German Fans Gear Up for Schumacher Celebrations

Germany's firecracker-throwing Formula One fans will be noisier than ever this weekend as Michael Schumacher seeks a record-equalling victory at home.

Whichever way they look, the throng of local supporters will find plenty of excuses for the sort of raucous partying guaranteed to give David Coulthard sleepless nights in his motorhome. Triple World Champion Schumacher will be their main man as he tries to match the record of French four times champion Alain Prost and secure a 51st career victory at the high-speed Hockenheim circuit.

But the Ferrari driver was fortunate to escape unhurt from a major crash in testing at Monza in Italy last Tuesday and was ordered by doctors to take a short break before resuming his normal training routine at the weekend. His younger brother Ralf, with two wins for the resurgent Williams team this season, is well placed to steal Michael's thunder and make up for the disappointment of his last appearance at home.

Ralf was on the front row with his sibling at the Nurburgring in June but saw his hopes dashed after a 10-second stop/go penalty for illegally crossing the white line on the exit to the pitlane. If he were to beat his brother, and he has plenty of power behind him thanks to the BMW engine, then Ralf would join Michael as the only German drivers to win at home. Williams went well at Monza and BMW's Mario Theissen says the German circuit should suit the team.

"Hockenheim is the reference circuit for our engine on the test bench," he said.

Party Pooper

"We've just finished the Monza tests and Williams were clearly the quickest there and I'm sure they'll be very strong at Hockenheim," said Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn at the weekend. "If Williams score points that's not such a worry for us because they're points away from McLaren."

Success for McLaren, with a reawakened Mika Hakkinen and title challenger Coulthard clinging on to his vanishing hopes, would raise a cheer for their partner Mercedes on home territory. BMW would also be delighted if Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya were to take a first win in his Williams.

Nick Heidfeld, currently seventh in the Championship, could give Sauber their second podium finish of the season while fellow Moenchengladbach driver Heinz Harald Frentzen is targeting points with Jordan. All of which leaves Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, Schumacher's Ferrari teammate who enjoyed an unexpected and emotional first victory here last year in his 124th race and from 18th on the grid, to spoil the party.

A Barrichello win, while delighting the impartial spectators, could only spell bad news for the army of red capped Schumacher fans. Given that he has already obeyed team orders once this season, a repeat victory for the Brazilian would need Schumacher to be out of the reckoning first.

Big Lead

But that would be a rare upset for Michael, winner of six of the 11 races so far, who has been out of the top two just once this season and enjoys a 37-point lead over Coulthard. If Schumacher wins on Sunday, he will have three weeks off before travelling to Hungary in August knowing that he can secure the title there.

Schumacher finished second behind old rival Hakkinen in the last British Grand Prix, a race that signalled the former champion's return to form with his first win in 11 months. The German will want to better that performance on Sunday in front of fans who will be reaching for the hangover remedies on Monday morning if the Schumacher brothers repeat the one-two finish seen in Canada in June.