Q & A with Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher: Of course we will try everything, but you cannot count on someone retiring. The first thing for us to think about is the constructors' championship and we will have to see what we can do.

Q. But if you win and Fernando Alonso retires then you can still be champion?

MS: Yes, very hypothetically. But this is not really the way I want to go to Brazil. I would like to fight for the championship on the track. I have no reason to be unhappy. We have won so much together and there was so much good work done over the year. To lose the championship now is life and I can live with it very well. I love the guys here. I don't see it as anyone's fault. It is just circumstance.

Q. You were seen shaking the hands of the mechanics. Were you telling them it was over?

MS: You can only say that life exists and is full of ups and downs. We have done so many great things together. After Canada no one believed in the championship but we kept it open until almost the last moment. But the title for the drivers' is over now. I don't want to believe in me winning and my opponent not scoring one point, or not finishing.

That is not the basis I want to go into the race with. But there is no reason to be too disappointed with what we achieved this year. I have no hard feelings. That is what life is. Sometimes it is sweet, sometimes it is not.

Q. Do you really believe it is over?

MS: This is what I say. I don't want to start a race believing and hoping that someone will retire. That is not the basis I want to win the championship on.

Q. So how do you approach Brazil?

MS: I see it as my last race and I will do the best I can. I will be happy with whatever comes out at the end.

Q. What exactly happened on the 37th lap?

MS: There was no engine any more and everything went up in smoke.

Q. Were there any signs beforehand that there was a problem?

MS: No.

Q. What went through your mind when it happened?

MS: You know it is a retirement, you know you lose 10 points and you know the consequences. And you also know in the first moments that the championship was decided like this.

Q. What did you say to the mechanics?

MS: I was just thanking them. I really believe the championship is over, so I wanted to thank them all personally. We know Fernando only needs one point and we know what a good driver he is so it should not be a problem for him. We will go to Brazil giving the best we can but that will be more for the constructors' championship.

Q. What was the race like until that moment?

MS: It went very much according to plan. We were quick at those moments that we wanted to be quick and the result looking like it was going to go well.

Q. How long do you think it will take you to get over the disappointment?

MS: Not too long. As I have said, I can live very well with this. I tried everything I could this year, and we all together tried everything we could. But in the end it didn't work out. That is it.