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Michael Schumacher admitted he was surprised by his Ferrari?s lack of speed at Magny Cours.

Schumacher pulled out a phenomenal lap in qualifying for the French GP but still could do no better than third on the grid.

He admitted he was surprised to be so far off the pace at a track that should have suited the F2003-GA.

Asked if he was as quick as he had hoped to be, Schumacher replied: "Probably not quite. It is a circuit which should have been good for our car."

Ferrari?s tyre supplier Bridgestone have come in for fierce criticism recently but Schumacher refused to criticise any aspect of the team?s package.

He said: "I don't think we have a problem in any particular area as it is more a case of the opposition getting stronger."

The track temperature rose dramatically just as Schumacher went out on to the track but the world champion refused to use that as an excuse.

He said: "I didn?t notice that ? it was not a major variation."

Brother Ralf said Michael is still in with a shout of victory, to which Schumacher responded: "I hope he is right."

And the world champion has no worries about taking on Juan Pablo Montoya after their clash at the Nurburgring last weekend.

He said: "We have been very close to each other very often so I have no feeling about it. That?s part of racing and its what I look forward to."

Schumacher was a massive 0.7s ahead of team-mate Rubens Barrichello who suffered major understeer on his lap.

He said: "I am very disappointed. On my quick lap, the car was handling differently to the way it had done in the warm-up, picking up a lot of understeer.

"All day, I had been quickest in the first sector, but in qualifying no less than four drivers were quicker than me."

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