Highlights

Ralf Schumacher asks Toyota fans to show patience

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-03-21 09:23

Formula One driver Ralf Schumacher has asked Toyota fans to be patient.

Toyota, who are celebrating their 50th year in motor sports this year, have yet to win a Formula One race in five seasons.

Schumacher finished eighth in the season-opener in Melbourne last Sunday, with Italian team mate Jarno Trulli ninth but said his third season with the Japanese team was looking promising.

Finland's Kimi Raikonnen won the season-opener in his first outing with Ferrari, followed by last year's champion Fernando Alonso in McLaren with the Spaniard's debutant team mate Lewis Hamilton third.

"Certainly it hasn't been as successful as I wished it to be," said Schumacher. "My time with Toyota is looking good and promising. But as you have seen F-1 is a difficult business and you need patience," the German told reporters on Tuesday during his India visit for Toyota's new sponsor, Kingfisher Airlines.

"One thing is very clear, you can't buy success. You can't buy experience too," he said.

"You are fighting against teams that have been for 20, 30 years into that business. We are the only team in the last 15 years to have started from scratch," said the younger brother of Michael Schumacher, the seven-times champion who retired last season.

"It takes a while," said Ralf, who had one podium finish last season with a third place in Melbourne.

Toyota finished sixth last year with 35 points and fourth in 2005 with 88 points when Trulli was runner-up in two races.