OCTOBER 24, 2001

Father Ralf

RALF SCHUMACHER and Cora, his wife of a few weeks, became parents on Tuesday afternoon when Cora gave birth to a son in Salzburg, Austria. The baby boy has yet to be named.

Ralf Schumacher recently claimed that he was impatient to meet his new son, saying that nine months was too long to have to wait in his opinion - and clearly Mother Nature agrees!

Ralf's wife Cora gave birth to their son yesterday, some three weeks ahead of his expected due date in mid-November. The Williams driver was reportedly present at the birth in a private Salzburg clinic. No name has been released yet by the proud parents, although Ralf let slip in an interview last month that they knew it was a baby boy.

The couple secretly married at home a few days prior to the Japanese Grand Prix - not even letting brother Michael know until after the event. There have been suggestions that Cora, a former model, didn't want a public ceremony while she was in 'full bloom', but now that their baby has arrived it's expected that a church blessing will be staged.