World Champion Michael Schumacher has revealed that Ferrari could choose to introduce its new car, the F2005, earlier than expected.

"If the car is ready, we can use it," he said at Sepang today. "Originally, before the car had run for the first time, we had thought in terms of Barcelona. But development has gone well and if our tests in Mugello after this race are as positive as the ones so far, then maybe we can bring the new car earlier than the Spanish GP."

However, the German was keen to point out that there is still life in the car he'll be using this weekend, the F2004M, a development of the car that won fifteen races last year.

"I never expected to be as competitive as we were in Melbourne," he admitted. "I even think that if it had not been for the unusual qualifying, we could have challenged for the win.

"However, in the past, if we have had a big advantage in Australia, much of it has disappeared by the time we get to Malaysia," he continued, "so I am expecting a harder weekend."