APRIL 18, 2001

Schumacher heaps praise on brother

RALF SCHUMACHER's victory at Imola last weekend has shown his brother Michael that there is another family member in contention for the world title.

Triple-world champion Michael has been used to having the lion's share of family glory for the last few years, but now he believes Ralf and his team are ready to mount a serious challenge to his superiority.

"With this car he can do very well, so it is not a duel it is a three-way fight," said elder Schumacher, Michael. "But how the fight will end it is too early to say.

"I am very happy for him, he was so strong a couple of times in the past, but this time everything was right and he did it in a great style.

"If you look at the recent races and his comments about his races, he downplayed his performances," said Schumacher.

But after the Imola race, Schumacher admitted: "You could see what his potential is and even if he doesn't like to admit it, now he is and he likes to be in the circle of favorites.

"He made no mistakes from start to finish and he deserved to win, it is clear that he can be contender. I have won many times and now it is his turn."