Schumacher hopes to get what could be last German double win

By John Bagratuni Jul 24, 2006, 14:21 GMT

Hamburg - Michael Schumacher hopes to get what could be the last double Formula One victory in his home country Germany on Sunday.

'We want to leave Hockenheim as winners,' the Ferrari star said on his home page on Monday.

'A victory there could be worth more than 10 points from a psychological point of view,' Schumacher said ahead of the latest duel with world champion Fernando Alonso, who turns 25 on Saturday, at the German GP.

Also on Monday, Hockenheim organisers hinted that Sunday's race will be the last on the course until 2008. They said they were in talks about alternating the German GP in Hockenheim and Nuerburg from next season onwards.

Germany currently hosts two F1 races each season, the German race in Hockenheim and the European GP at the Nuerburgring which Schumacher won earlier in the season.

'We want the races to alternate,' said Hartmut Tesseraux, spokesman of the Hockenheimring GmbH which runs the track. 'We are in talks also plan to meet with (F1 boss) Bernie Ecclestone on the weekend.'

The globalisation of the sport and lower interest in Germany led to the plans to stage only one race each year. But Schumacher's current form will guarantee a full house of 103,000 at least on race day.

Schumacher is coming off two straight wins to reduce the gap on world championship leader Fernando Alonso of the Renault team by eight to 17 points.

Especially the last win in France seemed to indicate that Ferrari and their tyre partners Michelin currently have the superior package over Renault and Michelin.

'We are fully concentrated, we want to pressure (Alonso), to make up ground, to win again,' said Schumacher. 'Maybe we can further open the title race, then the season will become really interesting.'

'We want these titles,' said Schumacher, looking at the drivers' and constructors' standings.