Schumacher is not worried by new McLaren

Michael Schumacher has contemptuously dismissed Formula One rivals McLaren’s new car as nothing special.

The Ferrari ace claimed he had nothing to fear after the MP4-18 – the car on which David Coulthard is pinning his hopes of a title fightback – made its belated bow last week.

The car had an inconclusive and unreliable three-day shakedown with McLaren’s reserve driver Alexander Wurz at the Paul Ricard circuit in the South of France.

The MP4-18, the latest creation of design guru Adrian Newey, was restricted to just 27 laps of the French track following a few reliability problems.

And Schumacher, who has a perfect record in his F2003-GA model which was unleashed onto the grid two races ago, said: “I am not dramatically worried about their new car.

“We have such a masterpiece in our hands that I am sure it will survive the new McLaren. The races may be tighter, but that is not a worry for us.”