Williams eye further glory

Ralf will be hoping for the same family photo on Sunday

By BBC motor racing correspondent Jonathan Legard

The wonder of winning can never be underestimated, especially if you have waited more than three years to see it happen again like the Williams team.

Now they have won two of the last five races and the paddock's past masters are priming themselves to improve that strike record even more.

The cornerstone of their success is their partnership with BMW. Significant engine power, allied to the growing potential of the Michelin tyres, have made Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya a match for anyone on their day.

It would be nice to have a success at home as we did in Canada, but the Nurburgring will be more difficult for us than Montreal

  Ralf Schumacher

When their cars have lasted the distance, they have never failed to score points. Little wonder Michael Schumacher has earmarked them as serious rivals.

Trouble is, they have only finished four times in sixteen starts.

But heading into the backyard of their German rivals, Mercedes Benz, for this weekend's European Grand Prix, BMW's director of motorsport, Gerhard Berger, has been keen to play up the positives.

"After a victory it is natural to head to the next grand prix full of confidence," BMW's Berger said.

"Everybody is extra motivated for the home race in the Eifel (region).

"Even though the track doesn't suit us as well as Montreal, what makes me pretty optimistic for the next few races is the way the team improved its performance step by step over the weekend."

Coulthard has a good European GP record

"Ralf has had some good races at the Nurburgring, and Juan Pablo is also familiar with the circuit from F3000."

Indeed Montoya clinched the championship there in 1998.

Ralf Schumacher should know the track like the back of his hand. It is barely an hour's driver from where he grew up in Kerpen.

So he probably will not need reminding that Williams have only won once at the Nurburgring - old or new track - and that a BMW-engined car has never won there.

Judging by what he has been saying this week, he is not hopeful of breaking that sequence.

"It would be nice to have a similar success at home as we did in Canada, but the Nurburgring will be more difficult for us than Montreal," Ralf Schumacher said.

"My realistic target is to collect as many points as possible."

It is always an exciting race at the Nurburgring, as there are a number of real overtaking opportunities

  David Coulthard

David Coulthard has to keep singing the same mantra as he has watched Michael Schumacher move confidently into his stride, now 18 points ahead in the championship.

Coulthard's usually gone well here. But he needs to go as well as he has ever done to plug that gap.

A week off testing and a trip to Le Mans to support the 21st Century 'Bentley Boy' Martin Brundle should have recharged his batteries.

"It is always an exciting race at the Nurburgring, as there are a number of real overtaking opportunities," Coulthard said.

"The weather is often unpredictable and can have a major effect on the race.

"I have a consistent record at the event. I have finished on the podium in four of the past five European Grand Prix, and I am aiming to improve on that this year."

I am looking forward to building on the result I achieved in Canada

  Mika Hakkinen

Needless to say, the world champion's record is outstanding. First or second in four of his last five races there!

Last year he lapped the whole field bar Mika Hakkinen.

McLaren can pray for an off day - but even on those rare occasions, the points keep racking up.

Mika Hakkinen enjoyed his first F1 pole position on this track. He says he enjoys the circuit and wants to go one better than last year's runner-up.

And who knows, after the morale-boosting podium finish two weeks ago, he could give a welcome lift to his teammate by pushing Schumacher like he did in the second half of last season.

"I am looking forward to building on the result I achieved in Canada," Hakkinen said.

"The entire team has been working hard to achieve the desired outcome at the Nürburgring, where the atmosphere is always fantastic.

Michael Schumacher has built an 18-point lead

"It's the home race for Mercedes-Benz and we always have a lot of crowd support."

Jordan will make a late decision on Heinz-Harald Frentzen who missed the last race and testing with concussion. Ricardo Zonta is again on standby.

Jaguar should have Eddie Irvine back in harness after he aggravated a neck injury during testing at Silverstone last week.

After scoring points in two successive races for the first time, this will be another test of Jaguar's much heralded aerodynamic improvement.

Overall, the next two weeks are an enormous challenge for all the teams. Almost a race within races.

Jordan scramble

The races at the Nurburgring and Magny Cours are run on consecutive weekends which has added a further burden to the already hectic schedules.

Jordan, for example, have plans to rush spare parts back to their Silverstone factory for servicing between races.

"A van carrying these parts will leave Nurburgring on Sunday evening after the race, returning the parts to Magny Cours a few days later," said team manager, Jim Vale.

"The majority of the team won't go back after the race so the cars will be prepared for the French Grand Prix on Sunday evening and Monday morning, with the race trucks ready to leave for Magny Cours on Monday afternoon."

The garages have to be ready for the arrival of three EJ11s on Tuesday morning.

"The mechanics arrive in Magny Cours on Tuesday afternoon after only one day off, and the truckies have no real rest, so it's a huge team effort," said Vale.

After three blank race weekends, the unsung heroes of the Jordan story would dearly welcome a reward for their overtime efforts.