With brothers like this, who needs enemies?

[Steeroid]

Read this on the Indian Express online today (www.newindpress.com) :

Schumacher may quit soon, says brother Ralf
Thursday June 16 2005 00:00 IST

Reuters

BERLIN: Michael Schumacher, enduring one of the longest winless streaks of his Formula One career, is not having fun in the sport he long dominated and may retire soon, his brother Ralf said on Wednesday.

"I don't believe that Michael will be driving for very much longer," Ralf said in an interview with Sport Bild newspaper of the seven-times world champion, including the last five titles for Ferrari.

"He'll stay as long as he's having fun with it. The success in past years was obviously a lot of fun for him. He's not having that fun at the moment and I'm very anxious to see what will happen if it stays like that until the end of the season."

Schumacher, 36, has a contract running through the 2006 season and has said he will keep racing for as long as he is still enjoying himself.

Schumacher has struggled badly this year, however, awaiting his 84th grand prix victory for more than eight months.

It is the longest winless spell for the German since 1993, excluding 1999 when he was sidelined with a broken leg.

Schumacher won 13 of the 18 races last season but has not finished higher than second in 2005. Schumacher is in fifth place in this year's championship, 35 points behind Renault's overall leader Fernando Alonso with 11 races remaining.

"Ferrari have passed their zenith," said Ralf, adding that Ferrari's problems were not just to with their tyres. "They've did a great job in past years but they're not doing it anymore.

"Mistakes have crept in in other areas (aside from tyres). It can be seen as a sign of weakness that Ferrari introduced their new car so late in the season. I'm not sure whether someone who has had such a successful time, as Ferrari has had, can still have the bite to fight back to the top."

Ralf, who drives for Toyota and lives in Austria, said he also expects a lot of top people around his brother to leave Ferrari once he retires.

"When Michael leaves then a lot of good people will leave at the same time," Ralf said. "After that it will be very difficult for Ferrari to get back to the top. I'm not sure that would even be possible."

[SCARLET]

Ralf will never drive for FERRARI no matter even if he wins the title
These comments seem familiar
remember the reliance brothers in india fighting it out

Brothers in Arms , enemies across the table

[turbo_lover]

IN YOUR FACE ! only your own blood can hurt you the most !

looking forward to michaels response

[Hatari]

there's nothing wrong with what ralf's saying
he's speaking.. not as a brother.. but as a rival ( as he should )
and i completely agree with what he's said, i consider it to be 100% true

he's not in F1 to run behind michael saying.. "bhaiya.. bhaiya"

[merve_extreme]

please dont give it such a tone of rivalary.there is nothing wrong about what Ralf has said.yes he is a little jealous of his brother but both Michael and Ralf have very good relation off the Track,if u can remember Indianapolis 2004.

it is obvious that he or anyone cannot even get closer to what Michael has achived.and i still belive it is not yet over for ferrari,michael will surely fight back and whenever he retires he will still be the Greatest F1 driver of this modern era.yes but when he retires Ferrari are gone.see what rubens achives with the same car,he is always half a second off michael's pace.

[Mpower]

Ralf is taking pleasure in pointing out the truch. That's all.

Although it may not go down too well with Michael and Ferrari.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by merve_extreme

please dont give it such a tone of rivalary.there is nothing wrong about what Ralf has said.yes he is a little jealous of his brother but both Michael and Ralf have very good relation off the Track,if u can remember Indianapolis 2004.

Doubt that. Ralf has always disliked being in big bros shadow, something that wouldnt have happened if he didnt choose the same profession.

If you remember the chap didnt even call his older brother to his wedding.

[merve_extreme]

i think i mentioned that Ralf is jealous of his brothers success.and i think he called no-one for his wedding.

[gr8guzzler]

Originally Posted by turbo_lover

looking forward to michaels response

Here you go......(courtesy: www.itv-f1.com)

SCHUMACHERS DENY QUIT STORIES
Last Updated: Friday, 17, June, 2005, 15:00

Michael Schumacher has quashed suggestions that he will retire from Formula 1 at the end of the season because he is no longer enjoying the sport.

The champion’s brother Ralf allegedly told the German media that Michael “will not be driving for very much longer”.

Ralf has since denied making any such statement.

“I don’t know what (the interviewer) wrote but he definitely didn’t write what I said,” Schumacher Jnr told the media in Indianapolis.

“I never mentioned that Michael is about to stop, so it is really weird.”

Ralf’s denial came shortly after Michael had criticised the alleged comments during a press conference at Indy.

“I don’t know how he comes up with that,” said the elder Schumacher.

“I speak with him and tell him how much I enjoy (F1) actually.”

Michael stressed that he is enjoying grand prix racing as much as ever even though this season has been an uphill struggle for himself and Ferrari.

“You don’t always need to win to be happy,” he said. “There were plenty of races (this season) that were great fun.

“So I’m not lacking fun, neither do I lack motivation.”

The seven-times world champion remains confident that Ferrari’s current winless streak is merely a blip in the team’s fortunes.

“There are phases like this that are not so successful, but we have been so successful that I think it’s pretty normal,” said Schumacher.

“I’m pretty happy to go through this as I’m pretty sure we will make our way up to the front again.”

[gr8guzzler]

Haven't we seen this happen so many times before....now Ralf says he never said Michael was retiring...Read this....(Courtesy: www.planet-f1.com)

Ralf: 'I never said them things about Michael retiring'
Friday June 17 2005

Ralf Schumacher has denied claiming that brother Michael is on the verge of quitting F1.

Ralf has seemingly conducted more interviews this season than he has scored World Championship points but is now bristling at quotes attributed to him earlier this week by Bild in which he apparently announced that Michael would retire at the end of the season.

"I don't know what he wrote but he didn't write what I said," Ralf told reporters at Indy. "I never mentioned that Michael is about to stop. I have no idea and I don't care."

As for when Michael will retire, Ralf has "no clue."

"I haven't asked. Michael is the only guy to ask, I have no idea and I don't care," he told Autosport.

"To me, it is great to have him here so I have no reason on earth to wish that he stops and I wouldn't think about it. When you stop is your own decision. One day each of us is going to say okay, we have had enough, or whatever, but I don't know when will be the time for him or the time for me."

[V-16]

to each his own. guess they have a bone to pick.

[karthik247]

what a rivalry..this one should be taken to the track