Michael focuses on driving, not contracts

The world champion, whose contract with the Italian team expires at the end of 2002, says he wants to concentrate on the campaign to win his fourth world title.

In a bid to retain the triple champion, Ferrari has already re-signed its title-winning technical crew headed by technical director Ross Brawn, Rory Byrne and team boss Jean Todt until 2004.

"I have said I do not want to get involved in any discussion with any teams, be it Ferrari or anyone else before the end of the season," said the German ahead of Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix, in which he is bidding for a seventh consecutive victory. "The reason is that I want to concentrate on the driving."

The German, whose contracts are negotiated by his manager Willi Weber, has been linked to talks with big-spending Formula 1 newcomers Toyota, who will take to the grid in 2002.

"You always have stories like that because when there is a new team coming in they automatically talk to several drivers," he continued. "It is possible they may have approached Willi about a meeting, but I am not aware of it.

"This is on purpose. I have said to Willi, I don't want to get involved in anything at the moment."