Michael: 'Budapest doesn't frighten me'

The form book and expected warm conditions say that Schumacher is not favourite to win in Budapest. He has not won a race since the Canadian Grand Prix in June, but Schumacher reckons that nothing can be predicted in a tight season such as this.

"The way the season has gone so far has shown that the situation changes a lot more often than we could have expected," he said. "So, it has always been difficult to make predictions. Things are much more complicated than they seem from the outside."

Ferrari are widely tipped to struggle in the Hungarian heat with their Bridgestrone tyres. "Performance is linked to more than just one factor and you have to consider elements like the characteristics of the corners and the track surface," said Schumacher. "Hopefully in Budapest we will be stronger than people expect. Everyone is very motivated and concentrating fully. Budapest doesn't frighten me."

Schumacher has bounced back from difficult times at this race before. In 1994 he scored a fine victory after a difficult and controversial mid-season. His 1998 triumph was an all-time classic drive, and it came after a pair of weak races.

Other drivers have done the same. Ayrton Senna took a memorable win in 1991 after a mid-season hat-trick by Nigel Mansell. Damon Hill scored his first win here in 1993 after a bout of cruel luck, and won again in 1995 when under immense pressure following two spectacular errors in Britain and Germany.