F1 rivals have huge task to match Ferrari

EDDIE IRVINE uttered the words that all but the Ferrari faithful wanted to hear by predicting that Michael Schumacher would again prove unbeatable in 2003.

The new season may be 20 weeks away but few people up and down the grand prix paddock would disagree with Irvine and back one of the five time champion’s rival drivers for when the campaign gets underway in Melbourne’s Albert Park on March 9.

The figures tell the story. Schumacher won a record 11 races this season and Ferrari triumphed 15 times from 17 attempts, claiming one-twos with Rubens Barrichello on nine occasions.

Schumacher and Ferrari’s dominance has led motor racing chiefs to come up with radical, many would say ridiculous, plans to make the sport more competitive.

Formula One ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone is proposing that Schumacher’s car be weighed he does not get excited by races, then something clearly needs to be done.

Formula One has not been helped by Ferrari’s refusal to allow their drivers to race, instead turning their domination into a succession of Sunday afternoon processions.

“The problem is Ferrari have done a brilliant job and Williams and McLaren haven’t done quite well enough and still less Renault, Jaguar so on,” said Mosley.

“When you are confronted with a problem like a falling television audience you should react. It is no good sitting there thinking they are all mad, they shouldn’t switch the television off.

“According to Bernie it has now started in the last few races to be quite serious and he is getting serious complaints from television companies. If they stop watching we have got to do something to make them watch.”

Superiority in F1 is as cyclical as the Stock Exchange and it should be remembered that Ferrari had to wait 21 years before Schumacher finally ended their search to regain the drivers’ title in 2000.

Unfortunately for the sport he shows no signs of relinquishing it.