APRIL 27, 2001

Schumacher - people too scared to be my team-mate

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER believes that some of his biggest Formula One rivals are too scared to be his team-mate.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER believes that some of his biggest Formula One rivals are too scared to be his team-mate.

The German triple world champion said that several top drivers have turned down the chance to join him at Ferrari because of his knack of beating his team-mates.

"People say I try and make my team-mates go slower but that's rubbish," Schumacher told Britain's The Sun newspaper. "I don't know why certain drivers have not come to Ferrari.

"There was talk of Coulthard coming but he wasn't happy to do that as long as I was there. Villeneuve would also never come as long as I was there. So is it me or is it the others who don't want to come?"

Coulthard, however, denied the suggestions that he turned down a move to Ferrari commenting: "I was approached by Ferrari in 1997 but I had a contract with McLaren. It wouldn't bother me to be his team-mate."