"I have the opinion that stress is not useful. We have to do our job, and I must do 100% with the team. If we do that job well and we deserve the title, then we will win. The important thing in the next races is to give the maximum to the team.

We always knew that it would be very tight at the end of the championship, and I was prepared for this. At Renault we were ready for the opening races, and totally competitive: maybe we started at 95% of our maximum, while the others were at 70%. Now, everybody is at 98% or 99% and the performance is very, very close. We know we have the performance to win races, and we need to make it happen. We have been leading all year, and we want to finish in the same position! Honestly, I think the motivation is greater than ever. These are the last three races for me with this fantastic Renault team, and also the last races for Michelin in this era of Formula 1. So our motivation to win is enormous, and I think we can do it."

Now one would logically assume that the driver and team who actually win the Championship are the ones who deserve it. Regardless of this, Fernando simply believes that he deserves the title and it would not be unlikely to believe that he would think the same at the end of the season, whether he wins or not.

Renault's Pat Symonds also believes that Michael will crack under the pressure and the title will fall to Renault. Symonds cites Schumacher's recent races in China as a sign that the German may once again do poorly at the Shanghai circuit. This is what the Renault Engineering Director had to say:

"It goes without saying that they are both fabulous drivers and formidable competitors, but I truly do believe that Fernando handles pressure better than Michael. Throughout his career there have been many instances of Michael not performing to his potential when he has been under pressure. And I think the pressure for him is greater than ever in these last three races. Previously he always had the safety net of trying again next year if he didn't win. There is no 'next year' for him now."

Pat Symonds is correct in saying that Michael has done poorly in China for the past two years, but there is no denying how focussed Schumacher is for these last two races and he will certainly give it his all to reclaim his title.

September 26, 2006