Wednesday March 29th, 2000

By Tony Roddam

Formula One championship leader Michael Schumacher on Wednesday criticised the sport's ruling body FIA for its failure to introduce tyre protection systems.

Schumacher said he was worried by the spectacular and potentially fatal accidents caused by Grand Prix cars' tyres touching at high speed.

"If you get tyre contact, you get cars airborne. I remember Fittipaldi in 1993 in Monza. I see this as the most significant danger for both driver and spectator," said Schumacher during a visit to Dublin to promote an exhibition of historic Alfa Romeo cars.

"One day a car will go into the crowd. This is something the FIA really has to get sorted out. We are paid to some degree to accept the risk but we try to minimise that. But spectators, that's a different story."

Schumacher, currently 12 points ahead of nearest rival Giancarlo Fisichella in this year's championship after victories in his Ferrari in Melbourne and Brazil, said Ayrton Senna's death in a crash at Imola in 1994 had focused his mind on F1 safety.

But the former champion said the FIA was reluctant to implement the changes which could be achieved simply.

"I don't understand why they haven't gone forward to do these things. You really have to ask why they are not doing it."

Natural Talent

Asked whether 20-year-old Jenson Button was safe to race in F1 despite a relative lack of experience, Schumacher said he had no worries about the championship's youngest points scorer.

"Natural talent is the most important thing for a racing driver. To get into a car and be fast immediately - and he seems to have this talent," he said.

Schumacher said Button now had to learn to combine his natural talent with an understanding of the mechanical and tactical aspects of Formula One.

"But he has the talent, ability and the right to be there."

Schumacher said he was now fully recovered from the crash at the British Grand Prix last year when his Ferrari ploughed off the track at high speed into a crash barrier, breaking his leg.

"I had a fitness check before Brazil which was far, far better than I have ever been in the past," he said.

Asked whether he had a target for retiring, Schumacher said he had no plans to quit as long as he was physically and mentally able to compete.

"I think you have to feel that your body at one stage will tell you (to go). But Nigel Mansell did this into his 40s. I feel still very much on a high."