Teams Working Together Unlikely, Says Schumacher

Ferrari's World Champion Michael Schumacher believes a scenario suggested by McLaren driver David Coulthard that smaller teams could assist a bigger rival under new qualifying rules is unfair and unlikely.

"It would be a very unfair tactic. I can't see why other teams would interfere, they have their own interests," Schumacher told a news conference in Melbourne on Thursday.

Coulthard told reporters a day earlier that it was possible for smaller teams to qualify at the front of the grid on Saturday knowing they would have to make early pitstops in Sunday's race because of light fuel loads.

Teams will not be allowed to refuel their cars between qualifying and the race under new rules for the season which starts in Melbourne on Sunday.

"You could imagine a scenario... where if teams became aligned with each other (and) a small team was to qualify in a strong position, and a competitor had some influence on that team, they could ask for favours from that team," Coulthard said.

"So although there's not allowed to be team orders directly in terms of a radio link there could be inter-team orders."

Local newspapers speculated on Thursday that because Sauber uses a Ferrari engine and Minardi tests at Ferrari's private Fiorano track, they could assist Schumacher to quickly move from midfield to the lead depending on where the German qualified on Saturday.

"It is a surprise hearing that a team like Minardi test on our circuit and they are (therefore) aligned with Ferrari," Schumacher said. "If you want to say things you can always say things but at the end of the day everybody will want to do their best.

"You see even McLaren testing (alongside Ferrari at Valencia in January) so will they help us? I don't think so."