Schumacher aims for seventh win in a row

Schumacher aims for seventh win in a row

SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters): While Michael Schumacher chases a
magnificent seventh win in Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix, the
same number means only misery for his Ferrari teammate Rubens
Barrichello.

Formula One world champion Schumacher has won the past six
grands prix in a row, the first driver in 48 years to achieve
such a run, and is the overwhelming favorite to make it seven at
Interlagos after also winning there in 2000.

If he does, then superstitious punters with a sense of history
will consider all bets off on the title race.

Since 1993, the winner of the Brazilian Grand Prix has without
fail gone on to win the championship.

The last exception to the rule was local hero Ayrton Senna,
with the Brazilian losing out at the end of the 1993 season to
French rival Alain Prost.

That statistic does not give much comfort to Brazilian
Barrichello. Nor does the fact that, whereas Schumacher has never
been out of the points in Brazil, Barrichello has failed to
finish at Interlagos for the past six years.

Seven in a row is something he must avoid.

But Barrichello might take solace in another fact: The last
driver to win six races in a row was Italian Alberto Ascari and
when the run finally ended in 1953, it was his Ferrari teammate
Mike Hawthorn who ended it.

Ascari's streak lasted nine races however.

For history to repeat itself exactly, Barrichello would have
to wait until Austria in May to beat his teammate and all the
signs are that the Brazilian is losing patience.

Sharp words

He has won just one race in his Formula One career, in Germany
last year, and nothing would compare to winning his home grand
prix.

Barrichello was upset to be overtaken by Schumacher on a
slippery rain-soaked track in Malaysia nine days ago, describing
the maneuver as "a bit sad to be honest".

However Ferrari team boss Jean Todt brushed off any
suggestions of a rift between the two drivers, while Schumacher
himself said Barrichello was just being Brazilian.

"He has the typical temperament of a man from the south," the
German, who has also been on pole for the last six races, told
Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport last week.

"I'm sure that if you spoke to him now he would give you a
completely different reply compared to what he said in the heat
of the moment."

But Barrichello's more recent comments in Brazil suggest the
fires are still burning deep inside him.

"I don't want to be the number two forever," he was quoted as
saying in the Rio newspaper O Globo.

"My main challenge now is to beat Schumacher.

"Even though I haven't yet managed to be ahead of Schumacher,
I feel good, given that 550 people work for him at Ferrari and
not for me. But this is normal because he is in his sixth year
there.

"(Former team mate Eddie) Irvine accepted being one second
behind him but I don't and fight for my ideals.

"There is always the possibility of becoming a champion, even
if Michael Schumacher is in your team."

The McLarens of Briton David Coulthard and Finland's Mika
Hakkinen, winner of two of the last three races here, will be
looking to get back on the pace after a difficult first two races
trailing behind the Ferraris.

But Coulthard, disqualified from second place at Interlagos
last year on a technicality, has already said that the team may
have to wait until the circus returns to Europe next month before
any significant improvement is seen.

Brazilians will have plenty to cheer, with four drivers
competing and three of them -- Jaguar's Luciano Burti, Arrows'
Enrique Bernoldi and Minardi's Tarso Marques -- yet to score a
career point.

Interlagos will also be the closest thing to a home race for
Williams' Colombian newcomer Juan Pablo Montoya, who is still
looking for his first Formula One finish.

Safety, more of a concern than ever following the death of a
marshal in the opening race in Australia, will be in the
spotlight at a circuit fined heavily in 2000 after advertising
billboards fell onto the track during qualifying.

The ruling International Automobile Federation (FIA) will be
monitoring lap times and is expected to decide after Interlagos
whether to act to reduce car speeds.