Mercedes driver Michael Schumacher has expressed his surprise at finishing on the podium at the European Grand Prix.

The German came in at third place in Valencia, behind winner Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen in second.

It was the seven-time world champion's first top-three finish since his return to the sport in 2010, and Schumacher was delighted with the result.

"I didn't actually think about a podium at all at the end of the race," he said. "It was crossing the line that I asked my guys 'where did we finish?'

"I saw [Mark] Webber's pit board and close to the end it showed him eighth and seventh, and I knew I was one place ahead of that one. And then the boys told me 'that's third, that's podium.'

"I can't believe that! It's something I didn't really expect."

Fernando Alonso leads the drivers' championship standings.