Ferrari confident of different gear on home circuit
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The pressure is mounting for the Scuderia to deliver this weekend. The team, whose domination earlier in the decade threatened the very fabric of Formula One, have not won a race for 10 months, and on that occasion Michael Schumacher and team-mate Rubens Barrichello staged a fly-past in the infamous farce that passed for a race in Indianapolis last June.
You have to trawl back to Suzuka in October 2004 for the last time Ferrari won a race fair and square. That is a lifetime by Formula One standards, and the tifosi andmedia are getting restless.
Spicing the weekend is the speculation about Kimi Raikkonen defecting from McLaren for 2007, and Schumacher's refusal to make a decision about his own future with the team until July at the earliest. However, after yesterday's performance in Imola, there is an air of definite optimism in the red camp.
Schumacher set the pace on a track that was still dirty, and therefore lacked grip, in the morning, and was close to his arch rival Fernando Alonso in the afternoon. Having insisted that Ferrari must win here before he actually arrived, yesterday he tried to play things down. "Every race is important for us," Schumacher said. "Words have been put in my mouth that this is a crucial race. We believe pretty strongly that we can be competitive here."
He exhibited zero interest speculating on his future: "I am pretty sure that once the decision is made you will be informed."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments