Schumacher Aims to Bounce Back in Malaysia

World Champion Michael Schumacher, who finished only fourth in the season-opening Australian Formula One Grand Prix, is confident his Ferrari team can win the next race in Malaysia on Sunday.

"We have a reasonable good chance of winning," Schumacher told his German website today. "We have a rather good record in Malaysia and we're looking forward to extending it."

Schumacher competed the race in Melbourne with last season's Ferrari and will drive it again in Malaysia because the new car is not completely ready.

"The old car is competitive in terms of reliability and performance," he said. "The fact that we will use it again in Malaysia could turn out to be an advantage because the conditions there can be extreme and it's good to have a car you know everything about."

The German said his disappointing placing in Melbourne had nothing to do with the introduction of new rules and did not mean Ferrari were no longer competitive.

"It was just one of those races with a series of unpredictable events, notably the rain and the phases with the safety car," he said. "It does not mean that we are no longer competitive. We were competitive. Such things just happen and you have to accept it.