Ralf to Schumi: It's too late
2005-05-11 13:44
Berlin - Germany's Toyota driver Ralf Schumacher claims his elder brother and seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher has left himself with too much to do to claim a sixth successive championship.
The Ferrari star was forced to retire in Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona with tyre problems and a second-place finish from Renault's Spanish starlet Fernando Alonso now leaves the German trailing by 34 points.
"Ferrari are too far away from the title," Ralf Schumacher told the Bild daily.
"You have to be realistic, Michael is 34 points adrift of Alonso. That is a lot of ground to make up, particularly as Renault will win some of the remaining races.
"Ferrari may as well write off the title for this season."
Despite having a mountain to climb the 36-year-old Schumacher refuses to wave the white flag.
"It looks difficult, but it is not over yet by a long way," Schumacher said. "I will keep fighting right until the end."
Alonso leads the Formula One standings on 44 points with Toyota driver Jarno Trulli second on 26 points.
Reigning champion Schumacher is down in seventh place with ten points, four points behind brother Ralf.
- AFP