Schumacher concedes the title to Alonso

Schumacher is ten points behind Alonso, after the German retired from today's Japanese Grand Prix with an engine failure - his first in over six years. Yet he insisted he was not dejected by the loss.

"The drivers' title for me is finished, but we go to Brazil to win the constructors'," Schumacher said at Suzuka after the race.

"Our team is great: the boys are the best I know. I'm very satisfied with all our mechanics and engineers in Ferrari. That's racing. You win and lose together.

"Today we all tried hard, we were first but lost the engine. That's Formula One. I'm not very disappointed. Life and racing is like this.

"We must be very proud of the work we've done, because in Canada we were 25 points behind, and neither you or others thought we'd come back, but we did. Now we are here, nine points behind in the constructors'."

The only viable way for Schumacher, who retires from Formula One after the Brazilian event, to clinch the drivers' championship at Interlagos would be to win the event while Alonso fails to score any point.

But Schumacher says this scenario is not one he wishes to aim for, instead preferring to concentrate on the constructors' standings, where Ferrari are nine points behind Renault.

"First of all we'll fight for the constructors' title in Brazil. We'll see what happens with the drivers', but we're ten points behind.

"I don't want to think of a race I must win with the other not finishing. I don't like that."