Schumacher expecting no favours from Ralf

Michael Schumacher is prepared to see his dream of a record sixth World Championship wrecked by his brother Ralf.

The 34-year-old knows he cannot expect a helping hand from his younger sibling in the battle for the drivers’ crown even though his own title chances are slim.

“It’s his job and I would do exactly the same if I was in his position,” said Schumacher. “Ralf works for Williams, not for me.”

Schumacher leads the championship by just one point from his brother’s team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya while McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen is one point further adrift with only two races left after this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Though Ralf is mathematically still in the hunt, it is unlikely he can overturn a 14-point deficit and will more likely have to play a support role at the final races in the United States and Japan.

That will raise the thorny issue of team orders which were outlawed after last year’s Ferrari farrago in Austria when Rubens Barrichello was told to move over for Schumacher.

But that is unlikely to stop the use of team tactics rather than orders though FIA, the sport’s world governing body, will be closely monitoring the outcome of races.

“The thing is this can be interpreted in different ways which is going to be interesting to see,” said Schumacher.

Montoya insists he will not be looking to his team-mate for support, saying: “At the moment I am just focusing on my job. If I want to win the championship I have to beat everybody else and that includes Ralf. He is not out of it yet.

“But I am not focusing on the championship, just on the races and what I have to do which is score more points than Michael and Kimi.

“I could be right out of the championship at the end of this weekend or right in it. At the end of the day we will add up the points and see if we have enough to win the championship.

“The Formula One World Championship is the biggest thing in motorsport so it probably would be the biggest thing of my career.”