31.08.2004 "I’m part of the Ferrari team, nothing more, I can consider myself part of this big family, the victories belong to all of us" Michael Schumacher reflects on claiming the F1 Driver's Championship AT SPA

Physically fit men don’t just performs in sport…but also in celebrating! After the victory of world title at Spa, Michael reaped the benefits of the party on Sunday evening.

In German there is the expression ‘make the festivities explode’ and so, like a true German, Michael celebrated the world title victory in style.

The party was worthy of any World Champion, an opinion shared not only by the 150 guests, but also the entire Formula 1 team, sponsors and friends.

It was as though the astonishment that had dominated throughout the victory of the title and while Michael was still on track had transformed itself into a kind of carefree joy.

Together with his wife Corinna, his father, two of his oldest and dearest friends and obviously the Ferrari team, engineers and mechanics, the world champion let his hair down for hours on the dance-floor. It is of no surprise that today, Monday, two things were on the agenda: go home to Switzerland and rest.

‘I still can’t take it all in’, explains Michael, ‘what we managed to do yesterday is the culmination of years of hard work, it was incredible. None of us would have ever imagined during the first difficult years our work that we would have reached this point. That’s probably the most special thing about it: we worked so many long and hard hours sometimes with serious setbacks, that’s why everyone at Ferrari should be extremely proud of our achievements’.

I thought it was very appropriate when we celebrated the Construction Title two weeks ago at the Ferrari headquarters because the entire organisation was present: ‘Often, one can forget just how important the work of all the factory collaborators actually is. Whatever happens on track is just the tip of an iceberg which is based in Maranello, and that is thanks to enthusiastic, careful and intelligent men.

'Therefore, it isn’t unusual that Ferrari hasn’t had any technical problems for more than 50 races, and this also shows the spirit and soul of the team. I’m part of the Ferrari team, nothing more, I can consider myself part of this big family. The victories belong to all of us.'