Schu contesting 8-hour motorbike race

UPDATE Michael Schumacher saw his first attempt at two-wheeled endurance racing end after just over six hours of racing, having completed 145 laps, when the seven-time Formula One title winner was forced to retire from the Oschersleben Eight Hours.

Schumacher was seventh quickest during his qualifying session of the 46 riders to head out onto the track and the #77 machine eventually lined up ninth on the grid for the race itself, and first in the Open Class. Despite a promising start to the race, the team soon ran into problems and after the opening four hours of the race, the trio were down in 50th place of the 54 starters with Martin Bauer having spent more time in the pits than on the track after a series of problems with the front end of the bike.

Schumacher tests for this weekend's race. He will race this new bike, as yet unpainted

08/08/08 (GMM) Michael Schumacher is this weekend stepping up his motorcycle racing hobby to world championship level.

The retired seven time world champion, who still occasionally tests for his former formula one team Ferrari, has travelled to the Oschersleben circuit in Germany for the 8-hour race of the FIM-sanctioned World Endurance Series.

Schumacher, 39, has already suffered a harmless fall whilst practicing for Saturday's race, for which he will compete on a Honda for the Holzhauer Racing Promotion team, reports in Germany said.