“This race was the synthesis of the entire season”, reflected Michael Schumacher with a sigh. It was a few hours after the end of the final race in 2005.”Things went wrong once more and so I am pleased that this year is over. This is not because I am tired of racing but due to the fact that, until now, there have been no signs of improvement. I am happy because soon I will finally be home with Corinna and the children. Right now, this is the thing I am looking forward to most”.

“The race began oddly”, began Michael as he gave his view of yesterday’s events. “I was trying to warm up my tyres on the installation lap and the best way of doing this, especially when driving slowly to save fuel, is to zig-zag across the track. Perhaps Cristijan wasn’t aware of this and I too did not see him; suddenly I heard a crash”. The Ferrari driver gave his account of the dynamics of his exit from the track that ended his race. “Lapping with the safety car on the circuit was not very simple as my tyres were very worn down and cold and so had little grip. When Felipe ahead of me braked suddenly, I naturally did the same and this was enough to send me off the track”.

The championship over, it was time for reflection. “This was not a great season and coming third in both championships does not truly reflect our performances”. The seven-time world champion made it clear that there would be little time off during the off-season. “Now we have to concentrate wholly on next year and our aim is to get back to challenging for the title. If we consider how well last year went, and how much better the other teams did in 2005, the conclusion is that we have to get back among the best in 2006. We will be working hard during the winter and this is our objective”. “After the race many people asked us how long it would be before we got back to being on form after such a difficult season. Put very simply, I am more motivated after a year like this one”, revealed Schumacher. “Such problems give me more motivation to challenge and get back to the top”.

“We should not forget, even though there are many reasons to be unhappy, that not everything depends solely on the team”, concluded Schumacher. “Our team is, and will always be, the best. We should be proud of the work we have done, both on the circuit and at Maranello. Everyone has always worked very hard and will not be discouraged. This is why I am very optimistic for next year. You cannot go wrong with this team. We are facing a new challenge and I cannot wait for it. I would like to thank the team very much”.

Jean Todt: “A bad end to a very disappointing season. Today, we failed to get either car home in the points. It is not the first time that, along with Bridgestone we find ourselves leaving the track empty handed after a difficult weekend. Given that situation, we can say that third place in the Constructors’ and the same result with Michael in the Drivers’ is pretty much of a miracle.
 

"I hope we can put this year behind us as quickly as possible and to be back for the start of the next season in a position to once again aim for the top. To do that, we have a lot of work ahead of us along with our friends at Bridgestone, in whom we have great confidence. I want to make a point of thanking Rubens for putting his heart and soul into trying to end his time at Ferrari, which will always be unforgettable, in the best possible way. Unfortunately, excessive front tyre wear meant he was unable to make it into the top eight. And an affectionate thought for Peter Sauber: a great race from Felipe Massa means he can end his fantastic adventure in Formula 1 in fine style. I wish him every happiness for the future.”

Rubens Barrichello: “It was a hard race, during which everything was working okay up to the first pit stop. The team did a good job in terms of strategy, calling me at the right time, which allowed me to make up a couple of places. But from that point on, I felt I was losing performance and was having some problems with my front tyres. Basically, from the second Safety Car period onwards, my tyres were gone. The only enjoyable part of the race was my duel with Mark, but really I was in trouble because I had no grip at the front. So, a sad race, but I want to thank everyone in the team, both here and those back in Maranello. We have had a fantastic years. I learnt a lot and it is Ferrari that has given me the chance to build something for the future. I am grateful for that and I am sure we will be friends for ever.”

Ross Brawn: “This race was a very strange way to finish the season, but perhaps it typifies our year. Michael had an incident before the start and then, behind the Safety Car, he was just caught out as he was warming up his brakes. Rubens was doing fine for a while, but then his tyres began to lose performance. From that point on there was not much he could do. We changed the left front wheel because of a flat spot that was causing a lot of vibration. For safety reasons we felt there was little to be gained by staying out on track, so we changed it. Obviously, a very disappointing season and Ferrari and Bridgestone know they have a lot of work to do to get back to where we need to be. No one at Ferrari has enjoyed this season and we will be back stronger.”

Race Details: Shanghai, 16th October Rubens Barrichello: 12th +1.32.812 56 laps chassis 248; Michael Schumacher: R 22nd lap 21 laps chassis 245; Temperatures: air 24/25°C, track 33/32°C