Schumacher has not attended a race yet this season

The German is expected to be at the Spanish Grand Prix in his role as advisor to Ferrari, with whom he won five of his seven world titles.

He is scheduled to arrive on Friday at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya.

"I'm very happy about it, and he will surely be able to give us an extra boost and enthusiasm," said Ferrari driver Felipe Massa.

606: DEBATE I hope we get to see Schumacher and Kimi in the same shot BB

Since his retirement Schumacher has enjoyed being able to spend time with his family, but says he has watched all the races on television as a fan.

He has also spent some time promoting road safety with motorsport's governing body, the FIA, and last week joined the Emirates Team New Zealand yacht in Valencia, where the qualifying stages for the America's Cup are being held.

The world title is my objective, and I think I have the car to win it Felipe Massa

Massa said he was keen to demonstrate to Schumacher, who was his team-mate last year, how much he has improved as a driver thanks to his help.

"Personally, I owe Michael a lot. In the year we were together he taught me many things," the Brazilian said.

"I've improved also thanks to him and I'll do my best to show him that."

Massa, who won the last race in Bahrain last month, is fourth in the drivers' standings after three races, five points behind his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen and McLaren drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.

"The world title is my objective, and I think I have the car to win it," Massa told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.

"The reason they [Raikkonen, Alonso and Hamilton] are a bit ahead now is down to technical problems we had in the first race in Melbourne, and to a couple of mistakes in the second GP in Malaysia.

"But I think I've sorted the situation fairly well with victory in Bahrain."