Dennis: Schumacher Has Work to Do

McLaren-Mercedes chief Ron Dennis said today that Michael Schumacher's qualifying position could see him involved in a startline accident - but insisted he does not wish that to happen to the five-time World Champion.

A Schumacher retirement would make life much easier for McLaren driver Kimi Raikkonen in Sunday's race because he would then have to win the race to be crown the 2003 World Champion.

The German driver has retired from just one race - this year's rain-hit Brazilian Grand Prix - in the last 37 but will start towards the back of the grid on Sunday after qualifying 14th in Saturday's qualifying session.

"If there is a first corner incident he could get involved in somebody else's accident," said Dennis. "From there on the grid who knows? Not that I would wish that on him."

Raikkonen will himself be forced to start from the fourth row of the grid after finishing eighth in the Saturday session in which the final six drivers out on track were severely hampered by a late downpour.

Dennis admitted that a win from there will be a difficult task in itself but refused to blame the new one-lap qualifying procedure if it turns out it has ruined Raikkonen's title campaign.

"You don't win or lose World Championships in one race," said Dennis. "We have got different forecasts for tomorrow and we tend to go for the optimistic one which is that it is going to be dry in the afternoon because that suits us.

"I think the mixed positions on the grid does make for an interesting race and Michael has got some work to do. He only has to finish in the top eight but he is not in a great position to start from."