Feature: Schumacher Wants Debut Win for New Car

History suggests that Michael Schumacher could run away with Sunday's Spanish Formula One Grand Prix in his new Ferrari.

The five times World Champion has an unrivalled record at the Circuit de Catalunya and expects to be faster than ever when he gives Ferrari's F2003-GA its long awaited race debut.

"We know that it's faster than the old car and when you're a driver, you never can get enough speed," the German said on his website this week.

Schumacher won the last race at Imola but his and Ferrari's first victory of the season was overshadowed by the death of his mother Elisabeth that morning and there were no podium celebrations. Normal service could be resumed in Barcelona, where Schumacher has won four times in all and for the last two years.

He has also been on pole in Barcelona every year that he was won the World Championship, although that may change with the new single-lap qualifying. More remarkably, the champion has finished in the points there for the last 12 years in a row - every single Grand Prix held at the circuit.

His team, who held off introducing their new car until they were sure about its reliability, have another winning streak of their own to maintain - the last time a Ferrari failed to win on its race debut was in 1998.

No Crisis

"The win showed that Ferrari is not in crisis and also means that we can look ahead to the next race with confidence," Schumacher said of his San Marino success after a troubled start to the year. "We are all eager to see how the F2003-GA does on its debut.

"At Imola I had the impression that we could repeat last year's trend: that our form could take off with the start of the European races. My aim is to match the performance of the F2002 the first time out: that is, a victory," added the 34-year-old.

Ferrari won 15 of the 17 races last season, with Schumacher triumphant in 11. The F2002, introduced in Brazil last year, was beaten only once in 15 races.

Barcelona, a favoured testing ground during the winter months, holds no surprises for any of the teams or tyre manufacturers and even the rookies will feel comfortable with the layout. But Sunday's race could seal the fate of one of them, Jaguar's Antonio Pizzonia.

The Brazilian has struggled in the first four races and, unless he shows considerable improvement, is in danger of being ditched for McLaren's Austrian test driver Alexander Wurz. McLaren, with their new car yet to emerge, may not be happy with that but their position at the top of the standings is not in danger this weekend.

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen, the Championship leader who has failed to score a point in his two previous races in Spain, has a 13-point lead over British teammate David Coulthard and 14 over Schumacher.

Both McLarens will be a threat as will the Williams drivers, particularly Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya who scored the first points of his Formula One career in Barcelona in 2001 and has twice finished runner-up.

Spaniard Fernando Alonso, driving a Renault, should guarantee a healthy boost in the local attendance as his country's biggest prospect in decades. Alonso, 21 and twice on the podium this season already, could become the first Spaniard to score in his home race.