Rowie
09-03-2004, 02:04 PM
www.f1-live.com
Ralf Schumacher is to leave the Williams-BMW Formula One team and sign for Renault for next season, according to his manager.
Willi Weber told Tuesday's edition of Bild newspaper that he and the younger brother of six-time world champion Michael had agreed all the details with Renault supremo Flavio Briatore.
"We have agreed every point of the contract with Briatore," said Weber. "The signing of the contract is a mere formality."
Ralf, 28, has been unhappy at Williams for a while and even with the impending departure of Colombian team-mate Juan-Pablo Montoya at the end of the season for McLaren - and the expiry of his own contract - he is keen to leave.
Schumacher, winner of six races in 116 Grands Prix, had launched a broadside at the team's boss Frank Williams at the end of February over his ongoing contract negotiations.
"Even if me and my manager Willi Weber would find it hard to leave behind our friends at BMW, there's a chance it could happen. It would be sad but I can't allow myself to be treated like that by Williams," said Schumacher who finished fourth in the season opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.
"I'm not frustrated. But I find it hard to understand certain things that have happened these past few months." Schumacher claimed that Williams accused him of only being interested in money. "Frank Williams says I'm nothing but a money-grabber. I can only laugh at that. He knows that I would accept to cut my current salary in half," added Schumacher, who finished fourth in the drivers championship last season.
Ralf Schumacher is to leave the Williams-BMW Formula One team and sign for Renault for next season, according to his manager.
Willi Weber told Tuesday's edition of Bild newspaper that he and the younger brother of six-time world champion Michael had agreed all the details with Renault supremo Flavio Briatore.
"We have agreed every point of the contract with Briatore," said Weber. "The signing of the contract is a mere formality."
Ralf, 28, has been unhappy at Williams for a while and even with the impending departure of Colombian team-mate Juan-Pablo Montoya at the end of the season for McLaren - and the expiry of his own contract - he is keen to leave.
Schumacher, winner of six races in 116 Grands Prix, had launched a broadside at the team's boss Frank Williams at the end of February over his ongoing contract negotiations.
"Even if me and my manager Willi Weber would find it hard to leave behind our friends at BMW, there's a chance it could happen. It would be sad but I can't allow myself to be treated like that by Williams," said Schumacher who finished fourth in the season opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.
"I'm not frustrated. But I find it hard to understand certain things that have happened these past few months." Schumacher claimed that Williams accused him of only being interested in money. "Frank Williams says I'm nothing but a money-grabber. I can only laugh at that. He knows that I would accept to cut my current salary in half," added Schumacher, who finished fourth in the drivers championship last season.