Schumacher Ready to Lead Ferrari into New Era

Michael Schumacher is set to lead Ferrari into a new era of dominance after his Japanese Grand Prix win and first drivers' world title with the Italian team, according to Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn.

As the rain slanted heavily across central Japan following the 31-year-old German's 43rd victory and third championship win on Sunday night, Brawn predicted a bright future.

Brawn, a close friend of the German, said that now the 21-year wait for a Ferrari driver to win the world crown was finally over the team could concentrate more easily and plan for an even stronger and more brilliant future.

"But first," he said. "We still have this year's constructors' title to fight for. That is what we'll be concentrating on in Malaysia and, of course, it would be nice to round off this historic year by taking a double victory."

The 45-year-old Briton, architect of Schumacher's two previous world titles when they were both at Benetton in 1994 and 1995, produced the pit-wall tactics on Sunday which turned frustration into triumph for Ferrari.

His decision to keep Schumacher out for three laps building up a lead after rival and defending world champion Mika Hakkinen of Finland had pitted for a second time decided the outcome.

Now, he believes, Ferrari will establish themselves as a dominant force and take the momentum of this season into the next when they expect another fierce battle with McLaren Mercedes-Benz for the title.

"I think it will be a little bit different next year. Now that we've achieved it I think that the intense pressure will disappear and the team will be a little more relaxed.

"It will feel very different. We were fortunate we got that sprinkling of rain when we did because it seemed to hurt Mika more than it hurt Michael. But Michael drove a fantastic race.

"And now I think you might see another notch on Michael after this. To me he's the best driver out there. I think we had a very good car this year.

"People said we didn't but I think that was doing Mika a disservice. We've every faith we're going to have a good car next year too."

Brawn added: "It's been such an up-and-down season. When we got to Monaco, with a 23-24 points lead, lots of people were saying 'well, it's finished'.

"Then we went through that bad spell when I think we got 10 points from four races and there were a couple of races after that when, even though we finished, we didn't perform very well.

"But in Spa I thought we bounced back and it was there when I thought we started to function normally again."

Tribute to Schumacher

Brawn paid tribute to Schumacher's loyalty during their last four years at Ferrari, the Englishman having followed the German driver from Benetton in 1997. Schumacher switched in 1996.

"He has been here with Ferrari five years and maybe with another outfit he could have won the championship by now but he stuck with Ferrari and he never let up in the four or five years he's been working here," Brawn said.

"He's been much more involved than some drivers... encouraging everyone, spending a lot of time with the mechanics. He's been really involved in making Ferrari work as a team. No one can doubt Michael's ability as a racing driver but as a person he's a great human being. Not a lot of people see that.

"It was my ambition when I came to Ferrari to win the world championship and we won the constructors' title last year, so to win the drivers is the ultimate step.

"It took a long while for it to sink in -- in fact I'm still waiting for it to sink in. It was such a tough race. We've come so close before... (which) makes this so very special for us all."

Schumacher himself paid a rich tribute to Brawn both as he crossed the line in his car and later afterwards.

In an Atlas F1 audio tape of their radio conversation on Schumacher's triumphant slowing-down lap after winning, the German said: "You're great Ross, you are great, Ross. All of you guys..." Later he said Brawn was "simply the master of our team".

"He, in the final moment, is the person who takes the right decision. And he made us world champion. On the other side, he needs all the support the great engineers and mechanics in the team," Schumacher said.

"The pit-stops were perfect, everything was perfect today. Simply great."