MEDIA 

Relaxed Ralf looking to the future

10 Jan 2000 
Alex Zanardi was very much on everyone's minds at  the  BMW  Williams  livery  launch  in  Munich today  (Monday).  Ralf  Schumacher  walked into the interview room to be  greeted by a arrage of  questions  regarding  his  1999  team  mate. BMW Williams  Motorsport  boss  Gerhard  Berger had already  made  it  clear  that  Sir Frank Williams was  still  in  discussion   with  the   beleaguered Italian ,  but  that  other  names  such  as   Bruno Junqueira   and  current  British  Formula 3  star Jenson Button were being considered as possible replacements. 
Ralf  responded  to  the  journalists'  queries  by saying that he liked Alex and  would  like  him  to continue as his team mate in the 2000 season. He made it  very  clear ,  though ,  that  it  would  be Williams' choice whether he stayed, and  that  he would abide with their decision. When pressed as to why Zanardi had  not  performed  as expected last year, after arriving on a wave of expectation
following  two championship wins in the American CART series, the  young  German  suggested  that the car was to blame. "The 21 was a difficult car to  drive,  it  was  very  nervous, perhaps that has caused him problems," he said. 
 
 
 
 
 
He  continued  by  saying  that it was difficult to move  from  CART  to  Formula1  because  of  the difference  in  cars.  CART   machines  are  much more stable and  can be  driven very aggressively, as suits Zanardi's style,  whereas  Formula1  cars have to be nursed more because  of  the  grooved tyres.  He  did  mention ,  though ,  that   Jacques Villenueve  had begun  in the American series and had  switched  to   Formula1  without   any  great difficulty, and with much success. 
When  asked how he had shaped himself from the fast  but  inaccurate  driver  he  had  been  in his early  days  in  the  sport,  into the measured and mature driver of last year,  he responded that he did  not  know  he  was  any different. "I did not
know  I  was  a  young  wild thing!" he exclaimed. After  detailing  the  four  years  he  has spent in the sport  he  then  attributed  any changes to the experience he had acquired along the way. 
In  response   to   what  his   favourite   Formula1 moment was he said "Nurburgring  was very close to  being  the  best  moment,  but then turned into the worst moment so far. In 1998 I finished third on  the  podium  with  Michael,  and that was very nice." 
In regards  to  his  new  association with BMW he mentioned that he was happy  with the new engine and but he realised it would take time to gain the
experience necessary to achieve success. 
Finally  he  allowed a rare glimpse of what he did in his time away from the track. "Because I live in Monaco  I  spend  a  lot  of time in the water - on boats  and  jetskis  and  things"  he explained. He also  said  that  the  thrill  of  driving  a fast road car was  not diminished  by his  job  of competing in the  top  motorsport  formula.  He  finished  by confirming  that  an  association  between himself and  elder  brother  Michael  at  Ferrari  was  not something he had considered, citing  his long term contract at BMW Williams.