A new week has begun and Scuderia Ferrari's Michael Schumacher is enthusiastic as it should be a week in which a home race will result in a win. "Coming to Nürburgring is always special but this time I am happier than usual. In reality, I hope to get a good result and put on a show for our many fans.

"After Imola and the positive outcome of the test sessions, I am confident that we can challenge for the win and this would be a marked improvement on last year. Our set up this year is notably better and this fills me with hope. As I am from Kerpen, it is, naturally, exciting for me to race on this track. We are determined to put on a good display. The competition is tough but so are we. I think that our initial troubles are behind us. I believe that we will be competitive and we would like to leave the circuit with a victory. So, I cannot wait for a tight battle."

Schumacher regards Imola as his first race. It was there that he took his first win in a long time; the previous one came at Nürburgring. The German circuit is his real home race and the record-breaking driver is keen to add to his tally. His hopes of realising this have naturally increased after the performance at Imola and the test sessions at Le Castellet and Fiorano. What cannot be negated is that the team is now extremely motivated. "The win gave us that extra motivation", declared Schumacher. "To be honest, it was a plus after the races in Malaysia and Australia - ones that did not go as expected.
 

"It was great to see that everyone's hard work bore fruit and that we were right to believe we could be competitive at Imola. As we have often stated, I think that we can do just as well at Nürburgring." Schumacher's convinced that this year's car offers him the chance to have in say in the destination of the title. However, there are some who cast doubt on this prospect given the so-so start to the season. His point is that: "it is true that once or twice we were not at our best. Once we got the tyre choice wrong. However, the Imola display proves that Ferrari is able to compete. I do not believe that things are as they were last year, where Imola was a ray of light, or like the year before that in which we dominated. I believe that we are able to perform like we did at Imola for the whole season, though this will naturally be influenced by the various types of circuit".

The seven-time champion stated that he hoped to achieve much at Nürburgring: "we should be competitive once again. I will obviously do my best. I hope to get a good result for our fans." As he has always stated that the team is very important, he invited the squad to have fun with him at the kartodrome tomorrow evening."