Michael Schumacher may have topped the timesheets on day two of the first pre-season test in Jerez but the Mercedes driver was quick to downplay his hopes of winning an eighth world championship.
While the rest of his rivals were putting their 2012 cars to the test, Schumacher completed 132 laps in Mercedes' 2011 challenger after the team elected to delay running their new machine until the second test in Barcelona.
Extra development time on the 2012 car allowed Mercedes to focus on gathering essential data on the new Pirelli tyres but any talk of a title challenge was quickly dismissed by Schumacher who has warned it will be a gradual process.
"It (bringing the car out late) maybe is an important factor because we have worked longer on our car," Schumacher told reporters.
"As I said before, I don't think we can realistically achieve a championship car from where we started last year.
"We have to build our way there. I'm confident we can do that, in future, but let's take it step by step."
Schumacher returned to the sport in the belief he would be able to challenge for the drivers' title but he has yet to achieve a podium finish.
He improved steadily throughout 2011 and the 43-year-old believes Mercedes can fight for the championship, providing they resolve their reliability issues.
"Our programme is done in a way that we believe in it," he added.
"I'm around to fight for the championship. Whether we can or cannot do it, that is something that will be proven this year, or whenever."