Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher are heading
for a shootout at Albert Park on Sunday. The two top drivers in
Formula One both said they rated the other as their biggest
threat in the Australian Grand Prix.
Alonso has the better form, as world champion and this year's series
leader for Renault.
Schumacher and Ferrari are rebounding from a terrible
year and the seven-time F1 champion said he still had the hunger to
win. Schumacher said yesterday. "Last year it was sometimes very
clear from the beginning that we had no chance, but it is so
exciting this year because we have so much more hope and trust in
the package that we can win."
Melbourne's usual place as the first grand prix of the season was
put in some doubt, after F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone flagged a
potential change because of the success of this year's opener in
Bahrain. But AGP chairman Ron Walker said yesterday the race had a
watertight deal that would see it back on pole position in 2007
after this year's move because of the Commonwealth Games. "We have
it in the contract that we are the first race, so we are not worried
about that,"
