Sunday October 13th, 2002

By Timothy Collings

Michael Schumacher saved the worst news of his record-breaking 2002 Formula One season for last on Sunday, at least as far as his rivals are concerned.

Given a chance to drop a hint about impending retirement the five-times champion chose instead to remind everyone listening that he intends to be around for a few more years yet.

It came in the wake of the 64th win of his career in Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, where he and Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello delivered their third successive one-two finish at the end of a season of unrivalled supremacy.

Asked who he thinks will succeed him as the next outright number one in the sport, he said: "You know, I don't know when the next young generation is coming, or who it will be, because it will be quite a while longer that I will be around..."

The collective groan in the pitlane was virtually audible all over Japan.

Not content with his record pile of victories, 11 this season, 64 in all, five at Suzuka, and Ferrari's red-hot season of nine one-twos and 221 points, as many as all the other teams added together, the 'red baron' wants more.

"I am still hungry," he said. "I love this job and it is not the driving that motivates me as much as the love I feel for the sport. I am not satisfied yet."

Proof of this deep interest in the whole of Formula One came immediately after the race.

Having dominated from start to finish, with something to spare, he was first to the winners' podium to wave to the crowd, but before going out for that his immediate question was about the outcome of the battle for places and points among the other teams.

He wanted to know about the performance of Takuma Sato, who finished fifth to score his first points for the Jordan team in his maiden season, and its significance to them and other teams, particularly Jaguar, Sauber and BAR.

Few drivers in Formula One, let alone one in his position, take much serious interest in their rivals fortunes.

He had time, too, to think of Ferrari's tyre suppliers Bridgestone and their Japanese staff who were celebrating a 70th win, on home soil, in their 100th Grand Prix.

And he remembered also his friend and Ferrari's technical director Ross Brawn, who was laid up back in England with back problems and had been unable to travel to the race.

"We hope you get well soon and look forward to seeing you in good health," said Schumacher who, at 33, looks poised to establish himself next year as holder of every conceivable record in the books.

"I expect next season to be tougher," he said. "The other teams will get closer. That will be a challenge, but I still think we will be in the fight for the titles and winning races. Maybe we won't be winning the races so consistently."

Most incredibly of all, Schumacher was able to thank his team for the unsurpassed reliability of his car after he had finished on the podium again, thus becoming the first man to do so for a full 17-race season.

Not content with becoming established as Mr Record-breaker, he also proved he could be modest and courteous, informed and curious. And, at 33, he is at the peak of all his powers, a talent unrivalled in his generation honed to perfection by a similarly unequalled determination, dedication and devotion to the job.

He is certainly capable, as most observers agree, of remaining at this high level of performance for at least another two or three years.

In that time, misfortunes and incidents notwithstanding, he will surely gather together the most astonishing collection of statistical records known in the sport.

Even if the sport's ruling body, the International Automobile Federation (FIA), introduce a system of ballast addition for the most successful teams and cars, it is unlikely to prevent this extraordinary German from continuing to win and lift championships.

In short, Schumacher is the first known champion in the history of Formula One to have been so fast, and so successful, that the sport's rulers have had to devise the means to slow him down.

But he intends to carry on racing and winning until he cannot do it anymore.

Published at 16:45:15 GMT