Post-retirement plans? Michael Schumacher plays Sevens with Wallabies Stephen Larkham, Matt Giteau, and Mark Gerrard.
As Melbourne prepares to get its F1 fix, the four-time champion at Albert Park, Michael Schumacher, was introduced to the press where Schumacher talked about the latest rule changes but danced around retirement talk. At 37, he is the oldest driver on the grid and his contract with Ferrari expires at season’s end. But Schumacher tried to avoid further speculation on the topic. “I don’t really want to get into that because it just leads to further speculation.”
Michael Schumacher turned up the heat on his successor as world champion ahead of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, questioning Fernando Alonso’s abilities in the tight clinches. The formula one legend and five-time drivers’ championship winner was asked his opinion of Alonso at a news conference yesterday afternoon. And although he described the young Spaniard as “a very fast guy”, he stared quizzically into the distance and said he was trying to think of an occasion when his Renault-driving rival had really locked horns with him.
“He’s a good competitor on the track (but) I just try to remember what kind of real fights we have had, the circuits where he could have overtaken me,” he said. “Last year at Imola, unfortunately that’s a track where on the day it was not really possible, but I don’t know that we have had real fights. He does a good job of protecting his position”. At Imola last year, Schumacher shadowed Alonso for the last 12 laps, waiting for his rival to slip up. But the Spaniard’s nerveless display in keeping out the Ferrari king handed him his third win in four rounds and added impetus to his successful title push.
TODAY’S EVENTS
10.20am: Formula 3 (practice)
10.55am: Carrera Cup (practice)
11.25am: Speed comparison
12.30pm: V8 supercars (practice)
1.15pm: Carrera Cup (qualifying)
1.50pm: Formula 3 (qualifying)
2.20pm: Speed comparison
2.45pm: V8 utes (qualifying)
3.20pm: Carrera Cup (race 1)
3.55pm: V8 supercars (qualifying)
5.00pm: Formula 3 (race 1)
5.40pm: V8 utes (race 1)
9.30am: V8 utes (practice)