Interview: Weber Wants Long-Term Deal for Ralf

As manager of World Champion Michael Schumacher and his younger brother Ralf, Willi Weber can sit back and enjoy their Formula One title battle with equanimity.

The German expects the Ferrari driver to come out on top again but, as he told Reuters in a telephone interview on Tuesday: "At the end of the day, I don't care as long as the winner is called Schumacher. I'm in a fantastic position."

Weber recently concluded Michael's contract negotiations with a deal keeping the 34-year-old at Ferrari until the end of 2006 if he chooses to keep on racing. Now he is hoping for a similar long-term extension for Ralf, winner of the last two races for Williams and third in the Championship.

"I want to do with Ralf what I did with Michael in the early stages," said Weber. "I like to have a long contract. I see how important it is when you stay with a team for many years ... it becomes like a big family and the understanding is much better.

"I like the situation that I did with Michael and I will try to fix a long-term contract with Ralf."

Weber, who also masterminded Schumacher's debut with Jordan in 1991 and his move from Benetton to Ferrari at the end of 1995, said he talked to Frank Williams when Ralf won the June 29 European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.

But he said there was no need to hurry, since Ralf already had a contract to the end of 2004, and a new deal may not be decided until next year.

BMW Deal

"I told Frank that Ralf and I wanted to stay in the team for another few years," he said. "Now we just wait for Frank to come back. It depends on Frank, how he sees it. If he wants stability in the team, he maybe comes early.

"We want to stay in this team," added Weber. "We can be very successful, winning races and the Championship."

Williams' engine partners BMW announced at the Nurburgring that the partnership had been extended to the end of 2009, prompting speculation in Germany that Ralf might stay for a similar length of time.

"I was asked 'could you see Ralf staying for as long a time as the engine partners?' and I said 'Why not?'," said Weber. "But the team decides. It's a little bit too early to push. Until the end of 2004 all is under control. For 2005, 2006 or whatever as long as Frank says I want to have Ralf in my team then I am happy."

Michael, chasing a record sixth Championship, leads Ralf by 11 points with McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen sandwiched between the two.

There are six races left and Ralf is on a roll in his fifth season with Williams, leading Colombian teammate Juan Pablo Montoya to a one-two for the team in the last two races. Weber rejected the suggestion that Ralf had only now emerged as a potential champion.

"I have always said that if you give Ralf a good car, he can win races and be a champion," he said. "Now he has a good car. He has the same talent as Michael ... his character is different, maybe he is not so much of a diplomat as Michael, but in the car they are the same.

"Williams, BMW and Ralf is a very strong package," he said, when asked about his title prediction. "But things can change so quickly in Formula One. I believe that Michael will win the Championship again. Both Ferrari and Michael will win."