Schumacher Backs Button for Future Wins

Ferrari World Champion Michael Schumacher today backed British challenger Jenson Button to race to Grand Prix victory in the future - because the BAR-Honda driver is able to "keep the faith."

Button spent four seasons searching for his first podium but broke his duck in Malaysia at the start of this season and has finished in the top three a further five times in six races.

Schumacher waited only 17 races for his first victory in 1993 and went on to dominate the sport in recent years for Ferrari - but he believes his rival's bulldog spirit will see him through.

"I believe he is very motivated and rather than looking back and saying 'well, I haven't done it yet', you know, he can keep the faith," said Schumacher. "I think it will happen at one stage.

"I think where he is, and with the possibilities he has, he is just looking forward to the moment it happens. But racing is a sport and you can never predict when it is going to happen."

Button has clocked up four third places and two seconds this season but is yet to climb onto the top step of the podium that has been regularly occupied by the scarlet-clad Schumacher.

The German driver has won seven of the eight races so far this season having been expected to struggle with the combined onslaught of Michelin runners McLaren, Williams, Renault and BAR-Honda.

Schumacher admitted at the last race in Canada last weekend that he had felt "pessimistic" heading into the season but he has become much more relaxed as his and Ferrari's dominance has become more and more apparent.

"In general I am relaxed," he said. "Last year, for whatever reason, there was a problem with the car. It was all a little bit more difficult and sometimes you have those moments when it is more difficult.

"Last time we may have had to run on the limit more where as this year we have had the opportunity to back off at a certain time of the race in some of the races which then is obviously easier and you make fewer mistakes.

"But we didn't anticipate to win as many races as we have (this year). We thought it would be a tough one so we are happy the way it has gone. Now we are back to what it used to be - more normal and everything goes my way."

Schumacher knows that, with Renault and BAR-Honda leading the chase of Ferrari, the Italian giants must keep pace with their rivals' development to ensure they stay ahead of the game this season.

But despite much heralded new developments in terms of engines for BAR-Honda, chassis upgrades for Williams and Renault and a new car from McLaren, Schumacher is confident Ferrari will stay ahead.

"I believe specifically the development over a year at Ferrari has proven to be very strong in the past years so I have no worries about that," said Schumacher, speaking to reporters in a rain-soaked Indianapolis paddock.

"I guess the new McLaren will be better than the old one but I don't think we have to be concerned from our point of view because to make a jump that is necessary is not to be expected.

"They will make a jump forward and they will improve which is what they are looking for. But we make steps too and I think we announce things the same way as the others - we have no secrets.

"It is just up to what the media want to make of it, whether they want to talk about our one or the other one. Some of the media sometimes think 'oh no, not again, something better!' So that is why maybe they talk less about us."