Curiosidades Opciones

[gladiatorr]

Es que con la manía que le cogimos a su padre.... como para hablar de él por aqui...

"Hay que joderse p´a no caerse"

[Raquel]

ALGUNAS OPINIONES SOBRE CÓMO SE NOS PRESENTA EL CAMPEONATO MUNDIAL. ELLOS HABLAN Y "VALORAN"

Curioso ver la diferencia entre los dos hermanos Schumacher...

Schumacher expects tough year
Ferrari's rivals will be stronger in 2005, admits the reigning champion. By Matt Beer


Schumacher's F2004M hasn't been dominant in testing



Michael Schumacher has admitted that he faces a much tougher challenge in 2005 than he did when sweeping to a dominant title victory last season.

The seven-times world champion won a record 13 races in 2004 but has appeared to struggle for pace in pre-season testing. Sources at this week's Catalunya test insisted to autosport.com that Ferrari has not been holding back or sandbagging, yet the team appears to be slightly off the pace of winter testing stars McLaren and Renault.

Speaking to the British newspaper The Sunday Times, Schumacher was realistic about his prospects.

“I'm sure it will be a much more difficult year,” he said. “For whatever reason, it was unexpected for us to be much stronger than the others at the start of last season, and whatever mistakes they made, they now probably won't repeat.

“At the same time it has been very tough to get where we have arrived to. We know what it takes and we'd simply like to hold on. I believe we can.”

Ferrari looked to be lacking speed for much of winter testing last season, only to arrive at Melbourne with a clear advantage over the field. Schumacher's younger brother Ralf is among those sure that this will not be repeated in 2005.

“I can remember times when Ferrari went into the distance and were 1s faster than all the others," Ralf told German newspaper Kolner Stadt Anzeiger. “I do not see that so far (in testing). That can change with the 2005 Ferrari, but for the moment it looks very close.”

The definitive 2005 Ferrari will be unveiled at Maranello on Friday (February 25) but will not race until the Spanish Grand Prix, with Ferrari using the modified F2004M chassis for the first four rounds of this year's championship.



Ralf: 'Williams not a top team'
Schumacher dismisses his old squad's chances in 2005. By Matt Beer


Schumacher was highly dismissive of Williams


New Toyota driver Ralf Schumacher has heavily criticised his former employers Williams – deriding the quality of the team and dismissing its chances of fighting for the title this season.

Schumacher spent six years with Williams, longer than any other driver in the team's history, but speaking to German newspaper Kolner Stadt Anzeiger, he claimed that the nine-time constructors' championship winning squad was no longer in the top flight and was flattered by its engine supplier BMW.

“I did not know I was driving for a top team,” said Schumacher. “It did not seem that way in the six years I was there.

“The high expectation levels were totally unrealistic. Apart from the engine there was not much quality there and the optimism could not be justified. We wanted to become world champions and not only win races.

Apart from the engine there was not much quality there
Ralf Schumacher

“Already this year I don't think that (the Williams) is a car that can win the championship.”

Schumacher told autosport.com on Thursday that his new team Toyota would start 2005 “at a very similar level to BAR and Williams.”

Although Ralf won six races during his time with Williams, the relationship was notoriously fractious in later years - with the team and driver often publicly criticising each other's performances, and disharmony also evident between Schumacher and team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya.



Ralf positive about new car
Toyota driver says changes are ‘massive improvement'. By David Cameron


Ralf: pleased with improvements


Ralf Schumacher is thrilled with the changes made to Toyota's new car after spending two days testing in Barcelona, having taken over the sole modified car from teammate Jarno Trulli.

“The new aero package has massively improved the car and gives us a lot more downforce,” the German told Autosport.com, “but we still have a lot of work ahead of us. This test here has been particularly difficult to understand - lap times are all over the place, but we are happy with what we've done so far.”

Alonso refuses to write off Ferrari
Rivals would be foolish to write off Ferrari, claims speedy Renault driver. By Jonathan Noble


"Are Ferrari worried about us?" said Alonso, talking to autosport.com. "Well, they did the same this time last year and then we went to Australia. And then they were way ahead.

"Until then they were a second behind us so we will have to see in Australia. I do not doubt that Ferrari will be favourite because they have something from Bridgestone and I am sure they have got something kept to themselves. They have got a car that can win."

Speaking about Renault's own form, Alonso said: "We would like to be strong in the first race of the season and we are positive about this car and the season. We have to sort out the reliability and we need a bit of luck as well to win the first race."


I do not doubt that Ferrari will be favourite - They have got a car that can win
Fernando Alonso

Despite Alonso's cautiousness, Renault's pace at Barcelona in Spain has proved that the R25 is a significant step forward over its predecessor - and Ferrari has been worryingly eyeing both the speed and consistency of the car over race distances.

One Bridgestone engineer told autosport.com: "On this track if we have a race tomorrow, Fisichella will win. But Melbourne is a different situation..."

Schumacher himself is keeping a brave face on current concerns about Ferrari's pace - and is hopeful that the final pre-season run out at Valencia next week will provide a much clearer indication of where the team stands with its F2004M.

"At the moment, from what we can see, Michelin is very strong," said Schumacher. "But we know Bridgestone and how good they are when it's necessary to fight back. We're coming to the closing stages of pre-season testing and we still haven't put everything together. I think the next test will show a little bit more of where we are before the first race."

When asked whether he believed team-mate Rubens Barrichello was right to claim that Renault and McLaren were currently stronger than Ferrari, Schumacher said: "Yes, because that's what we can see from the lap times they are doing."