Weber Aiming to Get Contract Extension for Ralf

German Ralf Schumacher is set to open contract talks with Sir Frank Williams over his future with the Williams-BMW team after silencing his critics with victory at the European Grand Prix on Sunday.

Schumacher suffered a poor start to the season and Jordan driver Giancarlo Fisichella was linked with Williams as a possible replacement after the Italian driver won the Brazilian Grand Prix.

But Schumacher has recovered his form and his manager, Willi Weber, said: "The contract has never been in question for next year. We have a contract until the end of 2004. If you give Ralf a car, with good materials, he will win races. I told Frank we'd like him to stay until 2005 or 2006. Now the move's on Frank to discuss it with me."

Schumacher came under heavy criticism after struggling in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix and was sent a letter of encouragement by his team when he failed to get his act together at the following race in Malaysia.

He is the only driver to have finished in the points in all nine races so far this season but still seems to play second fiddle to his Colombian teammate Juan Pablo Montoya in the popularity stakes. Schumacher came under fire for failing to overtake his brother Michael at the Canadian Grand Prix three weeks ago but came back to soundly beat him on home ground at the Nurburgring on Sunday.

"We discussed a few things after all of this criticism, but at the end of the day you can do nothing," added Weber. "You read it and you understand it, but what can you do? This was the right answer for the criticism because I have no understanding why this has happened in the first place.

"You know Formula One at the moment, how it's run, it's not possible to overtake. This race was a great success and I'm very pleased for Ralf. I hope he can continue on like this. In the last three races the team has developed very quickly and Ralf is trying hard to win a couple of races this year."