Feature: Schumacher Eyes Record at Favourite Track

World Champion Michael Schumacher has the perfect backdrop to make Formula One history and celebrate another Ferrari milestone at Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix.

Spa-Francorchamps, nestling in the damp and misty Ardennes forest with its high-speed layout and sweeping Eau Rouge curve, is the German's favourite circuit. He had his debut there with Jordan in 1991, took his first Grand Prix win at Spa in 1992 for Benetton and shares a record five victories in Belgium with Brazil's late World Champion Ayrton Senna.

If he wins again on Sunday, Schumacher will become the first man to win 10 races in a single season as well as the first to win six times at one of Grand Prix racing's greatest and most demanding tracks.

The champion, who took his fifth title in France last month with six races to spare and helped Ferrari to their fourth constructors crown in a row at the last race in Hungary, can also continue several record runs.

A Ferrari driver has been on the podium now for the last 49 races while Schumacher himself has notched up a record 15 podium finishes in succession. He has also scored points in 18 races in a row.

"It's obvious that I have the best memories of Spa," Schumacher said this week. "So much has happened there in the course of my time as a driver that I am always keen to come back.

"Spa-Francorchamps is simply one of the last 'old' tracks. There aren't too many of them left. You drive a track like that with a very special feeling."

Eau Rouge

"To take these curves, Eau Rouge, the rising and falling, the scenery where the course is located - just beautiful. I expect just about every racing driver enjoys it. It was my favourite track from the beginning."

Curiously, Schumacher has never started on pole in Belgium but the Ferrari F2002 is so clearly a cut above the rest that he could rectify that this weekend.

Brazilian teammate Rubens Barrichello, a winner in Hungary ahead of Schumacher, has a dismal record at the circuit with fifth place last year his best effort in nine attempts at mastering Spa.

Williams could be the biggest threat to Ferrari's "Red Baron", sweeping the front row last year with Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya on pole before a nightmare afternoon.

Montoya stalled at the second start to the formation lap and went to the back of the grid. The race was then re-started after Brazilian Luciano Burti had a huge crash and this time Ralf Schumacher's Williams was left on its jacks as mechanics ran out of time trying to change the rear wing.

Montoya has taken pole six times so far this season, without winning anything, and is eager to assert himself in his second appearance at the Belgian circuit.

"Spa is definitely one of my favourite tracks," he said. "In the rain this track becomes even more risky because you lose so much visibility especially when you are behind somebody and following in their spray.

"I think it should be a good circuit for our package, particularly if it is dry."

Davidson Ready

McLaren's David Coulthard is the only current driver other than Schumacher to have won at Spa and other teams also have hopes of a strong performance. Renault, as Benetton last year, took their only podium finish of the year at Spa with Giancarlo Fisichella in a remarkable third place.

The little Italian is now with Jordan, who have scored more points at Spa in their 12-year history than at any other circuit and took a one-two finish in 1998.

At the tail-end of the grid, Briton Anthony Davidson makes his second appearance in a Minardi as stand-in replacement for underperforming Malaysian Alex Yoong who is due to return at Monza in two weeks' time.

Arrows, absent from Hungary as they try to secure their Formula One survival, could fail to turn up in Belgium, leaving just 20 cars on the grid.