The Schumacher brothers, Michael and Ralf, will be looking for some light at the end of the tunnel on home ground at the European formula one Grand Prix on Sunday.
”My sole aim at the Nurburgring is to drive for victory after my zero-points-result in Monaco,” said Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher.
The six-time world champion won the first five races of the season, but missed out on a historic sixth straight success last Sunday due to a bizarre collision in the Monte Carlo tunnel with Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya, which forced him to retire.
Ralf, who is Montoya’s teammate, also has something to make up for after finishing a mediocre 10th in the principality and being the centre of criticism from Spanish Renault driver Fernando Alonso.
Alonso accused Ralf Schumacher of causing his accident in the same tunnel when he tried to overtake him. Alonso crashed into the safety barriers and had to retire.
Ralf Schumacher badly needs a good result at the Nurburgring — preferably a victory like in 2003 — as Williams team officials have expressed their dissatisfaction with him in recent weeks.
”I was overjoyed with the victory in my home race last year. No one can take it away from me, it will always remain a highlight in my career,” he said.
”I would not mind if it happened again. But the technical circumstances are different this year,” he admitted.
Speculation reached a new height this week when a German magazine, Auto Motor und Sport, reported former two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen of Finland is set to come out of retirement to drive for Williams. The report said he is in talks with team boss Frank Williams.
But Ralf may also renew his contract after one of his biggest critics, Patrick Head, was promoted from technical director to director of engineering at Williams and will not be engaged as much in the daily formula-one routine as in the past.
Ralf Schumacher is ranked a modest seventh in the drivers’ standings with just 12 points from six races.
Michael leads the way with 50 points ahead of his Brazilian teammate Rubens Barrichello (38), English BAR-Honda driver Jenson Button (32) and Monaco GP winner Jarno Trulli of Renault, who has 31 points.
Michael Schumacher is optimistic that he and Ferrari will get back on the winning track in western Germany, less than 100km away from his town of birth, Kerpen.
”The track should suit us. We should be able to make the most of our strengths,” said the world champion, who also hopes for plenty of support from the fans.
”I naturally hope for support from the fans, who have never let us down here,” Schumacher said.
Local organisers said they hoped to match the 2003 attendance of 239 000, with 123 000 alone on hand on race day to cheer mainly the Schumachers.
But they said that even lower ticket prices and off-course attractions would not likely produce a similar attendance to 2002, when 350 000 fans came. — Sapa-DPA