Born: 30/6/75 Nationality: German Team: Williams First GP: Australia 1997 Wins: 5 2004 position: 9th Previous teams: Jordan

Ralf Schumacher's season never really got off the ground in 2004.

He made a slow start, during which he was eclipsed by team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya while rumours swirled that he was moving to Toyota in 2005.

Then he suffered broken vertebrae in a massive crash at the US Grand Prix and was sidelined for three months, during which his move was confirmed.

The impression remains, though, of a man who needs to be more consistent to achieve his goal of a world title.

Williams regard Schumacher as a man with the talent of a potential champion, but who lacks the consistency to achieve that goal.

Toyota, who are paying the German F1's second biggest salary after his brother, will be hoping a new environment will provide him with new motivation.

Schumacher has the speed to beat anyone on his day, but his problem is that his day does not come around often enough.

Schumacher is bright and technically minded, but what he is not is a racer in the Montoya mould.

Where Montoya is all inspiration and derring-do when chasing a rival, Ralf can sometimes seem mesmerised by the gearbox of the car in front.

Yet on other days, he goes past other cars as if they are not there.

And therein lies his problem. If he could drive throughout a season like he sometimes can, a title would be beckoning.

But so far he has provided no evidence of being capable of doing that.