Spa selling 'a ticket per minute' for Schumacher race

Organisers of Michael Schumacher's favourite race, the Belgian grand prix at Spa-Francorchamps, are reaping the benefits of the seven time world champion's formula one comeback.

After his return at the wheel of a Ferrari at Valencia later this month, the circus will move on one week later to Spa, where Schumacher made his F1 debut in 1991, recorded his first win a year later, and subsequently won six more times at the famous circuit.

According to the Belga news agency, organisers of the 2009 race on August 30 have already sold 35,000 tickets, following a sharp spike in the wake of the Schumacher announcement last Wednesday.

Quoting a spokesperson, Belga said that in the immediate period after the Wednesday announcement, "a ticket per minute" were sold.

Organisers are hoping for a race-day crowd of 70,000. Last year's Sunday crowd was just over 50,000.