Schumacher Slump Extended to Home Circuit

Michael Schumacher tried to put a brave face on it, but his latest sub-par performance in Saturday's qualifying at the German Grand Prix seemed to confirm the defending champion's new vulnerability.

Even the support of a big home crowd could not help the Ferrari driver above a sixth fastest in Saturday's final qualifying - the second-lowest spot on the grid this season for the five-times World Champion.

"It's a long race and I always think positive," said the German, who has now gone five races without adding to his career total of 54 poles. "Things can change dramatically from one day to the next, for better or for worse. We'll see what happens."

Not having won a race since early June in Montreal, Schumacher's lead in the Drivers' Championship over McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen has been reduced to a slender seven points.

Schumacher has not led during the last three Grands Prix either - his worst such run since joining Ferrari was five races without leading, between the 1996 Portuguese GP to the 1997 Argentinian event.

Things started badly on a circuit where Schumacher has not always enjoyed great success. In a practice session before qualifying, he lost control on a corner and skidded off the track into the gravel and the car was towed away.

"The handling of my car was not ideal," Schumacher said after Saturday's session in sweltering heat, where track temperatures reached 49 degrees Celsius. "Things just did not work out the way I would have liked. Sixth place is not great from the start. But we know our car performs well over a long run."

The German was reluctant to blame his weak run on the Bridgestone tyres, which seem to have been eclipsed by rivals riding on Michelins - especially in the heat.