Schu seeks home boost in title race
The German knows this weekend’s race will be different to last year’s which turned into a victory jig after he had wrapped up a record-equalling fifth drivers’ crown the week before.
Schumacher celebrated with only his second victory in his home race, and first for Ferrari in six attempts.
“Last year this race was one of the highlights of the season,” said Schumacher. “I had won the drivers’ championship at the previous race and came to Germany with the feeling that I could really celebrate the title with my fans. On top of that, I was very confident about my chances in the race, which is not all that common at Hockenheim. Victory came after years of trying with Ferrari and, when I stood on the podium, I felt like the happiest man in the world. With that in mind, obviously I can’t wait to return to Germany, ready to fight on the track.
“This year, the race definitely looks a much tougher prospect than last season’s and everyone at Ferrari is aware of that, but it is not an impossible task. Recently, we have made significant progress, so we feel well prepared. We can expect a very tough race.”
Schumacher’s best result in the three races since his last grand prix victory was third in France and he has not led any of those races, his worst run for over six years. The 34-year-old heads into the 12th round of the 16-race season leading McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen by just seven points. Colombia’s Juan Pablo Montoya is seven points further back while Schumacher’s brother, Ralf, is two points off in the other Williams.“The competition is tougher this year,” said Schumacher ahead of the final race before the three-week summer break.
“Several times this year we have seen that the true performance level of the teams at various circuits has only been revealed over the course of the weekend.
“This applies particularly to those circuits where we do not usually test and Hockenheim is one of these.”
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