Jenson Button warns Schumacher that F1 has changed gear

MICHAEL Schumacher has been warned no-one will be giving him an inch on his return to Formula 1 this season.

In days gone by, when Schumacher and Ferrari reigned supreme, the mere sight of the German in his rivals' mirrors often resulted in them swiftly giving way. But times have changed, and ahead of his comeback this weekend in Bahrain, there is a feeling that while F1 is better for Schumacher being back, the aura of yesteryear has long since faded.

The 41-year-old is no longer 'the red baron', a testament to his time in a scarlet Ferrari, and instead is now driving a Mercedes 'silver arrow' following a 14-year association with the Maranello marque.

Unlike his glory years, when at the most he had one competitor for the crown, this season there are several in with a shout as it is the most open contest for some considerable time.

Aside from his own team-mate in Nico Rosberg, who is unlikely to play the role of patsy as did those at Ferrari, Schumacher will have to contend with a host of drivers desperate for success.

At his old team there is former adversary Fernando Alonso and close friend Felipe Massa, fellow German Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull Racing and Britain's McLaren duo of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

It is reigning champion Button who has made it clear to Schumacher that no-one will roll over for him as they used to.

"He's not going to be slow. He is still going to be the old Michael Schumacher," was Button's assessment of the man who holds virtually every meaningful F1 record.

"He hasn't lost it, his speed won't have changed, and he wasn't going to come back unless he really wanted it. But maybe Formula 1 has changed a little in that back in 2004, 05, 06, you could ask for something and get whatever you wanted. Maybe that's not the same now. I'm not sure, we'll see. From what I've heard from the team, they think he is quick and consistent, so he'll be a main competitor this year.

"He is with a good team, one that has won the championship, so they know what to do. But nobody is going to give him an inch, and it's nice to be in a similar sort of paced car, so we're going to have some pretty good races."