Italian press breaks two stories on Friday

(GMM) The Italian press on Friday cleared up two separate pieces of F1 speculation.

The first, in the magazine Autosprint, is that world champion outfit Renault's focus has already shifted to its 2008 car, after the current 'R27' proved not a match for 2007 frontrunners Ferrari, McLaren and BMW-Sauber.

"We are already working on next year's car," team boss Flavio Briatore revealed. "Whatever we discover on this project, we can eventually use it on the current car."

The sports broadsheet La Gazzetta dello Sport, meanwhile, quoted Michael Schumacher as admitting that he will probably attend his first grand prix as a retired driver at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya next month.

"I think so," he said after a visit in his advisory role to Ferrari's Maranello factory.

Schumacher warned the specialist media, however, that he is unlikely to want to talk about formula one at the scene of the 2007 Spanish grand prix.

The German, 38, explained: "Up to now I've always preferred not to speak about F1 as a sign of respect towards the team, and maybe I'll carry on this way."