More to Racing than Winning, Says Schumacher

Winning is not everything, even for Michael Schumacher.

The Ferrari driver, triumphant in five out of seven races this season and surging towards a record-equalling fifth world title, suggested on Thursday that even third place holds its thrills.

"Sometimes you can enjoy coming third or second more than winning. It is not always winning that is the most satisfactory thing," he mused ahead of Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix, an event he has won a record four times.

He cited this year's Malaysian Grand Prix, in which he started on pole and was then pushed right down the field after a clash with Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya before battling back to claim third place.

"I enjoyed that, probably more than some other races where it was easier to win," said Schumacher.

The German was beaten into second place in Monaco two weeks ago by McLaren's David Coulthard after being gifted victory in Austria last month in a 'team orders' controversy.

"I just enjoy racing and the thrill of competition. It's not really important the number of victories or Championships that come out of that," he said.

Schumacher has a record 58 career wins but, once again, he played down comparisons between himself and Argentina's late Juan Manuel Fangio, who won a record five titles in a very different and more dangerous era.

"In motor sport we have a lot of ups and downs, it is a very intense life and, for the moment, that's what drives me," he said, wearing cowboy boots and looking relaxed after a vacation in North America.

"I like the competition and it's natural that in competition, whatever it is, you like to do the best."

Number One

Whatever the pleasures of finishing second or third, Schumacher left no doubt that he wants to be number one again in Montreal on Sunday afternoon. Another victory, apart from keeping him on track for another record-breaking season, would give Ferrari their 150th victory in more than half a century of Grands Prix.

But Schumacher rejected a suggestion that his success made him the greatest driver on the planet, an honour he has never claimed for himself.

"I never consider I am the best because it is always a combination of things and maybe I am just in the right place at the right time, rather than being the best," he said. "The times in which Fangio was driving cannot be compared to these days.

"I have a lot of respect for what he did. I think what we are doing right now doesn't come anywhere near it."

In terms of safety, Formula One is light years away from Fangio's era and Schumacher said he found other forms of motorsport, such as the Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar classic coming up this month, to be too risky.

"At some stage I said I enjoyed Le Mans very much and wanted to do it again," he said when asked if he would ever consider racing there in a Ferrari.

"But, the more I think about it and the more you look at the safety levels there, the less I am happy about it because it is simply very dangerous there. I have achieved I think the highest goal you can achieve in motor sport, especially with Ferrari, and therefore I don't see it as a challenge."