Ferrari still baffled by engine failure

Ferrari remain baffled about why Michael Schumacher's engine blew up in the Japanese Grand Prix after discovering the cause was a valve failure not experienced before

Although there had been suggestions that Schumacher's retirement could have been related to the problem Felipe Massa suffered at the Chinese Grand Prix, a full analysis of the engine at Maranello on Wednesday has now ruled that out.

Ferrari have discovered that Schumacher's blow-up was caused by a failure in the upper part of a valve - and is the first time this season that it has occurred. To add to the team's frustrations, the part has been used for several races already.

Ferrari spokesman Luca Colajanni told autosport.com that the Italian outfit were now launching further investigations to try and work out exactly why the problem occurred.

"It's the first time we had it, and it's nothing to do with what happened to Felipe's engine," he said. "We're still doing more analysis to understand why there was this failure, but it was nothing to do with the other one. That was in the same area, but it was a completely different thing.

"It was not a part that had been recently introduced, so this is why it's strange. It happened in Suzuka, but it could have happened in Hockenheim. It's the kind of thing that can always happen. It's just a shame that it happened when it did."

Schumacher's engine failure has all but killed off his bid to secure an eighth world championship this year. He needs to win the Brazilian Grand Prix, with Alonso out of the points, to clinch the crown.

Ferrari still have an outside chance of the constructors' championship though.

For a full analysis of the Schumacher engine failure, see Out of Luck in this week's journal.