Mercedes managing director Nick Fry believes Michael Schumacher "looks as fresh as a daisy" after the seven-times Champion had "a lot of fun" on his F1 comeback.
After three and a half years in retirement and all the hype surrounding his return to the sport, Schumacher's debut for the team in Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix culminated in a sixth-placed finish for the 41-year-old.
The German was forced to hold off a late charge from Jenson Button, albeit on a track where overtaking was virtually impossible as the new regulations failed to improve the show.
It was not what many people expected of Schumacher who for once, on a level playing field with a team-mate, now Nico Rosberg, finished four seconds behind his fellow German.
Despite that, Fry was unsurprisingly upbeat about Schumacher as he said: "Michael is in great spirits.
"He's obviously enjoyed himself and I think that's the main thing.
"He came back because he knew he enjoyed racing in the past, and I think he's confirmed he's going to enjoy racing in the future.
"For us that's the most encouraging thing. He looks as fresh as a daisy, as he did in the past."
For his part, Schumacher is adamant he could have done no more, not with the new rules - no refuelling and just one change of tyres - which appear to be a step backwards for the sport.
"It was as good as it could have been, but it was a lot of fun and everything worked well," assessed Schumacher.
"I had some concerns before, but the race was not very exhausting for me.
"After the start, which was exciting, it was what we expected from the new rules.
"There were some fights at the beginning, and then it stopped. The one stop brings a little bit of movement, but not much.
"Overtaking here is impossible, and that is what we are going to have with this environment of race strategy.
"We are also slower now than when I was previously driving, and I also want the car to move around the corner the way I think it should.
"But that is hard with the new front tyres. With my driving style I have to get used to it."
