Michael Schumacher thinks his hopes of an eighth world championship can survive a wet Chinese Grand Prix after being restricted to sixth on the grid by the Shanghai rain on Saturday.
The Ferrari driver needed to be at his very best just to make it into the top 10 for the final qualifying session, while his rival Fernando Alonso took pole and looks in good shape to extend his two-point lead in the title race on Sunday.
Schumacher who is due to retire at the end of the season said: ‘At least we kept the damage within limits, we can still hope. If the weather conditions stay like this, it doesn't look very encouraging. But if it gets drier then we'll see.
‘Obviously it's very difficult to talk about winning but it's a very long race. Even if we have to leave some points here, then we still have two races to go. It's difficult, it's important but still maybe not decisive.’
Schumacher topped the times in Saturday's practice session but when the rain descended, the tyre problems that beset him in similar conditions at the Hungarian Grand Prix in August returned.
The seven-time world champion said: ‘In these conditions we're simply not competitive. We saw a similar thing in Hungary, we have tried some new tyres but it didn't work out so now we have to live with it.
‘But I'm sixth not 20th, so I will definitely get as close to the top as possible although realistically if we have conditions like today, it's very difficult and there will probably be no battle (with Alonso).’
