Ralf Schumacher has suggested that Toyota is at least partly to blame for his disastrous 2007 season so far.
The German, a winner of six grands prix, has borne the brunt of a media scathing this season, after failing to match up to his teammate Jarno Trulli at the wheel of the TF107.
But 31-year-old Schumacher said he is less concerned about his 0:6 qualifying record against Trulli than with the uncompetitive car he currently drives.
“Our basic level of performance is not high enough, and we are not collecting enough points,” the broadcaster Premiere quoted him as saying.
“Teams that were behind us at the start of the season are now in front, and that is a factor that has nothing to do with my qualifying statistics.”
Ralf’s latest comments could be interpreted as a reaction to the knock his reputation has taken in 2007 — or possibly the speculated Indianapolis ‘deadline’ by which he must either have improved or face an early exit from his seat.
He admits that he is frustrated that in formula one, driver performance cannot overcome the shortcomings of a bad car.
“That is the disadvantage of the sport,” Ralf said. “It is not like GP2, where all the cars are the same and you can just brake ten metres later than your teammate and be a hero.
“In formula one, there are so many factors.”
He rubbished theories that a driver like his elder brother Michael could turn around Toyota’s poor form, suggesting that the “biggest difference” between Ferrari and the other top teams in recent years were Ross Brawn, Rory Byrne and Jean Todt.
“People like that would help us, absolutely,” Schumacher said. “Michael was clearly a big component, but he did not build the car.
“Without the people around him, he would have got nowhere.”
