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Michael Schumacher has had a disappointing start to the season
Schumacher admits to title fears
Tyre manufacturer Bridgestone has admitted that Ferrari's poor showing in Malaysia is down to them.

World champion Michael Schumacher came seventh in last weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix while also failing to finish in the opening race in Australia.

"The responsibility for such a negative result is undoubtedly down to our tyres," said Bridgestone's technical director Hirohide Hamashima.

"We have learnt a lot from this defeat and we are ready to respond."

Ferrari are currently in fourth place in the constructors championship with 10 points, 16 behind Renault, while Schumacher is in 11th place in the standings with two points.

Renault have won both races so far this season and are one of the seven teams in Formula One that use Michelin tyres.

"The fact that Fernando Alonso and Jarno Trulli lapped a couple of seconds faster than us is certainly not explainable by different fuel loads," Hamashima added in Gazzetta dello Sport.

"There are no attenuating circumstances, it was a lesson for us but a healthy one.

"Obviously we have had long discussion with Ferrari to create tyres of a new generation and we are counting on having found some that will allow us quickly to be competitive again."

Ferrari are still using last year's car but will test their new F2005 before deciding whether to introduce it at the Bahrain GP on 3 April.

Source : BBC UK