/ 18 April 2006

Schumacher upbeat ahead of Imola

Michael Schumacher aims to stay calm and at the same time highly motivated at the San Marino Grand Prix on the weekend in an effort to close in on Formula One world championship leader Fernando Alonso.

The ex-world champion Schumacher said on Tuesday that Sunday’s race in Imola, the home GP of his Ferrari team, is to start Ferrari’s comeback.

”We don’t believe that the gap is too big. Imola is to be the first step,” Schumacher said on his website.

”I have been in this business far too long and have seen other world championship standings which changed. The most important thing is team potential. We have this potential. Everything is possible,” he said.

The Spanish Renault driver Alonso leads the standings after three races with 28 of 30 possible points. Schumacher is fourth with 11 points.

Schumacher said that recent tests in Spain gave him additional confidence ”to drive for victory”. — Sapa-DPA