Formula One news

Ralf: I'm in top three drivers

Toyota driver Ralf Schumacher thinks that he is one of the three best drivers in Formula One. The German has only won six Grand Prix and never come higher than fourth in the drivers' championship but is convinced he is as good as Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen.

"I consider myself amongst the top three drivers," the 31-year-old told German newspaper Die Bild.

"Obviously Alonso and Raikkonen are fast but there's no reason for me to hide behind anybody. If I was not convinced of my ability, I would not be in Formula One."

Schumacher feels that a driver's success is highly reliant on the potential of his car.

"As a driver you are always dependent on your car," he said.

"My brother would not have won a championship in a Minardi for example."

The German also quashed speculation that he only moved to Toyota for the money, saying that he chose the Cologne-based outfit because of its enormous potential.

On being asked what his response was to those who think he moved to Toyota for financial reasons he said: "They have no idea. Toyota is and remains the team of the future. Every Toyota employee has only one goal: to make Toyota the best in the world. In almost every area this has been achieved. The Formula One team is just a matter of time."

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