Schuey in favour of one engine rule

World champion Michael Schumacher has backed the FIA's decision to impose a one-engine rule in F1 from 2004 onwards, but dismissed suggestion that the regulation change works in his favour

Earlier in the season Williams technical director Patrick Head suggested that the Ferrari ace's ability to produce his best time on his first qualifying run, coupled with fact that the Bridgestone tyres do not need scrubbing in unlike their Michelin rivals, would exacerbate the champion's advantage at the top.

However, in this week's Motorsport News the German refuted this idea.

"Whatever rule you make, you will always feel somebody has some kind of an advantage from that rule. Even if it is meant to be equal to everybody, you have some people who keep on. I'm not talking particularly about Patrick, but someone else. Whatever you do they will find a reason why it's good for another team and not for them."

Critics of the new rules, which will penalise drivers who suffer an engine blow in practice or qualifying by demoting 10 places on the starting grid, claim they will create artificial racing. But Schumacher disagrees.

"I don't think it is an artificial rule aimed at spicing up the show. It will support the smaller teams with less big budgets, because they have less investment. But in all honesty, in F1 it has always been that any available money will be spent.

The full story appears in Motorsport News, which goes on sale tomorrow (Wednesday).