By GMM

Michael Schumacher has teamed up with two friends to put Spanish rally legend Carlos Sainz's son on the right track to formula one.

The semi-retired seven time world champion has become a part-owner of the KSM go-kart team, which launched its 2008 campaign at the weekend in Bergheim.

'KSM' stands for the initials of the team's three owners; Peter Kaiser, Schumacher and Thomas Muchow, and is based near the former Ferrari racer's German birthplace, Kerpen.

Two time rally world champion Sainz's son, Carlos Sainz Jr, will race for KSM in 2008, beginning with the Deutsche Kart-Meisterschaft event at Kerpen later this month. Both Carlos Sainz's attended the launch.

"I also started in karts," Schumacher, 39, said, "and we all know that the sport is a basis for a career in motor racing.

"Maybe we can put some guys towards formula one," the German added.