Other Teams Will Get a Look In, Says Schumacher
World champion Michael Schumacher says McLaren will be Ferrari's main Formula One rivals again next season but the two teams might not be as dominant as this year.
World champion Michael Schumacher says McLaren will be Ferrari's main Formula One rivals again next season but the two teams might not be as dominant as this year.
"Next season will be hard again -- we'll be fighting with McLaren for the title -- but with the advent of Michelin tyres there'll be room, in some circumstances, for other teams," the German told reporters at the Bologna motor show.
French tyre maker Michelin is returning to Formula One next season, ending the monopoly of Japan's Bridgestone.
Bridgestone plan to supply five of the 11 teams -- champions Ferrari, McLaren, Jordan, Arrows and BAR.
McLaren and Ferrari won all 17 races between them last season and dominated the season to the point where Williams, the third placed constructor, scored just 36 points.
Schumacher also said he plans to be back testing his new Ferrari by late January after recovering from surgery to remove a pin from the right leg he broke at Silverstone in 1999.
"I'm fine and I'm counting on testing the new car at the end of January," Schumacher said.
The three times champion, who brought the Italian team their first drivers' title in 21 years this year, said the high point of the year had been his victory at Monza -- even though the race was overshadowed by the death of a race steward.
That win allowed him to equal the late Ayrton Senna's total of 41 Grands Prix wins.
"The best moment of the season was the win at Monza. Emotionally it was even more intense than the victory at Suzuka."
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