Motor racing chief Max Mosley believes Formula One has got off lightly with Michael Schumacher's domination of the sport.

Mosley claims Schumacher could easily have won nine drivers' crowns by now instead of the record six he has bagged in the last 10 years.

But Mosley believes Schumacher's run of success could finally come to a halt this season.

"Michael could easily have won nine championships by now," said the president of the sport's world governing body, the FIA.

"Michael has won it so often but the thing about Michael, which everybody tends to forget, is that only by a very narrow margin has he not won every single championship since 1994. Except, that is, in the first year he went to Ferrari in 1996 which was a difficult season. But just about every other season he has only missed it by a hair's breadth - even that famous Jacques Villeneuve incident and when he stalled on the grid in Suzuka."

Schumacher bagged his first two titles with Benetton in 1994 and 1995 before deciding to take on the challenge of restoring Ferrari to the summit of Formula One.

But 1996 was a rebuilding year in a car that was described by team-mate Eddie Irvine as a "dog" although it did not prevent Schumacher winning three races to finish third in the championship.

The German battled against Williams superiority to be leading the championship heading into the final race in 1997 but paid for his cynical attempt to punt Jacques Villeneuve off the Jerez track as the Canadian survived to take the title.

Schumacher missed out again in 1998 but only after stalling on the grid in the final race in Suzuka having again fought to overcome the faster machinery enjoyed by McLaren's Mika Hakkinen.

The 35-year-old was favourite to finally regain the title in 1999 but saw his hopes wrecked when he broke his leg in a crash at the British Grand Prix.

But since finally ending Ferrari's 21-year wait for the drivers' title in 2000 when he overcame Hakkinen after an irrepressible late-season victory charge there has been no stopping him.

Schumacher retained the title in 2001 and such was his record-breaking dominance the following year, Mosley was forced to act to try and prolong interest in the championship.

The rule changes, aided by changeable weather in the early races and Schumacher's worst-ever start to a Formula One season, certainly levelled the playing field last year.

It did not stop Schumacher, though, from finally breaking the record of five drivers' crowns he shared with 1950's legend Juan Manuel Fangio, though he only did so in a last-race decider with McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen.

The Finn is expected to mount an even stronger bid when the new season gets underway in Melbourne, Australia, on March 7 along with the Williams duo of Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya.

Mosley insists F1 can stand another Schumacher triumph this year but believes the reigning champion faces a fierce fight.

"It would not matter who won it as long as it went the distance," added Mosley. "It is good if it goes to the last race as it did last year. The odds are against him winning it for a seventh time, but Michael is an exceptional driver. It is difficult to compare drivers from different eras but I think he is probably the best we've seen. Fangio was a great talent but he had the knack of getting into the right car at the right time. Michael has only ever driven two cars to the championship. I think this year could be a really exciting championship with people like Raikkonen, Ralf Schumacher and Montoya. And don't forget Renault's Fernando Alonso. I think Toyota also might surprise people and they will be a force in the future."