Schumacher Admits Defeat, Yet Remains Defiant

By Dale Calkins
October 12 2006

Schumacher Admits Defeat, Yet Remains Defiant
Michael Schumacher has admitted that after his engine failure in Japan, his Drivers' Championship Title chase is over. Schumacher knows that even though it is possible for him to take his 8th World Championship, that it is extremely unlikely. Instead Michael is focussed completely on the Constructors' Championship. This is what Michael had to say after losing 10 points to Championship rival Alonso at the Japanese Grand Prix: ""Defeats like this are part of Formula 1 as in lifeIt is no-one's fault. We have all worked incredibly hard over the past months. We managed to turn around a championship that seemed hopeless, especially in the light of the poor 2005 season. So, only a superficial view would be to be one of disappointment. We should be proud of the result even if there will be no happy ending. Our attitude and the quality of our work have been decisive and we have nothing to be unhappy about. One cannot always win and things do not always goes as planned. Consequently, we have to accept the Suzuka result in a positive way." The only way for Michael to win his 8th Drivers' Title, would be for Fernando Alonso to score no points at the final round and for himself to win that race. This is of course possible, but very unlikely unless Alonso had a mechanical failure, which in itself is not likely. So realisticly, the only way Michael can win the Championship is if there are some dirty tactics between he and Fernando or between Massa and Alonso. Schumacher however insists that this will not happen and that he knows it is over for him but not for Ferrari as a team: "It is not the way I would like to win the title. I want it to come as a result of my efforts. Also, it is unrealistic hoping to make up ten points. I am well aware that the championship for me is over. In that series (Constructors') we have a nine point gap but we still have a chance, however small. Now we will be concentrating mainly on this championship. I think we deserve this title as we are the best team. We are unbeatable in terms of our teamwork. Now we want to take the next step and becoming champions.There is one test session and one race left before the end of the season and this is what we will be concentrating our efforts on. Despite the gap, I want to go all out in Brazil and win another title." This is a realistic stance for Schumacher, one which he seems to accept fully, something which was very clear at the Japanese Grand Prix. After suffering his first engine failure since the French Grand Prix in 2000, the first thing Michael did was head back to the pits to console and be with his team. It was obviously a tragic event for Schumacher, but he remains one hundred percent dedicated to Ferrari and will do all he can to win his last ever race and deliver the Scuderia the Constrctors' Championship.
	October 12, 2006

Schumacher Admits
Defeat, Yet Remains
Defiant

Michael Schumacher has admitted that after his engine failure in Japan, his Drivers' Championship Title chase is over. Schumacher knows that even though it is possible for him to take his 8th World Championship, that it is extremely unlikely. Instead Michael is focussed completely on the Constructors' Championship. This is what Michael had to say after losing 10 points to Championship rival Alonso at the Japanese Grand Prix:

""Defeats like this are part of Formula 1 as in lifeIt is no-one's fault. We have all worked incredibly hard over the past months. We managed to turn around a championship that seemed hopeless, especially in the light of the poor 2005 season.

So, only a superficial view would be to be one of disappointment. We should be proud of the result even if there will be no happy ending. Our attitude and the quality of our work have been decisive and we have nothing to be unhappy about. One cannot always win and things do not always goes as planned. Consequently, we have to accept the Suzuka result in a positive way."

The only way for Michael to win his 8th Drivers' Title, would be for Fernando Alonso to score no points at the final round and for himself to win that race. This is of course possible, but very unlikely unless Alonso had a mechanical failure, which in itself is not likely. So realisticly, the only way Michael can win the Championship is if there are some dirty tactics between he and Fernando or between Massa and Alonso. Schumacher however insists that this will not happen and that he knows it is over for him but not for Ferrari as a team:

"It is not the way I would like to win the title. I want it to come as a result of my efforts. Also, it is unrealistic hoping to make up ten points. I am well aware that the championship for me is over.

In that series (Constructors') we have a nine point gap but we still have a chance, however small. Now we will be concentrating mainly on this championship. I think we deserve this title as we are the best team. We are unbeatable in terms of our teamwork. Now we want to take the next step and becoming champions.There is one test session and one race left before the end of the season and this is what we will be concentrating our efforts on. Despite the gap, I want to go all out in Brazil and win another title."

This is a realistic stance for Schumacher, one which he seems to accept fully, something which was very clear at the Japanese Grand Prix. After suffering his first engine failure since the French Grand Prix in 2000, the first thing Michael did was head back to the pits to console and be with his team. It was obviously a tragic event for Schumacher, but he remains one hundred percent dedicated to Ferrari and will do all he can to win his last ever race and deliver the Scuderia the Constrctors' Championship.

October 12, 2006

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