Q & A with Michael Schumacher

MS: Well, it is the same distance as every other Grand Prix, it is 10 points as every other Grand Prix, we won the last two so I would like to call it number three.

Q. What do you feel about the tyre situation?

MS: I have no concern about our tyres. We have been good recently so there is no reason to see any problems, particularly because we have been here so we know what to expect.

Q. Are back-to-back races good for you to maintain momentum?

MS: No, I don't see anything different honestly, because in one week nobody can make any big steps. It is only the circuit whether it suits one or other car and I have no doubt on our car side.

Q. Do you hope Honda and McLaren join the competition soon?

MS: Naturally I would prefer somebody who can win to be between me and Alonso, the other way around I don't like it.

Q. What is important for this race?

MS: Strategy is always important at any race.

Q. What do you think of Felipe's first podium at the Nurburgring?

MS: He did a great race, he was all the race close to us, he did a beautiful race and third position was a very good result. The first podium, in a difficult race. He was very competitive, so no surprise that he could do so well.

Q. Could he help you in taking points off Alonso?

MS: He is not there to help me honestly, he is there to help himself and to make as good a result as he can.

Q. After your difficult times last year and the start of this season, how do you feel after these two races?

MS: You feel good. We knew we had a good car, we could see that in Bahrain already and we could not show the potential and we could stop a little bit the question marks people put in our package this year. And in this respect it is obviously great that you get rewarded for the efforts that you have been putting in, the engineers, the mechanics, everybody.

Q. What will be decisive factor of the season ahead, the tyres, technical team?

MS: It is not only the tyre. It is anything that you can develop. If you see the competition at the moment, it is so tight, so close, any little detail will put you ahead of the other teams. Obviously the tyres are probably the most easy to find the steps, this is probably true.

Q. How much more difficult is it racing in Germany with the press and attention?

MS: The difference racing in Germany or here in Barcelona in terms of attention is not very much. When I sit in the car you guys are not there with me.

Q. Does Ferrari have a disadvantage at the starts compared to Renault?

MS: If you look at Nurburgring you could see that no. Felipe was able to stay at the same distance that he had at his grid position, so we are very equal and with all respect probably at the top level.

Q. Michael in your career you have led three generations of drivers. Now how fun is it to fight and sometimes beat a young gun like Alonso?

MS: I told you many times that I don't feel old, so I don't see him as young.

Q. Are Button and Honda still a factor in the world championship?

MS: Less at the moment. They don't have a package that is competitive enough at the moment. I don't know how many points he has.

Q. Willi Weber was quoted yesterday as saying that a decision on your future would not be made until July. Do you expect the decision to come later rather than sooner?

MS: It could be very late.

Q. How late can you go, how late will Ferrari wait for you?

MS: Ferrari are quite happy to wait until the end of the season.

Q. Is it possible a decision will not come until then?

MS: Yes.

Q. Likely?

MS: Yep.

Q. What will be the factors involved in that decision?

MS: The decision will be end of the year.

Q. One of the reasons for your victory in the Nurburgring was the job your mechanics did at the second pitstop. How important is it to have a very efficient team who works for you?

MS: It makes you win or lose a race. Quite frankly in a way we maybe could have won Bahrain if we had the same sort of pitstop because we maybe didn't and some other factors didn't work out as well. We lost the race and only came second. Here everything went right and we won the race, so it very important to have very high quality pitstops and a high quality car. Everything has to be right in this sort of environment and competition we are at the moment.

Q. Following up on Jenson and Honda, he has 13 points and Fernando has 44 and you have 31. Is that a man out of the championship?

MS: Not mathematically. There are too many races to go. But it will be difficult to see whether they make the step to close the gap that is there at the moment, which is surprising to me because they looked very strong in the winter so I don't know what happened.

Q. McLaren do not seem able to have the same pace as you and Renault. Do you think it is narrowing to a battle between you and Fernando?

MS: I thought McLaren was pretty quick in comparison to previous races. At the Nurburgring they showed a good performance, honestly, so I would not rule them out yet.