Schumacher gets back on track testing a GP2 prototype

Driving a formula racing car might seem like second nature for a driver like Michael Schumacher, but like a great many things in life, if you don't use it, you lose it. So the seven-time World Champion has been eager to get back behind the wheel. Trouble is, there's a test ban in place in Formula One. The solution? The next best thing: a GP2 car.

Over the past few days, the returning champion has been at the Jerez track in Spain driving a developmental test car for the GP2 Series, fielded by the Super Nova team. For Schumacher, it's an opportunity to get some valuable seat time in a competitive single-seater ahead of his highly anticipated return to F1 with Mercedes. For GP2, it's a chance to test a number of new components and chassis set-up arrangements at the hand of a seasoned pro before the season kicks off.

So how has Schumi been doing? Spectacularly, of course. Despite a damp surface, he's been less than a second off the fastest time ever set by a GP2 car around the track, and this is only his first time driving one. There have been some reports that Michael's injured neck – which kept him from filling in for Felipe Massa last season – has been giving him some trouble, but so far it seems to be holding up just fine. Check out the mega gallery of high-resolution images below for a closer look.

[Source: GP2]