Head Surprised by Ralf's Driving in Canada
Williams technical director Patrick Head said he was surprised his driver Ralf Schumacher did not try to pass brother Michael for victory in the Canadian Grand Prix last Sunday.
Williams technical director Patrick Head said he was surprised his driver Ralf Schumacher did not try to pass brother Michael for victory in the Canadian Grand Prix last Sunday.
Ralf, the younger of the brothers, sat behind Ferrari driver Michael for the remainder of the race after losing first place following the opening round of pit-stops.
The Williams looked like the fastest car on Montreal's Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and Head admitted being surprised that Ralf Schumacher did not attempt to make an overtaking manoeuvre.
"I'm not so sure that he could have got close enough to have a go. But I'm surprised Ralf didn't get bored sitting behind Michael for 40 laps," said Head. "We qualified one and two. Our men finished two and three and that's rather disappointing. I'm sure Ralf is disappointed.
"The idea of asking Ralf to pull over for Juan Pablo crossed my mind and was dismissed on the basis it would have been one of those instructions that would have been greeted with a blind eye or a deaf ear.
"Only he would know whether he might have been more aggressive about getting past, but he said, basically, he was held up on both his out laps and that was enough to make the difference."
The race was the second time Ralf started from pole position and failed to convert it into victory, although second place was enough to give him his first podium of the season and also preserved his record of finishing in the points in every race.
In an interview with the Daily Express, Head added: "You want to win. Seeing Juan able to pull them in 12 seconds or so indicated that the car speed was there to do it. (But) I wasn't driving Ralf's car, I didn't have his tyres on, so I cannot really make a comment.
"I'm sure there will be a bit written saying he should have had a go but only he knows what was going on in the cockpit."
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