Schumacher: Helping Eddie is not priority

The double champion says top of the list for his return race in Malaysia is helping Ferrari overhaul McLaren's eight-point lead in the constructors title race.

But Schumacher says he has not written the Ulsterman out of his plans entirely and will move aside if he is running directly ahead of his team-mate in the race.

'The best way I can help Eddie by driving fast and not crashing,' said Schumacher.

'Qualifying is one place I can help by sorting out the car, Eddie and I have been pretty good in the past.

'Then I should be as good as normal in qualifying and do as much as the car allows us to do.

'The other place I can help him is the race.

'We will see what happens but I would obviously like to score as many points as possible for the constructors championship for Ferrari.

'And if I can give Eddie a hand that is my second job this weekend. There should be good opportunities for me to do both jobs.

'I feel I can win this race even though I am not 100 per cent. I haven't done a race distance since I was injured but I did 70 laps of Mugello, which is a tough track, and I was surprised how well I felt the next day.'

With 16 points to be won by each team at each of the last two races the team's championship is still very much alive.

'The team deserves to be fighting for the world championship because we have worked so hard,' added Schumacher.

'It doesn't matter whether I am the champion or Eddie is. What matters is that we can finally score the goal and win the constructors championship for Ferrari.'