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Brundle predicts Ralf to be this year`s champion
Silverstone, July 10: Ralf Schumacher will beat brother Michael to this year`s Formula One world championship - that is the view of former Grand Prix driver Martin Brundle.
Silverstone, July 10: Ralf Schumacher will beat brother Michael to this year's Formula One world championship - that is the view of former Grand Prix driver Martin Brundle.
The Englishman believes Ralf Schumacher has the advantage because of the progress made in recent weeks by his Williams team and their tyre supplier Michelin.
That has meant that both the Williams cars of Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya and both the McLarens, Kimi Raikkonen and David Coulthard, are potential winners of each race.
But Ferrari use Bridgestones, which are lagging behind Michelin, and Rubens Barrichello is being left behind the battle between Michael Schumacher and the rest.
Brundle said: "I think Ralf will win the championship because he's got a team-mate who can get between him and Michael, while Michael hasn't got a team-mate who can get between him and Ralf.
"The McLarens and the Renaults can also sometimes get between Ralf and Michael."
But Brundle does admit that the older Schumacher's genius behind the wheel could yet make the difference. "The only problem [with that theory] is that Michael is a bit good," said Brundle.
His fellow ex-driver Mark Blundell, speaking with Brundle at a news conference to promote next weekend's British Grand Prix, believes the Ferrari driver will come through to win a record sixth title.
"I said at the beginning of the year that Michael would win it, but now you've got to wonder," Blundell said. "But if I have to pin my colours to anyone, I'll go with Michael because when you get down to battling in the last couple of races, Michael knows what it's like and I'm not sure Ralf will be able to handle it."
Michael Schumacher leads the championship by eight points from Raikkonen, but Ralf has closed to within 11 points of his brother with two wins in the last two races.
Brundle believes the Silverstone race on 20 July could be the decisive moment of the season. "It can turn around so quickly - three or four races ago everyone was saying: 'What's the matter with Williams' and 'Ralf's off to Toyota'.
"But Williams have a lot of momentum and we have a period coming up where Ferrari can't test and sort their tyres out [because of a testing ban between Silverstone and the Hungarian GP on 24 August].
"Silverstone is a pivotal race. If you look at the ramp of Williams' form, if they continue that, they'll win the championship," Brundle said.
Bureau Report
The Englishman believes Ralf Schumacher has the advantage because of the progress made in recent weeks by his Williams team and their tyre supplier Michelin.
That has meant that both the Williams cars of Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya and both the McLarens, Kimi Raikkonen and David Coulthard, are potential winners of each race.
But Ferrari use Bridgestones, which are lagging behind Michelin, and Rubens Barrichello is being left behind the battle between Michael Schumacher and the rest.
Brundle said: "I think Ralf will win the championship because he's got a team-mate who can get between him and Michael, while Michael hasn't got a team-mate who can get between him and Ralf.
"The McLarens and the Renaults can also sometimes get between Ralf and Michael."
But Brundle does admit that the older Schumacher's genius behind the wheel could yet make the difference. "The only problem [with that theory] is that Michael is a bit good," said Brundle.
His fellow ex-driver Mark Blundell, speaking with Brundle at a news conference to promote next weekend's British Grand Prix, believes the Ferrari driver will come through to win a record sixth title.
"I said at the beginning of the year that Michael would win it, but now you've got to wonder," Blundell said. "But if I have to pin my colours to anyone, I'll go with Michael because when you get down to battling in the last couple of races, Michael knows what it's like and I'm not sure Ralf will be able to handle it."
Michael Schumacher leads the championship by eight points from Raikkonen, but Ralf has closed to within 11 points of his brother with two wins in the last two races.
Brundle believes the Silverstone race on 20 July could be the decisive moment of the season. "It can turn around so quickly - three or four races ago everyone was saying: 'What's the matter with Williams' and 'Ralf's off to Toyota'.
"But Williams have a lot of momentum and we have a period coming up where Ferrari can't test and sort their tyres out [because of a testing ban between Silverstone and the Hungarian GP on 24 August].
"Silverstone is a pivotal race. If you look at the ramp of Williams' form, if they continue that, they'll win the championship," Brundle said.
Bureau Report