A week ahead of the 2007 season opener, Ralf Schumacher has been talking to the German media, his comments sure to raise eyebrows in the paddock and a flurry of activity on message boards and forums.

"I definitely count myself among the three strongest drivers in the world," the German told Bild. "Certainly Alonso and Raikkonen are fast, but I don't have any reason to hide behind anyone.

"If I weren't convinced of my abilities, I wouldn't be in Formula One," he added.

Ignoring the fact that many cannot believe Ralf has retained his seat with Toyota for another year, the German being one of the highest paid drivers in F1, many are of the opinion that Toyota's days in F1 are numbered, much like Schumacher's.

However, in addition to claiming that he is one of the "three strongest drivers in the world", Ralf also beleive there is hope for his team: "Toyota is the team of the future," he said. "The company and everyone working for it has one goal, to lead Toyota to the top. The Formula One title is only a question of time."

Quite how much "time" remains to be seen, however, one cannot imaging Tsutomu Tomita relishing the prospect of apologizing to fans and sponsors at the launch of the TF108. Therefore, the word on the street is that should Toyota fail to make a significant step forward in 2007 - and that word is significant - the Japanese team might opt to cut its losses, the most likely scenario being a full partnership with Williams.

As for Ralf....

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