Mosley Tips Schumacher for Melbourne Win

Max Mosley, the president of motorsport's governing body, the FIA, is expecting World Champion Michael Schumacher to win the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

Mosley has spent the winter instigating major changes to the sport's rulebook in a bid to make it cheaper for teams and more exciting for fans but he still believes the German will still start favourite for victory when the season starts on March 9.

"If I was a betting man then I would have to say Schumacher will be on the first three rows on grid in Australian and will go on to win," said Mosley before adding: "But I wouldn't put much money on that yet."

Mosley believes the sweeping changes, including single-lap qualifying and no refuelling between qualifying and the race, will upset the current order and could eventually end the Ferrari dominance.

But he also believes the cost reductions will encourage new teams into the sport by the start of 2005, and will make it possible for new outfits to buy old cars from the current teams.

"The cost-cutting would make it possible for the current Formula 3000 teams to join because by 2005 the costs would be less than half if not a quarter of the current cost."