Schumacher aims for seventh win in a row<\/p>\n
SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters): While Michael Schumacher chases a
\nmagnificent seventh win in Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix, the
\nsame number means only misery for his Ferrari teammate Rubens
\nBarrichello.<\/p>\n
Formula One world champion Schumacher has won the past six
\ngrands prix in a row, the first driver in 48 years to achieve
\nsuch a run, and is the overwhelming favorite to make it seven at
\nInterlagos after also winning there in 2000.<\/p>\n
If he does, then superstitious punters with a sense of history
\nwill consider all bets off on the title race.<\/p>\n
Since 1993, the winner of the Brazilian Grand Prix has without
\nfail gone on to win the championship.<\/p>\n
The last exception to the rule was local hero Ayrton Senna,
\nwith the Brazilian losing out at the end of the 1993 season to
\nFrench rival Alain Prost.<\/p>\n
That statistic does not give much comfort to Brazilian
\nBarrichello. Nor does the fact that, whereas Schumacher has never
\nbeen out of the points in Brazil, Barrichello has failed to
\nfinish at Interlagos for the past six years.<\/p>\n
Seven in a row is something he must avoid.<\/p>\n
But Barrichello might take solace in another fact: The last
\ndriver to win six races in a row was Italian Alberto Ascari and
\nwhen the run finally ended in 1953, it was his Ferrari teammate
\nMike Hawthorn who ended it.<\/p>\n
Ascari's streak lasted nine races however.<\/p>\n
For history to repeat itself exactly, Barrichello would have
\nto wait until Austria in May to beat his teammate and all the
\nsigns are that the Brazilian is losing patience.<\/p>\n
Sharp words<\/p>\n
He has won just one race in his Formula One career, in Germany
\nlast year, and nothing would compare to winning his home grand
\nprix.<\/p>\n
Barrichello was upset to be overtaken by Schumacher on a
\nslippery rain-soaked track in Malaysia nine days ago, describing
\nthe maneuver as \"a bit sad to be honest\".<\/p>\n
However Ferrari team boss Jean Todt brushed off any
\nsuggestions of a rift between the two drivers, while Schumacher
\nhimself said Barrichello was just being Brazilian.<\/p>\n
\"He has the typical temperament of a man from the south,\" the
\nGerman, who has also been on pole for the last six races, told
\nItaly's Gazzetta dello Sport last week.<\/p>\n
\"I'm sure that if you spoke to him now he would give you a
\ncompletely different reply compared to what he said in the heat
\nof the moment.\"<\/p>\n
But Barrichello's more recent comments in Brazil suggest the
\nfires are still burning deep inside him.<\/p>\n
\"I don't want to be the number two forever,\" he was quoted as
\nsaying in the Rio newspaper O Globo.<\/p>\n
\"My main challenge now is to beat Schumacher.<\/p>\n
\"Even though I haven't yet managed to be ahead of Schumacher,
\nI feel good, given that 550 people work for him at Ferrari and
\nnot for me. But this is normal because he is in his sixth year
\nthere.<\/p>\n
\"(Former team mate Eddie) Irvine accepted being one second
\nbehind him but I don't and fight for my ideals.<\/p>\n
\"There is always the possibility of becoming a champion, even
\nif Michael Schumacher is in your team.\"<\/p>\n
The McLarens of Briton David Coulthard and Finland's Mika
\nHakkinen, winner of two of the last three races here, will be
\nlooking to get back on the pace after a difficult first two races
\ntrailing behind the Ferraris.<\/p>\n
But Coulthard, disqualified from second place at Interlagos
\nlast year on a technicality, has already said that the team may
\nhave to wait until the circus returns to Europe next month before
\nany significant improvement is seen.<\/p>\n
Brazilians will have plenty to cheer, with four drivers
\ncompeting and three of them -- Jaguar's Luciano Burti, Arrows'
\nEnrique Bernoldi and Minardi's Tarso Marques -- yet to score a
\ncareer point.<\/p>\n
Interlagos will also be the closest thing to a home race for
\nWilliams' Colombian newcomer Juan Pablo Montoya, who is still
\nlooking for his first Formula One finish.<\/p>\n
Safety, more of a concern than ever following the death of a
\nmarshal in the opening race in Australia, will be in the
\nspotlight at a circuit fined heavily in 2000 after advertising
\nbillboards fell onto the track during qualifying.<\/p>\n
The ruling International Automobile Federation (FIA) will be
\nmonitoring lap times and is expected to decide after Interlagos
\nwhether to act to reduce car speeds.<\/p>",
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