MAY 27, 1996
Schumacher Junior to test F1?
RALF SCHUMACHER, Michael Schumacher's younger brother, is expected to test a Formula 1 car before the end of this season.
Ralf is currently racing in Formula Nippon - the Japanese version of Formula 3000 - and has been competing since he started kart racing in 1988. At 18 he moved into cars, racing in the Formula Junior series in Germany. He won his first race at the Nurburgring in July of that year, and at the end of the season was given a Formula 3 test by Weber's WTS Racing, with which his brother had won the German F3 title in 1990.
In 1994 Ralf joined the team - with backing from Michael's personal sponsor Dekra - and finished third in the series, winning one race. He stayed with the team in 1995 and won four races but was overshadowed by Sauber test driver Norberto Fontana who won 10 victories. Ralf did, however, win the prestigious Macau F3 Grand Prix at the end of the year.
Word on the street in F1 is that Ralf could be seen testing a Benetton at the end of the year.