Formula 1
Michael Schumacher loves competition
Michael Schumacher likes to win races but he likes it even more if someone gives him competition. The four time World Champion takes to the Sepang track in Malaysia this weekend looking for his third consecutive win at the circuit and is not ...
Edited: Apr 15, 2002, 11:45 PM
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Michael Schumacher likes to win races but he likes it even more if someone gives him competition. The four time World Champion takes to the Sepang track in Malaysia this weekend looking for his third consecutive win at the circuit and is not bothered that Ferrari are still using the older F2001. After his win in Australian in the same car few would bet against him, to the point that fears have surfaced over F1's popularity should the German continue to be so dominant.
Schumacher makes no apologies for leaving the rest of the field behind: "If I can be the winner, that's fine with me but I love it if I have competition," he said. "In terms of the interest of the F1, I don't care too much... at the end of the day, I prefer to be successful. As far as I can see, all the races have kept on being interesting and I don't think I have been too dominant anyway."
The defending champion managed to avoid the first corner pile up at the Australian Grand Prix and after tangling with Williams' Juan Pablo Montoya for a few laps, he went on to claim victory in easy style. His 18 second lead when he crossed the line was enough to convince Ferrari to use the older chassis again for Malaysia. Schumacher said the new F2002 was undergoing further testing; it is faster than the previous year's car but beset by reliability problems and no decision has been made as to when it will take to the track competitively.
"I would assume we will race the new car in Brazil but the decision is not fixed. We want to be 100 percent certain there's nothing wrong (with the F2002) and then we will make the decision," Schumacher said.
Ferrari team mate Rubens Barrichello has put the disappointment of Australia behind him and says he is better prepared this year than any other: "What happened in Melbourne ... was a missed opportunity not to have won," he remarked. "But there's no point discussing the accident. I'm looking forward. I've come this year better prepared than any other time." His contract with Ferrari is up at the end of this year but he says he has no intention of giving up racing. "I have never thought of stopping. The day I wake up and say I won't be able to win, that is the day I'll have to stop."
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