Ralf to be replaced?
"There was no such thing," Toyota's underperforming German driver told reporters at the French venue on Thursday.
"It was only your journalist colleagues (saying that)," he added, explaining that stepping down from his 2007 contract would have been "not possible" even if he or the team had wanted to.
Schumacher's most conspicuous problem at the wheel of the TF107 this season is in qualifying — his record against teammate Jarno Trulli stands at 0:7.
Ralf snapped: "What am I supposed to say about that? Only what I have said every single year in my career — that what is important is the final result.
"Until the last race we were only two points apart, and now I think the gap is five. So for the moment I can live with that and it is true that the whole team can improve also."
Schumacher said last week that he is "100 per cent certain" that he will still be a grand prix driver in 2008.
With an expiring contract, how can he be so sure? "Because I know it," Ralf said. "I gave this information because I know it, and everything else will be revealed when it is the right time. And it is not (the right time) yet."
06/18/07 Rumors are currently doing the rounds of most internet sites that Panasonic Toyota Racing’s Ralf Schumacher has been relieved of his duties with the Cologne based squad and that third driver, Franck Montagny, will be taking his place at the upcoming French Grand Prix at Magny Cours, Montagny’s home track.
However, automoto365.com can confirm that Franck will definitely not be partnering Jarno Trulli at the French Grand prix in two weeks time, and added to that, the Frenchman, who was due to take part in the team’s testing program this week, will now be sitting the session out as Ralf completes his share of the workload instead.
06/18/07 There were rumors in Indianapolis that Christian Klien may have signed a long term deal to drive for Toyota. Honda sources say that they have not been approached about releasing the young Austrian but confirm that he is a free agent at the end of the current season.
The suggestion, coming from Austrian sources – which are not always 100% reliable – is that Klien could be the man who will replace Ralf Schumacher in the team next year, driving alongside Jarno Trulli.
There remains speculation about Schumacher's immediate future but the smart money in F1 circles remains on the German departing the team before the French Grand Prix, particularly in the light of his bizarre accident at the start of the United States Grand Prix. It is anticipated that the team's test driver Franck Montagny will take over for the rest of this year, beginning at his home race in France. Toyota has, however, been shopping around for a longer term solution. More at Grandprix.com