Schumacher targets home win for Ferrari
Michael Schumacher has declared himself ready to win again when Formula One returns to Europe for the San Marino Grand Prix on Ferrari’s home turf at Imola.
Schumacher has endured his worst-ever start to a Formula One season, claiming just two points from three difficult races.
That has left the German 24 points adrift of early championship leader Fernando Alonso, who has been the class of the field in the dominant Renault.
But Schumacher is adamant the first three races are far from crucial in a 19-date season.
He said: “There is no doubt about this, our objective is to begin winning again and I think we have a good chance.
“The world championship, despite the opinion of some pessimists, has not yet been decided.
“For sure, the start of the season has not gone as well as we would have liked but from the outside the situation seems worse than it is in reality.
“We have had a lot of bad luck. In Australia, for example, I could have finished in the points if the weather had been better. I was also very hopeful in Bahrain.
“The race for the world title has not yet reached the decisive stage. The season is a long one and the classification can change.”
Ferrari gambled on their new car in Bahrain only to see it hamstrung by rare mechanical problems.
Schumacher believes that high-risk strategy was the right thing to do and believes a more daring approach as the season wears on could give him the edge.
He added: “Twenty-four points seem like a lot but it is not impossible to catch up. We should remember that events have gone in Fernando Alonso’s favour so far this season.
“We cannot take it for granted that things will always be like this. Alonso will have to begin thinking about the championship and act differently on certain occasions, keeping out of trouble in order to earn precious points.
“I, on the other hand, have nothing to lose. I can only attack and press on. All the other drivers can take more risks than he can.”
Alonso does not see his early lead as any kind of disadvantage, although the Spaniard is keen to play down the huge expectation of a first world title for his country.
He said: “I am enjoying the moment: I am leading the championship and have the best opportunity of my career to be in a winning car, and celebrate each victory.
“When we talk about the championship, we should not do it based on the first three races – it is the last three or four races of the season that will be the important ones I think.
“But having said that, I prefer to take the points now and build a strong position from the start. We know it will be a long year, so I just want to continue enjoying myself, and keep working as hard as I can.
“I think the team has started the season in a better way than we expected. Winter testing showed us we could be competitive and get good results, so we went to Australia feeling very confident.
“But to win all three races, with both drivers taking victories, and to have scored 26 points myself is a dream come true. The challenge now is to maintain that level, and stay on top.”
