May 10 (GMM) Michael Schumacher bounced back into shape in Barcelona, a race that was not boring, according to the international press.

"Schumacher is once again a great man. There he is again!" exclaimed Italy's Corriere dello Sport, after the German consistently outpaced his teammate Nico Rosberg for the first time in his return to formula one.

Another previously critical Italian source, the sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, added: "Perhaps Barcelona was his real start to the season", while Austria's Osterreich said Spain had been Schumacher's "best race since returning" to F1.

Niki Lauda agreed: "This was Michael's resurrection. He drove well and aggressively."

Meanwhile, there was very little talk in the world's press about Spain being a boring race.

The sport's new formula, including the refuelling ban, was lambasted in the wake of the dry season opener in Bahrain, which was followed by three weather-affected races.

But Barcelona, a circuit not usually known for staging exciting races, was also dry for Sunday's 66-lap grand prix, even though the skies opened in the evening.

Former German F1 driver Christian Danner agrees that round five of the 2010 world championship was "absolutely not" boring.

"It was one of the most exciting Barcelona grands prix that I can remember," he told Germany's Motorsport-Magazin.com.

Also in the media's eye is the out-of-contract Felipe Massa, who La Repubblica agrees is now "under pressure" by his Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso.

"The Brazilian is now officially only Maranello's second driver, but he wants to stay at Ferrari," said the Italian broadsheet.

Corriere della Sera agreed that Massa, 29, "failed to meet Maranello's expectations" in Barcelona.

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