Fisichella better than Schumacher: F1 drivers

Agence France-Presse, Melbourne, Australia

Formula One drivers have overlooked five-time world champion Michael Schumacher to name Italian Giancarlo Fisichella as the best in the sport.

Schumacher may have won 64 races in 178 starts with such dominance to prompt an overhaul of the rules, but he was not the sport's number one, according to his peers behind the wheel in a poll after last season's racing.

The inaugural Drivers' Driver of the Year award was instead handed to a rival who has started 107 grand prix without a single win.

Fisichella, 30, is unlikely to break through for his maiden win in Sunday's season-opening Australian GP here, but many of F1's cognoscenti believe the Jordan man to be the best in the business.

Former Ferrari driver Jean Alesi raised eyebrows last year when he claimed Fisichella was a superior driver to Schumacher.

But when it was made official by fellow drivers at the completion of 2002, Fisichella was delighted.

"Of course I am very happy," Fisichella said on Wednesday as he prepared himself for the 2003 season opener.

"It was very important to me to win the Driver's Driver and I'd like thank to my colleagues.

"To win that trophy was very important to me -- it was a fantastic day, and a nice party!"

The new rules introduced for 2003 were designed to create some upset results, but while many would cherish a Fisichella victory, he was less than upbeat about the Jordan-Cosworth's chances of getting him to a checkered flag.

"The new rules are very interesting, they're a bit better for the experienced drivers, and I am one of them so I feel confident," Fisichella said.

"But obviously you need a good car and at the moment our car is good, it's better than last year, but I don't know if it's better enough.

"Unfortunately at the moment we do not have enough money to spend on the car."

Like any Italian in motorsport, Fisichella's ultimate goal was to drive for Ferrari, but after seven years in F1, his chance may have disappeared.

"It's my dream, it's my target, but I don't know," Fisichella said.

"It does frustrate me a bit but I hope to one day drive a good car.

"Who knows, maybe this year Jordan will be good."

The new rules include one-shot qualifying, a ban on team orders artificially changing a race's outcome and a revamped points system.