Schumacher expects tough test
Michael Schumacher admits he will have his work cut out just to reach the top six in tomorrow’s Monaco Grand Prix after a disastrous qualifying session today.
The world champion was 11th fastest today, claiming a combination of Ferrari’s lack of speed in qualifying and Schumacher’s early starting position condemned him to a mid-field spot.
Schumacher’s lap was some way short of his best and he ended the session two and a half seconds behind pacesetter Kimi Raikkonen’s McLaren, forcing him to admit a points finish would be an acceptable return tomorrow.
He said: “This morning the gap was about eight tenths of a second so you would have expected that this afternoon would be similar and not nearly three seconds.
“To me that is not realistic because our race performance is not that bad.
“In the race I think we are quite okay.
“In the end we can only look forward. We now have to adapt out strategy and try to achieve the optimum. We will try to get into the points and I think fifth place could be possible.
“In the race I think we are with the other teams. Maybe not the fastest but we should be in there.
“In the end you never know what could happen. It could even rain tomorrow and everything will start again from scratch.”
The seven-time world champion is adamant his Ferrari is not as bad as his qualifying time suggests, even though team-mate Rubens Barrichello, who was not hindered with an early starting spot, could only manage 10th.
He added: “We have seen over the weekend that it would be difficult today. I have to admit coming here I was much more optimistic. But then I have to say we were too slow.
“Everyone knows at the moment we have difficulties over that one lap in qualifying and today there was also the fact I was one of the first cars on track. The track was very slippery at the beginning. Those two things came together in an extreme way today.
“It’s true the gap to the front is very big indeed. But here it makes a lot of difference if you have to go out early and I think that was the main reason.
“The track was extremely slippery because of the Porsche race and people walking on the track. That’s how I would explain a lot of the gap.”
Schumacher now needs to concentrate on finding a race strategy which will allow him to leap up the field and he expects that to mean an even slower display in second qualifying tomorrow morning.
“We have to see what strategy is best for the race,” he said. “This has obviously impacted on how fast we are in second qualifying but we have to look to the race and not second qualifying.
“Let’s just say I am not really happy, that much is clear.”
