Schumacher prepares for long haul

[lsgworldl]

Ferrari face a long haul before they can return to competitiveness in Formula One, Michael Schumacher says.
The world champion finished fifth in the European Grand Prix to continue his poor start to the season and his longest winless run since 1993.

"A lot of work lies ahead of us, in many different areas," Schumacher said.

"The whole thing is a package and you need a certain harmony which we are lacking. I always try to give my best, but sometimes even that isn't enough."

Schumacher said his team-mate Rubens Barrichello's third-place finish on Sunday was "a step in the right direction".

But he admitted that Ferrari's lack of race pace at the Nurburgring had been a particular concern.

I've said that I'd retire when I can no longer hold my own against the younger drivers - I think I can still do that very well

Michael Schumacher
Ferrari have been struggling to make their Bridgestone tyres work over one lap in qualifying, but until Sunday's event they had usually been consistently fast in races.

"I'm a realist and I can evaluate my chances better than anyone from outside," Schumacher said. "I can see what's happening in races.

"Lately we had often been a little slow in qualifying and then quicker during the races. But it wasn't like that this time.

"The beginning (of his time) at Ferrari was much harder because we weren't really competitive. In my eyes we definitely are now even if that doesn't seem to be the case on the outside.

"It was harder back then because the pressure after so many unsuccessful years was so much greater than it is now.

"I'm not even close to giving up the title," he said.

Ferrari's form is a stark contrast to 2004, when Schumacher won a record-breaking 12 races in a season and clinched his seventh world title.

And he said he had no thoughts of retiring.

"I've always said that I'd retire if I couldn't keep up with the younger drivers," Schumacher said.

"That's different from what's happening now. I'm very much able to keep up with them. In all honesty, with all the duels going on right now, racing is a lot more fun for me than a lot of people would imagine."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/4596039.stm