More from Schumacher: on 2005, Rubens and Retiring

Michael Schumacher will help teammate Rubens Barrichello secure the second place in the World Championship if needed, he hopes the 2005 regulations will improve overtaking, and he has no deadline on when he will retire from the sport - this according to the World Champion's press conference today with the German media.

While Atlas F1 has published previously in full the transcript of the English part of Schumacher's Monza press conference, some of the more interesting comments came from the German in his native language. Below is a translation of some of Schumacher's replies.

Q: Which car will we see in the next few races? The F2004, or already some 2005 modifications?

Schumacher:

"No, that is totally clear. On the cars we have used this year, there will only be - if at all - minimal changes, because, as you can imagine, it takes until the start of next season before the new car is really ready. You could perhaps test small components here or there, but you can't just pull a new car out of a hat, or else we would have done it in the past."

Q: Can something be done for next year already, to make overtaking during Grands Prix easier?

Schumacher:

"I think that's the idea behind the new proposed rules. Whether they will be effective or not remains to be seen. [Right now], it is pretty clear that when you drive behind a car, you lose 30 - if not 40 - percent of downforce. [But] Formula One is so complex, that no one really has the one right solution, and it will require in fact a combination of many things...We can only try (to find) in which direction we have to work on this."

Q: Will you help Rubens defend 2nd place in the WDC?

Schumacher:

"When I have a possibility to help him, then I will certainly do that, without question. Until now, we were completely free to race each other, the both of us, and now we have to see how the rest of the season unfolds. At the moment, we believe that he can do it (secure second place) by himself, but if somehow it is necessary - when I can help him points-wise - then that is certainly something that is possible."

Q: Michael, how long do you think you will be able to participate in the sport at such a high level, mentally and physically?

Schumacher:

"I have at some point - I think maybe already 10 years ago - said that I could only imagine myself doing this for another 5 years maximum. And then the 5 years were over, and I thought, well, that went rather fast and I still felt good. So I have reached the conclusion that there is no point in putting time limits. I think every person is different, and it is difficult for me to imagine how I will feel physically or mentally at the age of 40, for example, or how much more I will be able to continue until I've had enough."

Q: Are there things you haven't experienced before?

Schumacher:

"Oh, absolutely. Some symptoms of wear are already felt, so no question about it - there are different body parts which don't function as 100% as it used to be in the past. But without this yet having any limiting effect on me, obviously. I am possibly someone who does a little bit more, and as such a bit more is also required from me physically. And over the years this has manifested itself in wear symptoms. But... it's above all something I feel physically rather than psychologically or mentally."