Schumacher sees red

Are you feeling lucky? Schumacher faces the Chinese media

China hosts its first Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday, but some of its journalists are still in first gear when it comes to their knowledge of the sport.

World champion Michael Schumacher was certainly thrown by a few of the questions at his first Chinese news conference on Wednesday.

Ferrari's German star was at his most diplomatic after being asked by one reporter in Shanghai: "Why are you always in red? Is it your lucky colour?"

His Italian team have raced red cars since the F1 world championship was introduced in 1950, so the enquiry was unexpected to say the least.

After explaining that Ferrari had "been red forever", Schumacher said he hoped the colour - considered both lucky and imperial in China - would help Ferrari this weekend.

He was also a little flummoxed when asked: "Can you win the championship here in Shanghai?"

The 35-year-old actually clinched his seventh drivers' crown in August with second place in the Belgian GP.

New dawn for F1 in China

But mindful of his ambassadorial role at an event that has huge financial importance for F1, Schumacher was a model of politeness in his response.

And after winning 12 of the year's 15 races so far, he is unlikely to need the intervention of any fortune, Chinese or otherwise, on Sunday.