Records and stats don't matter, says Schumacher

WORLD champion Michael Schumacher dismissed his latest Formula One record as meaningless after winning yesterday's Spanish Grand Prix.

The German already held records for the number of titles, wins, championship points and fastest laps among others and added another to that list when he equalled the best-ever start to a season.

His fifth win from five races, coming despite an exhaust problem in Barcelona, put Schumacher level with Nigel Mansell, who enjoyed a similar run at the start of the 1992 season.

But Schumacher, who beat Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello to the chequered flag with Renault's Jarno Trulli third, insists he does not care for records.

"A lot of nice numbers came together this weekend but on the other side we look to the next one because that's the way our sport is," he said.

"I don't drive for statistics. If they happen they make me proud but that's not what keeps me going.

"The next race is in Monte Carlo and it's a very prestigious race. Just for that it would be ideal to win but racing is unpredictable.

"It doesn't make much sense for me to talk about statistics it's not something that is important to me," he said.

Schumacher revealed he had feared his winning run would grind to a halt midway through the 66-lap race when an exhaust problem developed on his Ferrari.

He was forced to ease off slightly to try to save his car, although the problem did not prevent him stretching out a 13.2-second lead over Barrichello by the end of the race.

Schumacher said: "Unfortunately it happened very early, the team noticed it after the first pitstop and Ross Brawn came on to the radio and said 'there's not very much we can do, we can just hope it will last'.

"It wasn't very optimistic what he was saying and, knowing what an exhaust failure means usually, I wasn't optimistic. I just did what I was able to do. I couldn't really slow down too much as it would have hurt more."

Schumacher said that he was surprised not to have a BAR pushing him hard yesterday.

Jenson Button had looked exceptionally quick in practice before a mistake ruined his qualifying lap, forcing him to start 14th.

His BAR team-mate Takuma Sato, on the other hand, enjoyed his best-ever qualifying session in Formula One and lined up third.

Schumacher had expected to be threatened by the Japanese at some stage but instead Sato drifted back to fifth, while Button could only creep up to eighth.

"I knew the Renaults would be very fast in race pace but I thought the BARs would be as well I don't know what happened to those guys," he said.

Trulli's superb start set him on the way for his first podium finish of the season, but the Italian said that he had simply got lucky. Schumacher said that he was stunned to see the Renault storm past him at the run down to the first corner and Trulli explained he had fluked a perfect start.

He said: "It was on the limit of a jump start it was one of those starts that you probably have once in your lifetime.

"My reaction wasn't due to the lights going out, I released the clutch and at the same time the green light came on.

"I hope this is not going to be the first and last time I'm on the podium this season, I hope to be here more than once," he said.

Home hero Fernando Alonso moved from eighth on the grid to fourth in his Renault while Ralf Schumacher brought his Williams home sixth with Sauber's Giancarlo Fisichella seventh. David Coulthard struggled to 10th in his McLaren.

Juan Pablo Montoya, who started from a season-best second on the grid, retired after 46 laps when he was already out of contention for a podium due to a brake problem.

The warm-up lap had been disrupted by a man who found his way onto the track and paraded with a makeshift banner. He was swiftly removed by a marshal and the race start was not affected.

Circuit officials last night issued a statement claiming the man who they identified only by his initials, JMC regularly pulls similar stunts at other sporting events.

The statement added: "The Circuit de Catalunya is now investigating the fact and the circumstances surrounding it, and is waiting for the official police report in order to take necessary measures and avoid similar situations in the future."