Mark Webber believes seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher is on the road to nowhere as he makes a spectacular comeback to the track this season.

Schumacher, winner of 91 Grand Prix in 250 starts, returns to the sport after a three-year break at the age of 41 at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix this week for the Mercedes GP team.

But Australian ace Webber is sure that after the hype has died down reality will slam the brakes on.

“I think it will be a bloody hard season for him [Schumacher],” the 33-year-old Aussie said. “I think he’ll go all right but I have never ever seen a phenomenal comeback.

“When has the second career ever been better than the first?”

Webber, who broke his Grand Prix duck last year for the Red Bull team with victory in Germany and ended up a highest-ever fourth in the title race, also slammed his foot down over the new breed of drivers entering the fray.

“You don’t look at these guys and think they are ‘real men’,” said Webber, who was always considered to be a great talent even when he was having to drive for minor outfits Minardi, Jaguar and Williams.

“They are talented, no question, but there is less in common.

“There is power steering now.

A lot of things that make the cars easier to drive.

That’s why these youngsters can get away with it.

I came through the categories with gear sticks and what have you. “And that was beneficial for me.

But there is no point whingeing about it.

They come along and do a good job for the most part... some don’t.

“But every now and again - whether it’s a Lewis (Hamilton - the 2008 champion) or Seb (Vettel - Webber’s team-mate who was runner-up to Jenson Button last year) - they can with phenomenal grooming, come in and do a good job.”

Webber, bidding to become the first Australian world champion since Alan Jones in 1980, added people doubting he had the drive to come top of the class is like a red rag to a bull.

“It is all motivation for me,” he said. “I’ll do my talking on the track.”