Ferrari chief backs Schu over points

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has joined forces with Michael Schumacher in criticising Formula One’s current points system as “absurd.”

Five-times world champion Schumacher captured the lead in this season’s title race for the first time on Sunday with his victory in the Canadian Grand Prix at Montreal.

It was Schumacher’s fourth race win. But under revised regulations introduced at the start of the season it means the German only has a three-point cushion to nearest rival Kimi Raikkonen of McLaren, who has won just once.

In seasons past, Schumacher would have been a far more comfortable nine points clear, with the situation prompting the 34-year-old to voice his unhappiness.

Di Montezemolo, although delighted to see Schumacher back on top of the championship standings, believes his driver has a point.

“Michael truly demonstrated one more time that he is simply the best. It was a huge performance and he drove an extraordinary race, especially as he had several problems,” extolled de Montezemolo on Schumacher’s Canadian success.

“To go top of the championship was important in spite of this absurd points system. Schumacher only has a small advantage at the top of the table despite winning four races to Kimi Raikkonen’s one.”

Schumacher, who took his F1 career points total to 999 with the win at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, is at least happy both he and Ferrari are back in front as the team have a healthy lead in the constructors’ race.

“Now we head both championships and in my opinion this is only right,” said Schumacher on www.ferrari.it, and who started three days of testing at Silverstone today.

“I have won four races and Kimi (Raikkonen) only one. It seems quite odd that with these results only three points divide us.

“But this is the natural consequence of the new regulations that were introduced for precisely this reason. In any case, we are ahead and this really pleases me.”

The implementation of the new system was designed to prevent a runaway success as happened last year when Schumacher wrapped up his record-equalling fifth title at the French Grand Prix in July.

Raikkonen’s four second-placed finishes have kept the Finn in touch with Schumacher, ensuring that so far it is a closer-run contest this year.