Schumacher Warns of Stronger Ferrari for 2002

World Champion Michael Schumacher believes his Ferrari team will be better prepared for the start of the 2002 season than they were for the 2001 campaign.

The German driver, who will begin his seventh season at the Maranello-based outfit next year, clinched his fourth world title in 2001 after scoring nine Grand Prix wins and a new record for the most number of points, finishing 58 points ahead of McLaren's David Coulthard in the standings.

Schumacher, who could equal Juan Manuel Fangio's record for most titles if he is champion again in 2002, is confident the new Ferrari will be not only ready for the first race in Australia, but also that it will be a faster machine than this season's F2001.

"At the start of the autumn, Ferrari knew that the aerodynamics of the car and the engine would be better," Schumacher told German FAZ newspaper. "As things stand at the moment, we are better prepared than we were before the start of the 2001 season.

"I see us with the new car in Australia," he added. "It will be a new car, a new chassis and a new engine. It will be faster than the old one"

Ferrari's technical director Ross Brawn revealed earlier this year that the Italian team could start the new season with this year's chassis if the new car is not ready in time.