The present Ferrari team received an unlikely boost just six days away from the first race of the season when the technical director of arch-rivals Williams told the BBC he thought they were the greatest ever to race in Formula One.

Patrick Head told the BBC that in all his years in the sport he had never seen the like and paid rich tribute to their extraordinary German driver Michael Schumacher, who is seeking a record fifth successive title and seventh in all.

Michael Schumacher gets his bid for that title underway in Melbourne, Australia, this week and Head admitted that it would take an astonishing feat for another team to beat them, though, his team made up of the younger Schumacher, Ralf, and Colombian tyro Juan-Pablo Montoya are thought the likeliest to end their dominance.

"I've never seen an act like that in all the time I've been in F1," Head told the BBC.

"This year there is the potential for them to be beaten, but if anyone does they will have done an amazing job."

Head's boss Frank Williams put it bluntly declaring that were his team to end Ferrari's reign - they have won five successive constructors titles - while Schumacher was still there then it would rank as the supreme accolade.

"F1 is harder now. Ferrari have raised the game. They are such a formidable team," Williams said.

Head said the backbone of the team of Schumacher, technical director Ross Brawn, chief designer Rory Byrne, sporting director Jean Todt and engine boss Paolo Martinelli were a 'class act'.

Head put the group's longevity at the team since early 1997 squarely down to Schumacher's brilliance.

"Usually in that situation someone pays the golden egg for someone to disappear, but they've all stayed there," Head said.

"And one has to look to Michael for that.

"I don't think Ross Brawn and Rory Byrne would have stayed in that position for such a long time were it not for Michael - they know whatever work they do is going to have his total application and commitment.

"Our current drivers (Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya) are very good but they would know themselves that neither are as integrated in the development of the team as Michael is."