Ralf: I'll be fit for Italian GP

The German was hospitalised after a heavy crash in testing at Monza on Tuesday. Although he was released the next day, Schumacher skipped the rest of the test to recover, but is adamant that he will be competing in Italy.

"After my accident at the test in Monza this week, the most important thing for me now is to concentrate on getting back to one hundred percent fitness," he said. "The accident as such does not bother me and I do not have any concerns that I will not be fit for the race next weekend."

Schumacher is relishing the challenge of the fastest track on the F1 calendar, and believes it will be well-suited to his engine.

"I love the race at Monza, not only because the BMW engine gives us an advantage for the several long, full throttle sections, but also because I find the changes between the fast and slow sections quite interesting," he said. "It is necessary to drive through the chicanes with absolute precision in order to gain as much momentum as possible to take with you onto the faster parts of the circuit."