Ready to take on Renault, Honda and McLarenSeven-time world champion Michael Schumacher believes his Ferrari team as well as title holders Renault, Honda and McLaren Mercedes will be locked in a four way fight for the Formula One crown this season.
"I think we`ll see a very close fight between three or four teams," Schumacher told Autosport magazine. "I am pretty optimistic we`ll be one of them along with Renault and Honda I think. Whether we`ll win it, we`ll see, but we`ll be in it, I think."
The 37-year-old German heads into the season, which starts in Bahrain on March 12, hoping to bury memories of a disappointing 2005, in which his Ferrari was rarely competitive. He won just one race and that was the six-car farce at Indianapolis. But he believes pre-season testing means that the new Ferrari car won`t be far from the pace.
"If you look now, we`re pretty competitive. We`re there with our lap times and that`s very promising for us," he said.
Despite many paddock rumours pushing him towards retirement this year, Schumacher insists he still has a burning passion for racing.
"I feel very different, simply because after you`ve had a story of success like we had, to then have a hard season... you sort of get tired by the end of a season like that," he said.
"After a season like that, to then be off the pace all winter would be very tough. It`s very consuming on the energy side.
"Whereas now it`s the opposite to last season. You feel so much more motivated and happy to run with this car, see you`re there and that you can fight them maybe. It`s great."
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