Michael Schumacher's
self-belief remained intact on Sunday despite the Ferrari driver falling 12
points behind Fernando Alonso in the Formula One title battle with four races
remaining.
Ferrari's Felipe Massa
(L) of Brazil is congratulated by team-mate Michael Schumacher after his
victory in the Turkish Formula One Grand Prix at Istanbul Park race track
August 27, 2006. [Reuters] |
"Today I have lost two points in the drivers' championship, but I still
believe I can win the title," said the seven times world champion after
finishing third in a Turkish Grand Prix won by Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa.
Renault's Alonso, the world champion, was second to end a run of races that
had seen Schumacher reduce the Spaniard's lead from 25 points.
Ferrari did close the gap to Renault in the constructors' championship to two
points, however.
"We remain confident," said technical director Ross Brawn. "All the elements
are in place for us to win both titles and we will fight right to the very end
to achieve that."
The next race is Ferrari's home Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 10.
"In Monza, and at the three races outside Europe, we will have many changes
on the car and thanks to the great work being done by our technical
partners...we will be in the best possible shape to try and win both
championships," added team boss Jean Todt.
Massa's victory was the first in Formula One for the driver whose usual role
at the Italian team is to support Schumacher and contribute to the constructors'
championship.
Had Schumacher been behind him for longer than the 13 laps before the safety
car was called out, Massa would undoubtedly have let the German through to take
the victory and the precious extra points.
Instead the key moment in the race was when both Ferrari drivers and Alonso
pitted at the same time once the safety car was deployed on lap 14.
Schumacher had to wait behind Massa while Alonso was able to get out before
him and build up enough of a buffer to stay ahead at the second pitstops.
Asked why Ferrari had not made Massa switch positions earlier, or stay out
during the first pitstop, Todt was adamant that Ferrari had done the right
thing.
"I think there would be five times more people tonight at this press meeting
if I had asked Felipe to let Michael (through).
"That would be the event of this race weekend. Sorry for you, but we did not
change the order at the pitstop.
Asked whether Ferrari would have ordered Massa to move aside had Schumacher
got past Alonso in the final nose-to-tail laps, Todt replied simply: "You will
never know".
