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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Schumi still chasing title - Hill | Schumi still chasing title - Hill |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Michael Schumacher will head into the last race of the season believing he can snatch the title from Renault's Fernando Alonso, says Damon Hill. | |
| The German, who to become champion must win in Brazil on 22 October with Alonso not scoring, conceded his hopes after retiring in Japan on Sunday. | |
| But Hill said: "Michael said he's not thinking about the championship now. That's baloney. He never gives up. | |
| "I would keep my armour on if I were Alonso until after the last race." | "I would keep my armour on if I were Alonso until after the last race." |
| Speaking to BBC Sport, Hill said Schumacher would be exploring every avenue in his attempt to win the title. | Speaking to BBC Sport, Hill said Schumacher would be exploring every avenue in his attempt to win the title. |
| "Don't ever write that guy off. It's not over 'til it's over," said the 46-year-old Englishman, a former arch-rival of Schumacher. | |
| "He's going to go into that last race thinking: 'Now, how can I win this and Alonso not score anything?' That's the way he's going to approach it. Otherwise, he's not Michael Schumacher." | "He's going to go into that last race thinking: 'Now, how can I win this and Alonso not score anything?' That's the way he's going to approach it. Otherwise, he's not Michael Schumacher." |
| Schumacher conceded the title after retiring in JapanRenault engineering director Pat Symonds agreed, saying: "I am sure Michael will be racing just as hard." | Schumacher conceded the title after retiring in JapanRenault engineering director Pat Symonds agreed, saying: "I am sure Michael will be racing just as hard." |
| "He might be playing down his chances, but it is still possible for him." | "He might be playing down his chances, but it is still possible for him." |
| Symonds, who knows Schumacher well after working with the German when he won his first two titles with Benetton, said Alonso's victory at Suzuka "doesn't change a thing". | Symonds, who knows Schumacher well after working with the German when he won his first two titles with Benetton, said Alonso's victory at Suzuka "doesn't change a thing". |
| He said it was important for Renault to "acknowledge the fact" that they can still lose the drivers' championship. | He said it was important for Renault to "acknowledge the fact" that they can still lose the drivers' championship. |
| "As always, our strategy for Brazil will be grounded in solid reliability, and giving ourselves the tools to finish races. | "As always, our strategy for Brazil will be grounded in solid reliability, and giving ourselves the tools to finish races. |
| "We are in a position where we do not need to take undue risks." | "We are in a position where we do not need to take undue risks." |
| The win feels like a reward for the disappointment of the past two months Pat SymondsRenault engineering director Symonds echoed Alonso's belief that the Spaniard's victory in Japan was long overdue after a sequence of errors and other incidents allowed Schumacher to close a 25-point gap to nothing since June. | The win feels like a reward for the disappointment of the past two months Pat SymondsRenault engineering director Symonds echoed Alonso's belief that the Spaniard's victory in Japan was long overdue after a sequence of errors and other incidents allowed Schumacher to close a 25-point gap to nothing since June. |
| Symonds said the win was "particularly satisfying". | Symonds said the win was "particularly satisfying". |
| "Ever since Hungary two months ago, we have been threatening to win again, and it has been frustrating for the whole team that it hasn't happened. | "Ever since Hungary two months ago, we have been threatening to win again, and it has been frustrating for the whole team that it hasn't happened. |
| "That makes the win particularly sweet. Of course, it comes at a critical time of the championship, but it certainly feels like a reward for the disappointment of the past two months." | "That makes the win particularly sweet. Of course, it comes at a critical time of the championship, but it certainly feels like a reward for the disappointment of the past two months." |
| And he said that Schumacher's engine failure had robbed the race of a thrilling fight between the two drivers in the closing laps. | And he said that Schumacher's engine failure had robbed the race of a thrilling fight between the two drivers in the closing laps. |
| Alonso bounced back from a long barren spell to win at Suzuka"Fernando seemed to be catching Michael quite convincingly in that middle stint," he said, "and the projection was that he would have caught him - but the performance differential between the two cars would probably not have been enough to overtake on a circuit like Suzuka. | Alonso bounced back from a long barren spell to win at Suzuka"Fernando seemed to be catching Michael quite convincingly in that middle stint," he said, "and the projection was that he would have caught him - but the performance differential between the two cars would probably not have been enough to overtake on a circuit like Suzuka. |
| "I think Michael's failure probably robbed us of a classic Alonso-Schumacher battle in the closing laps." | "I think Michael's failure probably robbed us of a classic Alonso-Schumacher battle in the closing laps." |
| The constructors' championship is also still open, with Renault leading Ferrari by nine points after Ferrari's Felipe Massa finished second ahead of Alonso's team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella. | The constructors' championship is also still open, with Renault leading Ferrari by nine points after Ferrari's Felipe Massa finished second ahead of Alonso's team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella. |