Schumacher sets sights on Fangio's five

World champion Michael Schumacher broke most of the Formula One records last season and now looks forward to the big one that has stood unchallenged for nearly half a century.

Since 1957, nobody has equalled the late Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio's five world championships.

France's Alain Prost was the only man to come close, retiring when he secured his fourth title in 1993, while Brazilian Ayrton Senna's life was cut short with three.

After a season in which he won nine races and claimed a record 53rd career victory, Schumacher now has four and steers his Ferrari back into the fray in Australia on Sunday as favourite for another.

"It would be great to achieve that five," said the German when the new F2002 was unveiled this month.

Schumacher, who has always shrugged off any comparisons to Fangio as a driver from another era, is ready.

As in 2001, the German starts the new season with celebrations fresh in his memory after winning the final grand prix of the previous year.

"There is no other team that raises the emotions like Ferrari, to win with them is extraordinary," he said.

OLD CAR

Ferrari will start the season with their 2001 car because there are no major rule changes and the first three long-haul races put a premium on reliability.

"The team can be very relaxed because last year's car is very good and very strong," said Schumacher.

Williams will have their new car and Schumacher's younger brother Ralf and Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya will be out to prevent him becoming the first Ferrari driver to win three titles in a row and the first for any team since Fangio.

Ralf faces a crucial season, outshone by rookie Montoya at the end of last year and in danger of being eclipsed.

Montoya, increasingly compared to Senna, could in turn make 2002 the year he turns up the heat on Michael.

Last year's runner-up David Coulthard and young Finn Kimi Raikkonen, replacing compatriot Mika Hakkinen, will also be well in the title hunt at a revitalised McLaren.

Renault, with Briton Jenson Button and Italian Jarno Trulli, could upset the familiar look of the front of the grid now that they have shed the Benetton name and are returning to Formula One under their own brand.

Then there is also Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, Schumacher's own team mate. "I expect to be a stone in Michael's shoe," he said this month.

One has to go back to 1999 to find a race winner from outside Ferrari, McLaren or Williams and that is likely to continue in a financially-clouded season with 11 teams again rather than the full complement of 12.

Prost have gone to the wall while Toyota are entering for the first time with their own chassis and engine.

UNPREDICTABLE

Toyota, with Finland's Mika Salo and Scotland's rookie Allan McNish, do not expect to be scoring points just yet.

But the unpredictable can happen and all teams are pushing hard to make their mark.

Renault have been strong in testing and can be expected to make a powerful start, possibly winning a race towards the end of the year before a full-on challenge in 2003.

Ferrari-powered Sauber, who finished a best-ever fourth overall last season, have young Brazilian debutant Felipe Massa alongside experienced German Nick Heidfeld.

Jordan are the only team with a completely new line-up, bringing back Italian Giancarlo Fisichella and giving Japan's Takuma Sato his grand prix debut.

British American Racing, with Canadian former champion Jacques Villeneuve unsettled after the abrupt departure of team boss and friend Craig Pollock, have David Richards in charge of their bid to secure a first victory.

The manufacturers, planning a series of their own from 2007 to wrest control of the sport from the debt-saddled Kirch group, have massive budgets.

But they must also justify the expenditure with results, something Jaguar could be struggling to do in the early races after well-documented aerodynamic problems that prompted the departure of technical director Steve Nichols.

The smaller teams, despite feeling the pinch, expect to be closer to the big boys this year.

Minardi, with a new Asiatech engine and Australian Mark Webber making his debut, believe they can collect a point for the first time since 1999 while Arrows have Jaguar's Cosworth engine and proven winner Heinz-Harald Frentzen.

"Last year, we stabilised ourselves before the climb," said Minardi boss Paul Stoddart last week.

"In 2002, with a significantly improved package in all areas, we are set to take our first upward step."