f1 @ c.c.c.p.: ted answers back

[commentary]

for those who doesn't have much knowledge in f1, i think it'll be great to read commentaries from an insider of the business. it really does put things into perspective, when you see how the experts see it.

ted kravitz is itv-f1's pit reporter. he gets the inside scoop with what is happening at the pit during the race, and reports them live. it's great to always get to hear what is going on around the pit because that's where decisions are made. here he answers a couple of questions regarding ferrari and michael schumacher.

Do you think that Ferrari has a realistic chance of challenging for the championship next year, given that Renault and McLaren have been so dominant this year?

Good question. We asked Michael Schumacher this here in China and he was very positive, saying how sure he was that Ferrari would be back next year, how confident he was that he and the team would be able to win and challenge for the championship again.

I know what you’re thinking – he would say that, wouldn’t he – and OK, he could hardly say “No, I think we’ll be rubbish”, but remember Ferrari have been working on their 2006 car since May this year, and they’ve got a lot of good people at Maranello, so you can’t count them out.

Fernando Alonso isn’t underestimating Ferrari or Bridgestone’s ability to bounce back either. He told ITV-F1 in Japan that he considered Michael to be the favourite to win next year.

They just need to find a second a lap to be up with McLaren, and then another second to pass them. Simple!

As you’ve interviewed all the drivers many times, I'm interested in whether Michael Schumacher really is a friendly, nice guy or unfriendly and always giving reporters the brush-off?

I’m not just saying this, but I have always found Michael to be a perfectly friendly, courteous person, an ordinary German bloke from a blue-collar background who just happens to be the most successful racing driver in history.

Michael hates bad-mannered people. I’ve always imagined him drumming in the importance of good manners to his kids, and if he ever comes across as unfriendly in interviews, it’s usually because the reporter is being rude.

When you do interview him, remember to say thank you afterwards. He’ll usually respond with an ‘Okey-dokey’, but he appreciates politeness.

This doesn’t mean you can’t ask him difficult questions. If you have a valid point about his or the car’s failings, he will always be honest and own up to a personal mistake or a team error, but if you throw in a deliberately arsey question, you’ll get a pretty short answer.

And if a reporter tries to doorstep him, they’ll get nowhere. Michael is a creature of habit. Interview times are set, and if you try nabbing him at any other time throughout the whole weekend (even if he’s not doing anything else) you’ll just be blanked.