Schumacher dismisses 'Formula yawn'

Michael Schumacher has rubbished claims that Ferrari are ruining Formula One amid fears of a dramatic reduction in spectators at this weekend's United States Grand Prix here.

The third staging of the race at the Motor Speedway is expected to attract between 130,000-150,000 fans, still making it the biggest attendance of the season. But that figure is still short of the 175,000 who watched last year's grand prix in the wake of the terror attacks on 11 September and well down on the 220,000 who witnessed the return of F1 to the United States in 2000.

Organisers have blamed the recession and a lack of interest caused by Ferrari's domination of the championship. The Italian team have won 13 of the 15 races so far with Schumacher's record 10 triumphs seeing him seal a fifth drivers' crown after just 11 races.

But Schumacher hit back at the critics by insisting: "I know it's fashionable to talk about 'Formula yawn' and about Ferrari ruining Formula One with all its wins. The fact is that we have to fight for our victories. We can't just win whenever we please, just stroll through. I have not gone to a race once this season feeling confident of a win. And only that would be true dominance."

Ferrari could equal McLaren's record of 15 wins if they triumph on Sunday and in the season finale in Japan, though the Surrey-based team achieved the feat in a 16-race campaign. Schumacher and team-mate Rubens Barrichello have won the past eight races between them and finished one-two on their previous three outings – seven in all this season – including the win in front of their home fans two weeks ago.

"I know it looked so easy again at the finish: two Ferraris at the front, with no competition and a long way ahead of the rest," said Schumacher of the race at Monza. "And all those who think that our supposed dominance is damaging the sport felt their opinion validated.

"[But] If the engine in Ralf [Schumacher's] car hadn't exploded and Juan Pablo Montoya had not had other problems then the Italian Grand Prix certainly would not have turned into such a dream race for us."

Schumacher, who won the first race at Indy in 2000 and finished second to Mika Hakkinen last year, has admitted that he was wrong to call for last year's grand prix to be called off in the wake of the 11 September attacks on the United States. "Last year's race was somewhat overshadowed by the events," he said. "But after the fact, I'm even happier that we drove the race at the time and that we were able to bring some joy to the people.

"I was extremely impressed by the attitude that came across: not letting things get one down, keeping on going, living one's life consciously and with one another. That was really felt, and that truly moved and impressed me."