Grapevine: Williams Rubbish Rumours on Ralf Early Exit

Williams team boss Frank Williams rubbished recent rumours that Ralf Schumacher may be leaving the team at the end of this season despite his contract running for another year.

Williams also denied speculation that Ralf could be replaced by Italian Giancarlo Fisichella, winner of the last race in Brazil for Jordan, when questioned by reporters on Saturday.

"I think something appeared on the internet and it is total nonsense," he told reporters at the San Marino Grand Prix. "Absolute nonsense. We have a perfectly valid contract in both directions until the end of 2004 and we have every intention of supporting that. Witness today's performance improvement, only a fool would do otherwise."

Ralf, younger brother of Ferrari's Michael, qualified second for Sunday's race at Imola alongside the five-times champion on pole. They then left the circuit to return to Germany where their mother Elisabeth is in a coma in hospital.

It was Ralf's best qualifying performance of the year and his first appearance on the front row since his home German Grand Prix last July when both Schumachers again lined up alongside each other.

The BBC website reported today that Williams had become frustrated with Ralf and were considering replacing him at the end of the season. The paddock rumour mill has also suggested that Williams and Fisichella had dinner together last week, something Williams denied.

"I've been told I had dinner whenever it was but no-one's invited me yet," said Williams. "There was no dinner. When I say he hasn't invited me that is the case. I shook his (Fisichella's) hand after Brazil and Eddie's too. Maybe I've seen him twice since then."