferrari did of �25m a year.

They have their man now � to Ferrari�s discomfort � and they could not resist tweaking the nose of the Italians. As the audience waited for Schumacher to arrive on stage, Mercedes screened a TV advert which shows one of their sports cars, in red, driving along the roof of a tunnel.

The car screeches to a halt, the door opens and there is Schumacher in his silver racesuit.

He winks at the camera, grinning. It remains to be seen who will have the last laugh.