Mosley Predicts Another Schumacher Title in 2005

FIA president Max Mosley has predicted seven times World Champion Michael Schumacher will grab another title in 2005, despite Mosley's belief that the other teams will become stronger.

Speaking to reporters at the FIA 2004 Gala Awards evening at Monaco last night, Mosley said he expects next season to see much of the same result. "Ferrari will still be extremely strong," the FIA president was quoted as saying.

"Williams and McLaren will try to take back centre stage while other teams, thanks to the new regulations, will try to demonstrate that everyone can improve in F1.

"But I believe that in December 2005 we'll be here, awarding Michael Schumacher again."

The FIA's World Council approved yesterday the final calendar for 2005, with an unprecedented 19 Grands Prix, including four events in one month.

Mosley admitted the 2005 Championship may be too long but said if it proved too hard it would be corrected for 2006.

"[The championship will be] long, but it will have the British GP and the other races which made the history of racing, plus a novelty: Turkey," Mosley said. "Perhaps 19 races are too many, but F1's success dictates it.

"At the end of the season, we'll decide whether this needs to be corrected. It's true, we have grouped four races in July, but that will let us take a three-week break afterwards."

Mosley also said he was pleased with regulation changes passed for next season, including extending the required engine life to two Grand Prix weekends.

"I'm happy, because F1 will be run according to the regulations approved on October 22nd," Gazzetta dello Sport quoted Mosley. "If we had let the teams do as they pleased in 2005 we would have had engines with 1,000 horsepower. It was necessary to reduce power, to increase safety and to force cost cuts.

"F1 had become too powerful, too dangerous, too expensive, and so too indecent as well. This series is not only the pinnacle of motor racing, but also its showcase, so it must be spotless."