Jan.12 (GMM) After describing Michael Schumacher's test in a GP2 car this week as a F1 "warm-up", Norbert Haug has played down the seriousness of the German's development duties at Jerez.

After news broke that 41-year-old Schumacher was circumnavigating the F1 testing ban with the three-day GP2 session, the feeder series reacted officially by saying the seven time world champion is conducting development work for the 2011 car.

But Haug, who is Mercedes' competition chief, told the German news agency SID: "The GP2 organisation was smart enough to use the situation in their favour.

"Because of the test, a great number of pictures of GP2 cars will be on the television, in newspapers, magazines and websites," he said.

While directly linking the test to Schumacher's forthcoming duties in the 2010 Mercedes GP car, however, Haug denied that it is an unfair advantage over his teammate Nico Rosberg and other F1 competitors.

"I don't see it that way. And whoever does, can rent a GP2 car for themselves," he insisted.

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