Ralf Says 2004 Could be Best Chance Yet

Ralf Schumacher believes this year offers him his best chance yet of dethroning older brother Michael as Formula One World Champion.

The German told reporters at the launch of the new Williams FW26 car on Monday that he expected Ferrari's six times champion to be as strong as ever when the new season starts in Australia in March.

But he was confident that his BMW-powered team, with a radically different looking car with a short nose and 'tusked' front wing, could help him be a genuine challenger right from the start of the Championship.

"We learnt from last year...we had a problem with the FW25 as a car itself so we had to put it right aerodynamically and we didn't understand it mechanically," said Ralf, winner of two races in 2003.

"We expect to be very competitive this year. Last year we never thought about it (the championship) and then all of a sudden we were going for it. I think now we all know what it takes, we learned from last year.

"It's fair to say that yes, it might be the season where we have the best ever possibility of winning it."

Despite their problems early in the year, Williams led the Constructors' Championship by August and remained in the title battle right to the last race in Japan when Schumacher and Ferrari again emerged triumphant.

"He (Michael) is still there and he will try to win. It's pretty obvious...why should it be different this year?" said Ralf, who finished fifth overall in 2003 with Colombian teammate Juan Pablo Montoya third.

Signed Already

However, Montoya has already signed for McLaren for 2005, leaving Ralf potentially as Williams's long-term prospect even if he has yet to negotiate a new contract after the end of the season.

"I like Juan as a person and I understand and respect his decision. He had an opportunity to drive for another great team under maybe better conditions and I respect that," said Ralf.

The German said his own contract negotiations, currently stalled, would not unsettle him.

"At the moment I just want to concentrate on what I'm doing. The first three months of the year are very important and after that when I see how successful it could be then we will continue to think about the contract," he said.

"I have freedom in all possibilities. Even if it takes to the end of this year I don't mind.

"At the moment I am thinking BMW Williams but at the end of the day if there is no possibility to find a way of working together then I will certainly have to look for another cockpit but that's far down the road," he added.

"It's not about the money, the money is not a problem."