Schumacher to Feed Off Passion of Ferrari Fans

Michael Schumacher will draw on all his experience and the passion of the Ferrari fans as he prepares for a furious scrap with Mika Hakkinen in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.

The 31-year-old German knows that the 14th round of the 17-race series could be critical to his hopes of a third world drivers' crown and a success that would prevent Hakkinen, in his McLaren, from completing a hat-trick of title triumphs.

After winning the previous two races in Hungary and Belgium, Hakkinen has opened up a six-point advantage.

But, like every Italian, he knows that Ferrari are a difficult proposition to beat on home ground and that Schumacher will seek to add to his victories for the scuderia in 1996 and 1998.

"Obviously, winning the Italian Grand Prix in a Ferrari is something very special for any racing driver," said Schumacher as he prepared, in testing at Monza, for the final European meeting of the season.

"But for me, right now, it would be more special to win this next race for the sake of the championship.

"We have not been as competitive as McLaren in the last two races and we have been working 110 per cent to change that for this race at Monza.

"With only six points between us and four more races to go I am still optimistic like the rest of the team about our chances.

"One win or a retirement before the end of the season can change the whole picture either way."

To enhance their prospects, Ferrari worked in testing last week on a new low-downforce aerodynamic package and worked with a development 049C engine, their latest one, in a bid to find the extra speed that could help them recover the winning touch they showed earlier in the season.

Supreme Series

Then, Schumacher reeled off a supreme series of races to establish a 22-point lead in the title race but Hakkinen has doggedly worked at regaining his competitive form and hauled himself back into contention and the lead.

Hakkinen, however, has never won the Italian Grand Prix and, as he did successfully in Belgium two weekends ago, will be aiming to end that run in this race on a circuit heavily modified since last year.

Both of the first two chicanes at the Monza track have been changed with the first made slower, and safer, and the second opened out.

The changes have not won universal praise, particularly among Italian drivers for whom the high-speed Monza circuit has always been regarded as a special 'temple' for speed on the F1 calendar.

"In terms of safety it might be better but for racing it is worse," said Italian Jarno Trulli.

"The first corner is a lot tighter now and taken in first gear which will make the start even more interesting than usual."

Schumacher said he felt the changes had made the track safer. "It might be difficult for the 22 cars to go through without accidents but it is up to the drivers to avoid these situations," he said.

Last year the race was won by Jordan's Heinz-Harald Frentzen in an unexpected result which proved that Monza remains one of the most unpredictable and dramatic motor racing arenas of all.

Frank Williams said: "The track is fast with some very demanding high-speed corners and it's also tough on the cars.

"This really is a true test of reliability. But I guess it's the crowd that makes the difference and what separates this race from the others.

After Monza the F1 season visits Indianapolis in the United States, Tokyo in Japan, and finishes on Oct 22 in Sepang, Malaysia.