Schumacher Not Considering Skipping Final Races

World Champion Michael Schumacher is not considering skipping the United States or Japanese Grands Prix despite his Ferrari team saying he is free to do it if he wants.

Ferrari's sporting director Jean Todt said on Monday that the German four-time World Champion was "very disheartened" at the Italian Grand Prix last weekend following the tragic events in the United States last week.

The Frenchman said that if Schumacher did not feel like racing at the U.S. Grand Prix on September 30, the team would accept his decision.

However, Schumacher, who finished in fourth place at Monza on Sunday, said that he is not thinking about missing the last two races of the season despite Todt's comments.

"I have never thought about not competing in the final two events of the season," Schumacher told ANSA. "I've heard rumours saying that my season was over, but I've never thought about it."

Schumacher already clinched his fourth world title at this season's Hungarian Grand Prix in August, and with two races remaining he is only two points away from breaking the record for most number of points in a single season.

The German also reflected on a controversy at Monza where some team chiefs told their drivers to ignore an unofficial drivers' safety accord. Schumacher and Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello of Brazil had initiated the unofficial agreement not to overtake until after the second chicane on the opening lap.

"It's sad to see some drivers can be forced to go against their beliefs," Schumacher said. "Unfortunately, some found themselves in that situation. I can't understand this sort of behaviour. In Formula One, safety is a key issue.

"In these circumstances, it would have been better to have done what we wanted. That would have meant that we would at least have tried to avoid a further incident."

Last year, a marshal was killed in an accident at the second chicane on the opening lap.