It's not the end for Schumacher - Coulthard

David Coulthard refuses to believe Formula One will be witnessing the end of an era this weekend – despite Michael Schumacher suffering further ignominy.

The demise of the seven-time world champion and Ferrari is understandably attracting considerable attention, with a highly-emotional Italian public lamenting the fall of an idol and once all-conquering team.

Ferrari have spent the last six seasons dominating F1, Schumacher claiming the last five world championships with the Maranello marque.

But this season the defence of their titles has been feeble and both are due to be relinquished in front of their adoring tifosi at Monza on Sunday.

Schumacher trails world championship leader Fernando Alonso by 40 points and, unless he finishes in front of the Spaniard, his title defence will be over with four races remaining.

The story is a similar one in the constructors’ championship with Ferrari 44 points adrift of Renault and 35 behind McLaren.

At least Schumacher still carries the support of the fans, one banner at the track for Friday’s practice sessions reading: ‘Michael we are always by your side’.

He ended up closer than they were perhaps hoping for as he crashed out of the second hour-long run, spinning across the gravel at Parabolica before embedding the rear end of his car into the tyre wall, from the other side of which he watched the remaining half hour.

Many will see that as further evidence Schumacher’s glory days are drawing to a close, but Coulthard feels critics should not be sharpening their knives just yet.

“I’m not sure it’s as dramatic as it being the end of an era,” Red Bull Racing star Coulthard told PA Sport.

“Obviously nothing lasts forever, and Michael is still in Formula One anyway, and will be next year.

“Whether he is in decline, I don’t know. I can only observe, and I would be surprised if he was in terms of his potential performance.

“All you can do is compare Michael to his team-mate [Rubens Barrichello], and he is pretty much in the same place.

“What everybody would like to see is three or four competitive teams battling for the championship, and Michael being part of that.”

Instead, it is now Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen fighting it out for the title, yet Coulthard, 34, feels the gloss will be taken off any triumph either will enjoy at the end of the season.

“Whoever wins the championship this year, Fernando or Kimi, they will not have actually beaten Michael,” added Coulthard.

“Yes, they will have finished in front of him, and they will have won the title, but they can’t say they’ve beaten Michael Schumacher because the Ferrari is not in the same formula.

“Right now you’ve the Michelin formula and the Bridgestone formula. That’s the reality of the sport because tyres are so influential.

“For a more pure world championship, you need to have one manufacturer. That would take away a very big variable.

“I’ve raced in F1 when there’s been one tyre manufacturer, and obviously now when there is competition.

“The great thing with competition is being part of it, developing something that makes the car go quicker. There’s nothing better.

“But then the downside is if you end up with the wrong tyre – more so than with engine or chassis – you can’t win. As simple as that.

“As best as I can tell, all indication is their problem is tyres, and that’s affecting the whole package.”

But instead of poring over the downfall of Schumacher and Ferrari, Coulthard believes they should be glorified after their years of success.

“What’s remarkable is not that they are having a difficult year this year, but how incredible their performance was for five straight years. They redefined Formula One,” insisted Coulthard.

“They had a car that went seasons without failing, whereas McLaren still have a car that fails several times a year.

“I think the hat should still be firmly off to what they did, rather than spending too much time trying to work out their problem, whether it’s the car, Michael or the tyres.”