Schuey Jr voices dislike of Sao Paulo

In recent years there has been problems at the Interlagos race with Williams personnel being held-up at gunpoint in traffic and Minardi's team manager robbed leaving a bank.

Schumacher Jr said: "I grew up in the countryside and I'm not particularly happy to be here in Sao Paulo, I have to admit. People are very nice but traffic is mad and after five o'clock at night the best thing you can do is be in a bullet-proof car! I'm not really used to that and I don't see it as normal. I'm sure Rubens [Barrichello] does because he lives here..."

Local hero Barrichello tried to talk up his home race, joking to Sao Paulo-phobes: "If you don't like it, don't come! When I went to South Africa for the first time, they told me: bring your gun! So I was afraid. But when I got there it was just a civilised country.

"Everywhere has problems and it's just that in Brazil you have to take care about going out with gold around your neck, things like that. But I can live here with no problem. In fact my grandmother lives between Turn 1 and 2!"