Schuey aims to gatecrash Alonso party
Michael Schumacher is still on a high from his stunning Nurburgring triumph and is ready to resume combat with world champion Fernando Alonso this weekend in Spain.
Old-stager Schumacher won a tense duel with young pretender Alonso for the second straight race to add more fuel to his championship ambitions in front of his home fans in Germany last weekend.
Now it is Alonso’s turn to perform before his own adoring public, with 130,000 Spaniards set to salute the country’s first world champion in Barcelona on Sunday.
But Schumacher is intent on gatecrashing that party and believes he is in contention for a third successive win, despite Alonso’s optimism.
He said: “We have learnt much over the past few weeks. Our car has enormous potential and we have to learn how to get the best out of it. I believe we can play an important role in the title race.
“Naturally, we expect differences between the different tracks and that the other teams will improve. However, this is part of the sport.
“Formula One is a battle at the highest level, but I am a fighter and enjoy it very much. I cannot wait for Barcelona and the next round.”
Ferrari have had to work hard for their return to the top after an indifferent start to the season.
Earlier in the season Schumacher had urged the team to pull out all the stops to drag Ferrari on to the pace of Alonso’s Renault and he is now proud of that successful effort.
He added: “After a win like that the joy does not just disappear. I am sure it is the same for the team.
“I am very proud of my squad and how they worked to improve the performance compared with last year. How they put things together was great.
“The fact we have found the right set-up by race five, having been behind in past seasons, is something no other team has been able to do.
“We have got better a step at a time, testing and improving every single detail, developing the new parts and constantly searching for ways to refine the car.
“It was exactly what we were aiming for. I think we have the right to say the work we put in over the past few weeks was not only the fastest but also the best.”
But Schumacher, with seven world titles to his name, knows success can be fleeting in Formula One and he urged Ferrari not to ease off in the battle for supremacy.
“Obviously it is extremely satisfying and stimulating,” he said. “So, it is natural to enjoy the fruits of this work.
“On the other hand, we know how fast things can change as we have already been through it. So, what we have to do is not give in.”
