As he has observed, Montoya shows him scant respect, just as he was disinclined to bow to the luminaries when he came into Formula One a decade a go.Schumacher's ruthlessness has aggrieved many more drivers, including Coulthard, since he was a bumptious newcomer The whiff of retribution is understandable and unmistakable But above all Schumacher engenders envy. By the end of this year he could have a fourth championship and more wins than any driver in the history of grand prix racing. He needs four more to equal Alain Prost's record of 51.Ferrari structure their team around Schumacher because he is the best driver by a distance. Only he could have galvanised an outfit that had been left trailing the organisation, expertise and vision of the leading British teams. His departure from Benetton sent them into freefall.He has the biggest fan club of any driver. Surveys conducted by specialist magazines reveal he is the most popular Formula One driver with bona fide racing fans in Britain.

But just like Manchester United, no one in his sport is more reviled.Coulthard, who proffered an olive branch to Schumacher at the end of last season, positively gloated over Schumacher's mishap and unease. "I would take no satisfaction from getting points handed on a plate,'' Coulthard said. "I want to win the championship doing it myself.''He will expect and receive the backing of his team-mate, Mika Hakkinen, in due course The difference, McLaren argued, is in the timing In truth, that too besmirches the notion of pure sport. The reality at Ferrari is that one driver is far superior to the other. The concept of the No 1 driver is long established and Barrichello knew the score when he

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joined the team.Hakkinen insists he is not prepared to throw himself on to the Coulthard bandwagon just yet, even though he is 34 points adrift of his partner.

"I'll keep fighting until it is mathematically impossible for me to win the championship,'' the Finn said "The pressure is off me now All I can do is go for wins.''. A drop goal that went over and one that hit the post have cost Frank Endacott his job as the coach of Wigan, with Castleford's Stuart Raper the favourite to take over the hottest seat in rugby league. Endacott was sacked yesterday after Wigan's third successive away defeat ­ by 31-30 at Salford ­ less than half-way through a two year contract. A drop goal that went over and one that hit the post have cost Frank Endacott his job as the coach of Wigan, with Castleford's Stuart Raper the favourite to take over the hottest seat in rugby league. Endacott was sacked yesterday after Wigan's third successive away defeat ­ by 31-30 at Salford ­ less than half-way through a two year contract. "It was felt that Frank could do no more to bring the best out of the players and, after talking things through with him, we have decided to seek a new coach," the Wigan chairman, Maurice Lindsay, said after doing the deed."When I had a phone call to come in and see Maurice, I thought it might be to give me support," Endacott said. "When I was driving in, though, I thought the worst, because I knew the way they have reacted with coaches in the past."I'm not bitter at all, but I'm disappointed, because with a bit more patience the results would have been there."Wigan are currently third in Super League, but have lost at Bradford, London and Salford in quick succession and were knocked out of the Challenge Cup by St Helens, whose recent success in all competitions is a major irritant to Wigan and their supporters.Endacott said that he firmly believed he would still be in a job if his stand-off, Matthew Johns, rather than Salford's Graham Holroyd had put over the winning point on Sunday evening."The decision has been made on a drop goal," he said.