Schumacher doubts he can match 2004 start

World champion Michael Schumacher believes he will struggle to match last season’s blistering start of five wins from the first five races.

He begins his title defence in Australia next month in an updated version of last season’s all-conquering Ferrari, which has been modified to meet new aerodynamic regulations.

Schumacher, aged 36, will not get his hands on the 2005 car until the fifth race of the season in Spain.

But despite setting similar lap times as its predecessor, the German is concerned the Scuderia’s new car might be off the pace.

“It’s encouraging to see that the modified car already laps as fast as the hybrid (test) one but I keep thinking that a difficult start of the season awaits us,” he told Gazetta dello Sport.

“We must keep in mind that we are using a car which is basically the one used last year and it’s therefore at its maximum development. I’m aware that we are facing a very difficult challenge – if not an impossible one – during the first phase of the championship.”

Schumacher knows he will be driving a proven car – the last time he broke down was in his home grand prix four years ago, a record that no other team can come anywhere near to matching.

But Schumacher, who is in his 10th season with the Italian outfit, knows that his rivals’ performance levels should be higher from the off.

“They will be using completely new cars which they need to learn how to set up properly and they can count on vast margins of improvement,” he added.

“There’s still over a month to go to Melbourne so they can surely improve.”