The short-sighted Ralf Schumacher has not yet decided if he will wear his glasses this season, despite having had a special bullet-proof pair made up for him.
The short-sighted Ralf Schumacher has not yet decided if he will wear his glasses this season, despite having had special bullet-proof glasses made up for him and getting permission from the FIA.
The Williams driver had previously worn contact lenses, but said he manages better with glasses on. "It just allows me to see things a little better and in Formula One that is essential," he said. "The thing now is to try them in testing and get used to them for the season."
Schumacher tested 30 pairs of the special glasses that have been made to fit under his helmet at Valencia this month. "Valencia was the first time when I tried the glasses and contact lenses," Schumacher said. "I still haven’t made my mind up."
Schumacher said he did not think it would be a problem to wear the glasses, which have always been seen as a problem before in case they shatter. "It depends on the frame you’re using and the glass," he said. "It’s bullet-proof glass and should not be any danger at all."
Schumacher’s helmet maker Schuberth has developed a special inner padding with channels for the glass frames.
Formula One’s medical expert Professor Sid Watkins had said the Williams driver must drive with contact lenses. But FIA spokesman Francesco Longanesi said it was not necessary. "At present there is nothing in the FIA rules that prevents a driver from wearing spectacles when competing. What a medical officer can do is to advise a driver not to wear spectacles, but he certainly cannot impose it."
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve wears glasses in daily life, but drives with contact lenses on.
Meanwhile, Schumacher and his team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya have decided to call a truce for the sake of the team. Schumacher in particular has been very outspoken about his team-mate.
Montoya said it was for the good of the team. "I don’t have anything in common with him. But we work together, it’s like when you go to the office. If you don’t like somebody and that guy is your boss or a guy that you have to work with, then you’ve got to work with him. If we don’t work together, we are going to hurt ourselves as well when we get to the track," Montoya said.
"We work together in the team to do a good job, but we don’t have any contact privately. But why should we? We do not have anything in common with each other. I live in Monaco, he lives in Austria. He is German and I am Latin and a bit more relaxed and laid-back. We are just different personalities."
Schumacher also said that though he does not like Montoya, it was not good for the team to continue squabbling.
"Privately, we do not like each other – or perhaps I should say we do not have the best relationship in private," said Schumacher. "We do not talk to each other away from the track, but I do not see any problem with that.
"We both want to win races and we both want to win the world championship, but we are professional enough to know we both have to work together to develop the car.
"We have not crashed into each other so I don’t see there being any problems at the moment. At the circuit we have a good relationship and we get along well. Working with him is one of the best relationships I have had with a team-mate,” said Schumacher.
If this is the best working relationship the German has had with a team-mate, it raises a question as to how well he has been able to get on with his previous partners.
