Ferrari Grand Prix star Michael Schumacher took time out from his series of competitive runs in the knock-out format 'Race of Champions' over the last weekend to put the Fiat Idea through its paces.

The 'Race of Champions' this year was held on a purpose-built circuit within the giant Stade de France in Paris, an impressive stadium created to hold the final of the 1998 FIFA Football World Cup.

The event saw champions from all disciplines of motorsport, and as well as Schumacher, the Formula 1 World Champion, Sébastien Loeb, the newly crowned World Rally Champion was amongst his rivals.

Cars used during the event included the familiar Ferrari 360 Challenge, as well as 'World Rally Cars' from Peugeot and Citroen, and finally, the very unusual ROC, a French-built off-road 'buggy'.

Schumacher took time out from the action to spin the Fiat Idea round the temporary circuit. Fiat have high hopes for this first generation of 'mini-MPV', a ground-breaking car which is loosely based on the ultra-successful B-segment Punto.

France, and in particular the Paris area, are a target for the Fiat Idea, which brings unrivalled spaciousness and optimum driving position to this class for the first time.

The little Fiat Idea, which Schumacher threw round the twisty stadium circuit in all of the flat-out style that has become the hallmark of this multiple title winning Grand Prix driver, bore a cheeky decal which stated that 'My 2nd car is a Ferrari'.

Meanwhile, Michael Schumacher when questioned over the ideals of the 'Race of Champions' commented that "First of all, what we are doing here is quite interesting for us drivers. I have never competed before with rally drivers and my competitors in the same car. It's a very much fun event and its quite a lot of fun out there.

"The circuit is nice to drive. Quite entertaining jumps to see, I believe. I mean all of us have a big smile on our face. That's the good thing about it."

When interviewed prior to the proceedings that he would be the driver everyone would want to beat, the reigning F1 Champion commented, "As I said, it's a fun event and I just arrived this morning from America.

"I am therefore less interested being perfectly prepared for this one because I don't see it as so serious, although when I'm out there I will obviously give it my best and we will see whether that's good enough.

"I'm pretty sure that those rally guys are going to kick our… back parts."

And on his will to win? "Have you seen a race driver when you give him a steering wheel he doesn't give his best. I haven't. I think I'm a race driver too….!"

"There are several reasons," Schumacher replied when asking why he chose to participate in an event that was not within his usual sphere, "The main thing is to have fun and enjoy myself.

"But there is another very important reason which is called ICM.

"That's why I am here because we have been able to achieve quite a lot of publicity and we should be able to receive quite a lot of money for the ICM institution project. They are the two main reasons that brought me here."

"ICM is about research into brain and spinal cord disorders. It has been calculated that one person in ten is affected. We're creating an institution to research the reasons for the disorder and then to look at finding a possibility to cure it.

"We have three doctors involved in this project who are all highly knowledgeable in this domain and we expect a lot of success for the future.

"We are very close to doing all this but it obviously needs a certain amount of financing and that's what we're here looking for."