Schumacher: Ferrari mustn't drop its guard

In the lead-up to the second round of the championship in Malaysia on Sunday, Schumacher said his team needs to keep fighting and not drop its guard in the battle against McLaren-Mercedes.

"We certainly hope to continue in the same style as we started in Australia, but we can't afford to relax," the German ace said. "We have a right to feel optimistic after dominating all weekend as we did in Australia.

"But we have to keep fighting. The season is long and you can quickly go down if you don't keep working very hard. We feel confident, but not overconfident."

Schumacher believes the hot and humid Malaysian GP will be the toughest test of the season for all the teams.

"It was good to see both cars finishing in Melbourne without problems and we are looking forward to this very hard and difficult race," he added. "I guess this will be the toughest race we'll have for the whole season.

"But I am looking forward to it. We have always gone well here."

The German is hoping to make history this weekend. If he wins again he will be the first driver for 48 years to win six Grands Prix on the trot.

Not since Alberto Ascari won nine races on the trot in 1952-53 has anyone won so many events back-to-back. Schumacher won at Sepang in 2000, and gave up a near-certain win in 1999 to help then team mate Eddie Irvine's title bid.

Schumacher has settled his squabble with helmet supplier Bell and SPORTS Europe and will use a Schuberth lid in the Malaysian GP weekend. Bell had previously taken Schumacher to court in Belgium alleging breach of contract, and the Ferrari ace was hit with a court order threatening a £760,000 fine for every day he wore a Schuberth at the Australian Grand Prix.