Schumacher brother's present united front

The younger Schumacher has come under fire in the media, which picked up on the disappointment of the Williams management at not winning in Canada, and construed it to be directed at Ralf.

After the Canadian race Williams technical director Patrick Head commented that his other driver, Juan Pablo Montoya, "might have been a bit bored" bottled up behind the Ferrari for more than 40 laps.

At Nurburgring, however, Schumacher Sr said: "The situation is simple -there are a lot of people who talk without knowing what's going on. Sometimes you get criticised for something that is not even worthy of common.

"It wasn't only Ralf behind me who wasn't managing to pass. Montoya couldn't pass Ralf and Alonso couldn't pass Montoya. And, early in the race, I was behind Ralf and couldn't pass him either. I'm afraid it's all about creating a story and making people look a bit stupid."

Ralf himself added: "I don't understand it really, but perhaps people comment when they shouldn't. Whenever there is a possibility to overtake I will try to take it, but where there isn't one, I won't. I'd rather take eight points than put both of us out. That was a tough race. Our pit strategy might have been a lap short, which was a bit unlucky, but that's all."