Schumacher Ready to Bounce Back in Japan

World Champion Michael Schumacher is ready to bring his run without victory to a swift end and return to winning ways in Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.

Ferrari driver Schumacher endured a Chinese nightmare as he ended up 12th in Shanghai two weeks ago - his worst finish ever in Formula One - after a troublesome race, as he failed to win for the third race in succession.

The German had won 12 of the opening 13 races of the season and after seeing teammate Rubens Barrichello taste victory in the last two Grands Prix in Italy and China, Schumacher wants to be back on the top step of the podium again.

"I am not thinking too much about China," said Schumacher, who won his seventh world title in Belgium. "I don't have anything to prove. I will just give everything this weekend and see how it works out.

"In terms of speed I was there (in China) but the race did not give me a lot of possibilities to see where we would have ended up. It's probably fair to say we will be highly competitive here and highly motivated."

Schumacher, speaking ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, said he is confident his team's Japanese tyre suppliers Bridgestone will provide the equipment to push them up to the front again this weekend.

"This is the home Grand Prix for Bridgestone so we'll see what we can do for it," added Schumacher. "I'm very confident Bridgestone will give us firstly a tyre than can win the race and secondly a tyre that can finish the race.

"BAR are quite strong. In certain areas they were stronger than us in China and did a better job than us and I see the being very strong. McLaren will also be very strong and they are the main two opposition teams that I see.

"But it's important that a Ferrari wins. Whether that is Rubens or myself, I would like it to be me."