Malaysia will provide the first test of running a V8 engine for two race weekends while there is a further element of uncertainty from the fact that this year, the event follows straight on from the heat of Bahrain

Unconfirmed reports in the German media suggest that Michael Schumacher has already signed a new contract with Ferrari and that Kimi Raikkonen will be his team-mate next year

Scuderia Ferrari's Jean Todt called Michael Schumacher's second place in yesterday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix "encouraging"

"Bravi ragazzi, bravi tutti," was the final message over the radio from team manager, Massimo Rivola, as Scuderia Toro Rosso ended its first ever Grand Prix with both cars seeing the chequered flag

Reigning World Champion Fernando Alonso led home Ferrari's Michael Schumacher by a tiny 1.246 seconds at the end of the exciting 57 lap series-opening Bahrain Grand Prix at Sakhir this afternoon

For the first time since the 2004 Hungarian GP, there will be an all red front row on the grid in Bahrain, as Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa finished first and second in qualifying this afternoon

"I think that we are looking competitive but in order to see whether we really are quick enough to aim for the top, we need to wait to wait till everybody is running on low fuel and with new tyres"

Italy's newest F1 team Scuderia Toro Rosso enjoyed a Magic Carpet ride into the Formula One spotlight yesterday with the car's livery revealed in fine style at a night time event

"You can decide to use a very aggressive strategy if you have good tyre performance and that will improve the quality of the race," Scuderia Ferrari Sporting Director Stefano Domenicali looks forward to the new rule changes

Michael Schumacher has conducted a series of test sessions and will leave for Bahrain safe in the knowledge that he has done everything possible to prepare for the new season

After spending five days testing with several other F1 teams in Bahrain, Ferrari's intensive pre season programme today kicks off with a further private at the circuit which will play host to the F1 season opening Grand Prix

Photo Gallery: Torino 2006 Opening Ceremony - Scuderia Ferrari

More than two billion eyes across the world were focused on Turin last night, and as the opening ceremony extravaganza got underway in the home city of Fiat, fittingly the roar of a F1 Ferrari was heard in the packed stadium

Italy's newest Formula 1 team, Scuderia Toro Rosso, debuted their new 2006 challenger the STR-01 at Jerez as it was announced that Gerhard Berger has acquired a 50 pct stake in the team

As Scuderia Ferrari wrap up three days of testing with the new 248 F1 at Fiorano, Michael Schumacher has expressed confidence that they will be able to mount a serious challenge for the F1 title this year

"There will be more tests in the coming months," confirmed MotoGP star Valentino Rossi after his mid week test in Valencia with Ferrari, where his pace impressed the critics

Italian MotoGP superstar Valentino Rossi completed a second day of ‘public’ running at the wheel of an F1 Ferrari today, and the Italian continued to impress running a rev-restricted V10 engine

MotoGP star Valentino Rossi finally joined the F1 runners on track yesterday in Valencia, running more than 50 laps at the wheel of a Ferrari, and posting a fastest lap time that was just 1 second off Michael Schumacher's best time