Michael Schumacherr (center) smiles during a light moment of a news conference that featured (from right) Ferrari’s Felipe Massa of Brazil and defending world champion Briton Jenson Button of McLaren-Mercedes. The 2010 season started Sunday in Bahrain.(AP

SAKHIR, Bahrain (AP) – Michael Schumacher is determined his Formula One comeback race doesn’t finish like his debut nearly 20 years ago.

On Sunday, Schumacher will start from the same grid position - seventh - at the Bahrain Grand Prix as his 1991 debut at Spa, where a clutch problem kept the then Jordan driver from racing.

The 41-year-old Schumacher insists a top-three finish in his first race in three years is “not unrealistic but it’s going to be tough” as he continues to shake off the rust that has accompanied his lack of racing.

“There are several reasons but one is myself - I just have to get into it,” Schumacher said of his unexpected place. “It’s slowly, progressively has improved. It’s challenging and that’s the good thing.”

Schumacher finished nearly 1.5 seconds behind pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull and almost three-tenths off of teammate Nico Rosberg’s time.

Schumacher believes Rosberg has a better shot at a top-three finish going from fifth even with Ferrari pair Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton ahead of him.

“It’s not unrealistic but it’s going to be tough,” Schumacher said. “The season will be better I’m pretty sure. We have lots of potential to improve the car. It’ll steadily get up there, it’ll take a couple of races before we can sort out our issues.”

Seven-time champion Schumacher lines up alongside defending champ Jenson Button on the starting grid and expects some positions to shift around the first corner as cars struggle with full fuel tanks.

“I will see and watch what happens and read it,” Schumacher said of his tactic for taking the opening turn. “I’m still in my frame of mind - very focused without having much emotion. Paying attention to details. It might be different tonight, but we’ll find out (tomorrow).”

Rosberg diverted a question about bettering Schumacher, saying the result that mattered most was the team’s, which had looked better with the morning practice stint.

“Definitely after this morning’s practice I was extremely optimistic but it turns out we are a bit off the pace of Ferrari and Red Bull,” the German driver said. “But it’s not as much as it looks today.”

Button said it was difficult to know where the Mercedes car was as the German team struggled with its brakes and tires in the baking desert heat - something that didn’t occur last year when the team was Brawn GP.

“He’s done a good job getting his car into the top 10,” Button, who switched to McLaren from Brawn, said. “Michael will be strong in the race. That’s something we saw yesterday in their long runs.”