Michael Schumacher in Melbourne for Australian GP

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher said the success of his comeback with Mercedes this season should be measured only by his results.

The German was beaten in the race and every session at the Bahrain Grand Prix, his first race since 2006, by compatriot and team-mate Nico Rosberg.

That has only ever happened once before in Schumacher's 249 Formula 1 starts.

"It is fair to be judged on results but I don't feel I need to give a guideline or reference to achieve them," he said.

"I am here for the enjoyment but not to be last - I want to win. The enjoyment is more when you are successful. I am addicted to challenge."

Prior to the season-opening race in Bahrain, Schumacher had been beaten only once by a team-mate in the race and every practice and qualifying session of a grand prix weekend.

That was in Brazil in 2004 - the last race of a season in which Schumacher had cruised to his seventh world title - where local hero Rubens Barrichello got the better of his Ferrari team leader.

I took pleasure from Bahrain - but slightly less than I thought due to the slower speeds of the car Michael Schumacher

In Bahrain, Rosberg came fifth with Schumacher one place behind him. Arriving in Melbourne for this weekend's Australian Grand Prix, Schumacher paid tribute to the younger German.

"It is no secret that he is a top new young driver with lots of potential," he said. "I think he is doing a very good job and is a very good team-mate.

"We are both references to each other and we focus on similar subjects. It is not like one wants it one way and the other wants it another way. This is important and helpful so Nico fits very well."

Schumacher dismissed remarks by former world champion Niki Lauda that he will not be back to winning form until his third race - the exact point at which Lauda himself took his first win in his 1982 comeback after a two-year hiatus.

"I give my own judgment and I will take the time I need to get back up to speed," said the 41-year-old, who has four victories to his name at Albert Park.

"People have a lot of trust in me and I'm proud of that, but I'm not a magician.

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"I have been involved long enough to know what it takes and how much attention to detail it takes and how important fine tuning is. You can't expect me to be there straight away."

He added that driving a Formula 1 car is not as enjoyable as it was before Formula 1 moved to a single tyre supplier in 2007.

"I took pleasure from Bahrain - but slightly less than I thought due to the slower speeds of the car," said Schumacher.

"The sharpness of the car is less than it used to be, so in that respect it's different to the end of 2006. A lot of that comes from tyres and the fact that there was a competition with tyre manufacturers."

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