`Both drivers will have to push hard`
Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn hailed the achievements of the team`s two drivers after the former world champions secured the top places for Sunday`s Bahrain Grand Prix. Seven-time world championship winner Michael Schumacher clinched pole position here Saturday, beating his new team-mate Brazilian Felipe Massa into second.
Last season saw Ferrari deposed of both their drivers` and constructors` crowns, as the Italian team struggled with new technical regulations in the sport. Schumacher won just one race last season, the controversial United States Grand Prix in which just six cars raced.

The German driver was ecstatic to have equalled legendary Brazilian Ayrton Senna`s number of 65 pole positions.

Brawn said: "I am pleased with the result, especially with Felipe`s performance. He (Schumacher) has been intense this winter. In a strange way, he has been rejuvenated with the failure of last year and he has been a hard man to live with this winter, but in a nice way."

Ferrari newcomer Massa, who arrived from Sauber this year, sealed a Ferrari one-two at the Sakhir track for Formula One`s maiden race of the 2006 season. Brawn anticipates that Massa, who replaced compatriot Rubens Barrichello at Ferrari, will provide healthy competition for Schumacher.
It was Schumacher`s first pole position since the Hungarian Grand Prix in July last year.

"They have started very well," said Brawn. "We saw today that Felipe is going to be capable of pushing Michael and I think that Michael welcomes that. It is always a challenge because fundamentally they want to beat each other but you have to make them work together. And that is the secret; to get them to work together and give them the opportunity to beat each other."

Massa, 24, will start tomorrow`s race from the front row for the first time in his career.

After a superb effort that left him less than 0.1 seconds slower than his team-mate, he added: "The team is encouraging both drivers to push very hard and be in the best position possible. We are starting first and second but I think our competitors are very strong. We will not have an easy race so both drivers will have to push hard from beginning to the last lap."

Tags: grand-prix,