Schuey: Right decision to run new car

After using a 2001-spec car for the first two races of the season, Ferrari opted to give Schumacher the 2002 model for the third round of the World Championship. The German will start Sunday's race in second position, behind Montoya, but Schumacher believes that Williams' Michelin tyres have the edge at Interlagos and is convinced there is a lot more to come from his new car.

"As the car is still new, we have had to work in a different way," said Schumacher. "We have not got the maximum potential out of it yet. I don't think the gap between my times and the Williams is a fair reflection of the performance difference between the cars.

"Maybe in three of four races time we will be able to judge the car's true level, excluding the tyre factor," he added. "But it was the right decision to bring the new car here, as it was ready. I don't know where I would have been with the old one.

"If you take our last year's car with Rubens and you see what lap time he has done (1m13.93s) in comparison to what Nick Heidfeld has managed (1m14.23s), then you look at what we were able to do in Malaysia or Melbourne, it proves that some circuits give you more of a car advantage than others. Also in Interlagos we have never had an advantage."

Technical director Ross Brawn was more than happy with his lead driver's qualifying efforts in the F2002, as he too thought the Michelin rubber has the upper hand at the hot Brazilian circuit.

"I think it was a good day for the new car, which is pleasing," said the Englishman. "I believe this is a track where the other tyre company had the advantage.

"We have to accept that there will be tracks during the year where they will have the advantage again and others where our Bridgestone will be the best," he continued. "We know which are the areas where we need to improve."

Schumacher did only three runs in qualifying, suggesting that he is saving tyres in a bid to adopt a two-stop strategy in the hope of overcoming Williams-BMW in the race.