IMOLA, Italy - World champion Michael Schumacher said here Saturday that Ferrari will stay strong right up to the end of the San Marino Grand Prix after concentrating recent testing on their race performance.
Ferrari have suffered in races so far this season and Schumacher's team-mate Rubens Barrichello dropped down the order and out of the points at the end of the last race in Bahrain because of problems with his tyres.
But after qualifying third in the first session here Saturday Schumacher is hopeful that he will maintain his position in the race and secure his first podium of the season.
"We have been showing very consistently a strong performance over the weekend," said Schumacher.
"We have had a weak spot towards the end of the race and I think we have worked very well on that one so overall I am pretty happy.
"After the particular start we had everyone was extremely motivated seeing the performance possibility with the new car at the last race in Bahrain and we have worked very, very hard, everyone really pushed extremely hard.
"I think we can see the result here. We are in a good mood, qualifying confirmed what we have been doing so far and now we look forward to the race. It is going to be tight and tough but I think we have an opportunity."
Schumacher, who won 12 of the first 13 races on his way to his seventh world title last year, has scored just two points so far this season, with a seventh placed finish in Malaysia, and retired twice.
Barrichello has only managed one points finish, a second place in Australia, but after introducing a new car at the last race in Bahrain the team are confident they are now on the pace of championship leaders Renault.
Schumacher was forced to run his lap early in the qualifying session because he retired early from the last race in Bahrain and technical director Ross Brawn was delighted to see where he finished up.
"We can be fairly happy given we did not have the best starting positions for qualifying," said Brawn. "Michael's exceptional lap gives us something to build on and I feel we can challenge for the win this weekend."
04/23/2005 13:34 GMT