17/04/2008 15:00

Hamburg - Former Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher has tipped Ferrari drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa as favourites to win next week's Spanish Grand Prix.

The former Ferrari driver said on his homepage after the end of test drives in Barcelona on Wednesday evening the Italian team had a slight advantage going into the race on April 27.

Three teams - Ferrari, McLaren-Mercedes and BMW-Sauber - would be fighting for the championship, which "is good for the sport," he said.

Schumacher, 39, a seven-time world champion, has been acting as adviser for Ferrari since retiring at the end of the 2006 season.

On Wednesday he took part in test drives in Ferrari's F2008 car at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona.

The Spanish Grand Prix will be the fourth of the season. Raikkonen leads the drivers' championship on 19 points, ahead of Nick Heidfeld (BMW) on 16 and Lewis Hamilton (McLaren Mercedes) on 14.

BMW (30) lead the constructors' championship, ahead of Ferrari (29) and McLaren Mercedes (28).