Tuesday October 29th, 2002

By Alan Baldwin

Ferrari's World Champion Michael Schumacher has warned his Formula One rivals not to expect rule changes to slow him down in Grand Prix qualifying next season.

"I especially find the change to the qualifying format rather positive because I can set a fast lap time straight away," Schumacher's spokeswoman Sabine Kehm quoted the five-times champion as saying on Tuesday.

Qualifying will take place over two days, with each driver given a single flying lap on their own in each hour-long session, officials announced on Monday. Friday's times will not count towards the grid but will dictate the starting order for Saturday's decisive session, with the fastest running last.

The German, resting at home after setting a string of records and dominating the 2002 season with 11 wins in 17 races, expressed approval of the rule changes announced by the governing FIA's Formula One commission on Monday.

He said that the changes, which included awarding points to the top eight race finishers rather than just the first six and also halving the gap between first and second place, were "globally okay."

Italian Giancarlo Fisichella, who drives for Jordan, also supported the qualifying changes as did compatriot Jarno Trulli at Renault.

"I experienced something similar when I drove for Alfa Romeo in international Touring Cars," said Fisichella of the one lap shoot-out. "It's a worthwhile idea."

Reduced Gap

Fisichella told the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper that he also welcomed the changes in scoring.

"If, as happened this year, the three leading teams don't have any problems then we must fight for seventh place and it's right that whoever finishes there should be rewarded," said the Roman.

Trulli, who serves with Schumacher as one of three driver representatives to the governing FIA, said he had hoped more laps would be allowed in Friday's session but agreed it would improve the show for spectators.

"It's also right to reduce the gap between first and second," he said. "Four points was too much."

However former Grand Prix regular Mark Blundell raised doubts about the merits of the new system, having experienced it in CART in the 1990s.

"Single car qualifying is a good, guaranteed spectacle for the paying public and it sure sets your pulse racing when you go out at the banked Fontana speedway in California for example to do your single lap in front of 100,000 people," he told Britain's Guardian newspaper.

"But I'm not sure this is the way to go for Formula One. It takes away the technique of having to pick your chances in traffic and it will be a really bum deal for a driver if the weather changes during the session."

Schumacher regretted the decision by teams to axe the Belgian Grand Prix from the calendar as a result of local legislation banning tobacco advertising.

"I find it naturally sad that Spa is no longer on the calendar because the track is associated with many fond memories," said Schumacher who made his debut at the Ardennes track in 1991 and has won there six times in all.

While his brother Ralf at Williams has said he will not miss Spa, Fisichella and Trulli disagreed.

"It's a real shame to have lost it because it was one of the most beautiful circuits," Trulli told the Gazzetta.

Published at 14:21:20 GMT