Schumacher concedes Ferrari season a write-off

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER has written off this season and urged Ferrari to concentrate on building a car capable of winning the world championship next year.

Schumacher goes into this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix 40 points behind Renault’s Fernando Alonso in the drivers’ standings.

“At the moment [winning the title] is not the most important thing for us,” said the German.

“We have to do the best with what we have. Losing composure is pointless.”

The seven-time world champion also revealed his disappointment at finishing fifth in front of his home fans in Hockenheim last weekend.

“It was incredible to see how the fans supported us during the weekend,” he added.

“In exchange, we had to try to give something back to our fans. To be honest, I would have liked to have given them even more.

“There was simply nothing else to be done. Now we have to get back to the top.”

Ferrari return to the Hungaroring this weekend a year on from sealing a record sixth consecutive constructors’ title.

Meanwhile, David Coulthard has been collared by police after driving his racing car through Turkey.

The Red Bull ace took his motor for a spin across the Bosphorus Bridge, but forgot to pay his toll fee and was pulled over.

Coulthard was in Turkey to promote the sport, but that cut no ice with the police and he was hit with a €20 fine.

Fortunately, the Scot didn’t have to smash open his piggy bank, with his team generously agreeing to stump up the cash.

Turkey’s Anatolia news agency said: “The driver was picked up by the automatic surveillance system when he was driving across the Bosphorus Bridge in his Formula 1 car.”

Apparently only the president, traffic police and emergency workers have the right to cross the bridge for nothing.

BAR have not offered Williams any ‘driver-plus-cash’ deal in a bid to keep Jenson Button, team boss Nick Fry said last night.

“No offer has been made and there have been no discussions,” he said.

“I’ve read a number of stories which have suggested a deal is being put together. That is not the case.”

British newspapers reported that the Honda-powered team planned to offer Williams their highly-rated test driver Anthony Davidson plus a significant cash sum in exchange for allowing Button to stay at BAR.