Barrichello Can Still Beat Coulthard, Says Schuey

Rubens Barrichello can still beat David Coulthard in the Formula One Championship but he will have to do everything he can to win races, according to Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher.

Schumacher has already won the title, the fourth of his career, and he and champions Ferrari are now aiming to help Brazilian Barrichello finish runner-up overall behind him. But Coulthard's second place for McLaren at last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix moved the Scot nine points clear of Barrichello, who finished fifth.

"It was quite a big shame to have missed the great chance we had in Spa," Schumacher told the Gazzetta dello Sport on Friday. "For various reasons, we can still achieve the objective of helping Rubens to second place in the World Championship, but there are only three races left and Coulthard is nine points clear.

"But it is still possible, although he (Barrichello) must absolutely try to win and I to keep David behind me. That is the only way."

The next race is on Ferrari's home territory at Monza, where well over 100,000 supporters are expected to turn up and where Schumacher won last year.

Five-Car Pile-Up

Ferrari enjoyed a one-two finish in 1998, when Eddie Irvine was at the team, but Barrichello was involved in a five-car pile-up there last year that led to the death of a marshal hit by a loose wheel. Schumacher, who set a record of 52 wins last weekend, said Ferrari should be able to match the BMW-powered Williams in qualifying.

Williams took the front row at Hockenheim and Spa, both high-speed circuits.

"They have good chances, on fast circuits they are very dangerous but naturally, in front of our own fans at Monza, we will try to do a better job than we did at Hockenheim," said Schumacher.

The German also told the Gazzetta that he would not be surprised if McLaren switched from Bridgestone tyres to Michelin next season.

"I don't know whether some rumours have been more or less confirmed, or more or less denied, but there's no doubt that a lot of things point in that direction," he said. "But it doesn't concern us, we're thinking about ourselves."