Brawn Slams Schumacher's Critics as 'Vindictive'

Critics of Michael Schumacher's driving style for Ferrari were described as "vindictive" by the team's technical director on Friday.

Ross Brawn told a news conference ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday: "I think the level of criticism is now starting to become vindictive.

"Some people now have a new agenda. They are not trying to stop Michael doing what he does at the starts (of races), they have a different objective. It is something I am very unhappy about.

"It is down to the individuals who are saying these things. They are quite at liberty to discuss them with Michael, but instead they choose to air their opinions in public."

German double world champion Schumacher has failed to finish in four of the last five grands prix, and Brawn said: "That is not the level of points-scoring you need to win a world championship.

"Some people have made a point of his starting technique and I can understand that. Having said that, it is something that is acceptable to the FIA which is the judge of these things."

Jacques Villeneuve, a critic of Schumacher, hit back at Brawn's suggestion that he was leading a vindictive campaign, but warned that the FIA's acceptance of his swerving starting technique could lead to tragedy.

"It's not a war against him," he said. "But it is sad that we have to use the regulations to sort this out instead of doing it ourselves."

He warned that nothing would be done until 10 cars collided at the first corner and "someone really got badly hurt".

Brawn also took a swipe at McLaren for not being prepared to admit their favouritism for Finn Mika Hakkinen, ahead of David Coulthard, within their team.

"Most of our opponents have favouritism, but are not prepared to come out and admit it. I happen to think that in the last two races, McLaren have very heavily favoured Mika, and not David."

He said that team decisions had thwarted any Coulthard hopes of winning in both Austria and Germany.

Adrian Newey, McLaren's technical director, responded by saying their tactics were to support the leading driver in any race "unless the point in the championship has been reached where it is desirable to favour one driver - which is clearly not the case at the moment."