Schumi still plans to leave on a high

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER has turned his sights on giving his Ferrari team one last gift by steering them to the 2006 Formula One constructors’ championship, with his chances of claiming a record-breaking eighth drivers’ title almost gone.

Schumacher, who retires at the end of the season, trails world champion Fernando Alonso by 10 points with only the Brazilian Grand Prix remaining, in the 18-race season, after an engine failure saw him fail to finish Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix.

Alonso won to take a daunting advantage into the last race of the year but, rather than hoping he can win in Brazil and that the Spaniard fails to finish in the points, Schumacher is aiming on paying tribute to a team that has helped him win five of his seven world titles.