Formula One: Schumacher Heaps Unsurprised By Hamilton Rise

Lewis Hamilton has listened to plenty of praise for his down-home modesty and level-headedness despite a start to his rookie season in formula one that, with 22 drivers championship points from three races, borders on brilliance. It is just as well there is no great balloon of ego to prick, for when the last prodigy to make such an impression on the grand prix pit lane spoke here yesterday, it was not quite to lavish praise on the Briton. But then Michael Schumacher is a man rarely given to overstatement.

It is not that the seven-times world champion is unimpressed; more that Schumacher is merely unsurprised after witnessing Hamilton's talent flower during last year's GP2 series. "He has been doing a very good job, and that is not a surprise to me after seeing his races last year in particular," said Schumacher, here yesterday to mark the 60th anniversary of the first Ferrari competing in a race at Piacenza on May 11, 1947. "It is maybe a surprise that he can deliver it so consistently. But there you go. He is well prepared, he is quick and he does the job."

"Does the job" might seem close to damnation with faint praise but, even though he is no longer a competitor, it was never Schumacher's way to talk up other drivers. And, as he is quick to point out, Hamilton is not the only fast youngster on the grid.

"It has been very exciting to watch the races," said the German. "It has been pretty exciting with new drivers and new faces. There is a much tighter competition, so it has been nice to watch it."

Schumacher, who memorably stopped to congratulate Hamilton on his driving prowess in the Monza pit lane during the 2006 Italian grand prix weekend, made no secret of his regard for the 22-year-old, but stopped short of endorsing him unreservedly as a future world champion. "We will find out," he said. "We have quite a few great drivers in the field, so we will see."

Schumacher's seven-month absence from the paddock since finishing fourth in last year's Brazilian grand prix has hardly made him more open and gregarious. Whether discussing his private life or his new role as a Ferrari consultant, he retains the aloof, enigmatic air he projected during 15 years in the formula one cockpit.

Asked if there was any danger of his presence in the Ferrari camp disrupting the routine of drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, said he would be staying out of the way. "I would not be here if that was the case," he said. "All my participation is to help in any means that I can and not to distract."

Schumacher made it clear that he had no grandiose ambitions to return to the pit lane as a driver. Nor was he particularly interested in perhaps one day running the Ferrari team. "Neither. Absolutely not," he said. "I just don't want to. I have other ambitions in life other than that one."

He also does not intend to act as talent scout for young talents who might be potential Ferrari drivers of the future. "I am more looking at the team structure and what is going on inside the team," he said. "That is the main focus I have, as well as the road car development. I am not looking at the drivers at the moment.

"I don't think there is a point to go through my agenda here and now, to get into the details. I like to keep that the way I mentioned it, because there is no such guideline that has to be followed for what I have to do. Ferrari are doing incredibly well. They have restructured the company in a very good way, so obviously there is much less possibility to be of support.

"I am happy to see the way things are going. It is the same for Ross [Brawn, the former Ferrari technical director who has this year taken a sabbatical] and myself, when you have been in a team like this and made so many friends, and you leave that part of work you feel happy to see the success continuing and they can still do the job they do."

Schumacher also commented pointedly on the performance of Raikkonen, his successor as Massa's team-mate. "It is not my part of work to analyse the drivers," he said. "Certainly I have my view, but I don't think it is my job to make that public honestly. I am happy that we as a team are doing well and we can win the championship. That is all that counts."

Head to head


Lewis Hamilton


First F1 season 2007


Australian GP

March 18 2007

3rd place finish 6pts


Malaysian GP

April 8 2007

2nd place finish and fastest lap 8pts


Bahrain GP

April 15 2007

2nd place finish 8pts


Points so far 22


Michael Schumacher First F1 season 1991


Belgium GP

August 25 1991

Retired, did not finish

Italian GP

September 8 1991

5th place finish 2 pts


Portuguese GP September 22 1991

6th place finish 1pt


Spanish GP September 29 1991

6th place finish 1pt


Japanese GP

October 20 1991

Retired, did not finish

Australian GP November 3 1991

Retired, did not finish

Season tally 4 points