MICHAEL SCHUMACHER has found a new rival — and he's not from another team, like Mika Hakkinen of McLaren a few years back. Nor is he from his own Ferrari team, like Rubens Barrichello.
His toughest competition comes from his own family — his younger brother Ralf, who has bested him in the last four races.
Ralf Schumacher led from start to finish to capture the French Grand Prix, the first time this season a driver has won without losing the lead, even during pit stops. Not even Michael can say that during his four wins this year.
It was a second straight win for Ralf Schumacher. With teammate Juan Pablo Montoya second, 13.8 seconds behind, it was the second consecutive 1-2 win for Williams BMW.
Michael Schumacher took third after languishing in fifth most of the race, helped when both McLaren cars ahead of him had problems. Kimi Raikkonen ended fourth and David Coulthard fifth.
Ralf Schumacher has had two victories, a second and a fourth since June 1. Over the same span, brother Michael has had a victory, a second, a third and a fifth. Michael still has a lead of 64-56 over Raikkonen but Ralf has been coming up. He is just three points from Raikkonen now after a slow start. Ralf downplayed his chances for the title for now.
"Certainly every driver who joins Formula One would love to win the title one day. Honestly, I am waiting very long for that and I am aware of the situation that it might be possible this year, but it is still so far away still,'' he said. "Since the points are so different this year, the gaps are a lot smaller and it became more difficult simply. Let's wait and see what the next races are doing and then continue talking about it maybe.''
Now with six races left, the point structure this year has changed to make it closer. Second place is worth eight points compared to six points a year ago, with a victory still counting for 10 points. With six races to go last year, Michael Schumacher clinched his fifth world title. He knows things can change.
"We had phases where we were behind and suddenly minor things make the thing turn,'' he said. "It is not like we are completely lost. I gained another point in the championship lead to Kimi (Raikkonen). So all-in-all, we know we are a bit behind the Williams, but we feel confident that we can change it around.'' Ralf said he understands that.
"In Formula One, you can never be confident. I think we are doing a very good job all together at the moment,'' he said.
"But you never know. All of a sudden they could make a big step. It is going to be very tough, I'm sure, but we will try and stay where we are and to keep basically going from race to race and trying to get the next result out of it.''
"It might look good at the moment but it can all change around. There is still quite a few races to go so I don't want to think about it at the moment,'' Ralf said.
Michael Schumacher closed to 19.5 seconds at the end of the 70 laps of the 4.411-kilometre (2.74-mile) Magny Cours circuit but it was never a race as the Williamses moved away.
Mark Webber, in a Jaguar, was sixth and Barrichello in the other Ferrari was seventh. Olivier Panis drove his Toyota in eighth.
Ralf Schumacher had the pole position for the third time in four races.
The two Williams cars were 1-2 virtually all the way. Ralf was the last of the leaders to have his first pit stop and stayed in first after his at the end of 18 laps and through the second and third pit stops as well.
Midway through the race, Ralf led by 8.1 seconds over Montoya, with Raikkonen 16.8 seconds behind. Michael Schumacher was in fifth, almost 25 seconds back and losing nearly a second a lap.
On the third round of pit stops starting with about 22 laps to go, the McLarens came in early and it lost them a place to Michael Schumacher, who stayed out five laps longer before stopping.
Both Williams drivers eased off in the final laps and were never challenged.
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