Weber wants contract extension for Ralf

Weber also manages Ralf's brother Michael who has driven for Ferrari since 1996 and is contracted to stay with the team until the end of 2006. Now he is hoping to engineer a similar situation for Schumacher Jr who lies third in the drivers' championship, just 11 points behind Michael.

"I want to do with Ralf what I did with Michael in the early stages," said Weber. "I like to have a long contract. I see how important it is when you stay with a team for many years ... it becomes like a big family and the understanding is much better.

"I like the situation that I did with Michael and I will try to fix a long-term contract with Ralf. I told Frank Williams that Ralf and I wanted to stay in the team for another few years," he said. "Now we just wait for Frank to come back. It depends on Frank, how he sees it. If he wants stability in the team, he maybe comes early.

"We want to stay in this team," added Weber. "We can be very successful, winning races and the championship. I have always said that if you give Ralf a good car, he can win races and be a champion," he said. "Now he has a good car.

Frank Williams refused to confirm that Schumacher will stay on until 2006 saying: "It is too early to talk about drivers because it is too soon to talk about 2005. We have a contract until the end of 2004 with both drivers."