World champion Michael Schumacher lowered his targets for Sunday’s Malaysian Grand Prix after a disappointing performance in first qualifying in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.
Schumacher could only manage the 14th-fastest time of the day in his modified version of Ferrari’s world-title-winning 2004 car and was forced to watch his rivals speed away into the distance with their new models.
Ferrari are now even more likely to fast-track their F2005 machine to the next race in Bahrain but Schumacher insisted his current car could still be fast enough for him to reach the podium in what could be its final race in Malaysia on Sunday.
”In the long runs yesterday we looked very competitive, so we should be competitive in the race and obviously the race is more important than the qualifying,” said Schumacher.
”We cannot just take decisions which make us look quick in qualifying, we have to think about the race. The race pace is pretty good so we should be able to end up in the points and hopefully even on the podium.”
Ferrari had hoped to match their rivals for pace with the F2004M, then leap ahead when they introduced the new machine, but Renault and McLaren have both moved forward themselves and left the world champions struggling.
Brazilian Rubens Barrichello salvaged a second-place finish for the team from the Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago after Schumacher crashed out in a collision with fellow German Nick Heidfeld’s Williams.
Schumacher admitted the car showed a weakness in qualifying last year, when Ferrari won 15 of the 18 races, and said it is designed to go fast in the race rather than top the times in qualifying trim.
But even he admitted he was ”a bit surprised” when lap times dropped significantly from the Friday practice sessions as the teams headed into the all-important qualifying session.
”We have been a bit surprised when we have seen the times go down,” said Schumacher. ”Yesterday, we were in the picture with the times. It will be a long and hard race so let’s see what we can do tomorrow.
”We have to be realistic, you cannot expect too much, and it’s very clear that Renault and McLaren are the big ones in the race to watch. You have to see that even in winter sometimes Toyota have been very fast on one lap.”
Italian Toyota driver Jarno Trulli finished the session second-fastest as he split the Renault duo of first-placed Spaniard Fernando Alonso and third-placed Italian Giancarlo Fisichella.
Schumacher believes Trulli’s qualifying position will virtually hand the race to Renault and said: ”Very often Toyota’s pace went down over the distance and if they do this tomorrow, it could be good for the Renault.
”I think they will go in front at the start and then they can stay in front because the others will sit behind a Toyota, which will be slower and slower and slower.” — Sapa-AFP