Highlights

Motor racing-Schumacher looks to home crowd for boost

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-07-27 08:55

To do that, Schumacher will need Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa to drive a wedge between him and Alonso, last year's winner at Hockenheim.

The 24-year-old Spaniard need not win another race this year to retain his title, providing he finishes consistently second -- and Massa has beaten Alonso only once this season.

If Schumacher does claim his 89th win, it will also be tyre suppliers Bridgestone's 100th in Formula One.

McLaren, in partners Mercedes' home race, could also be contenders even if Kimi Raikkonen has retired in all five of his appearances at Hockenheim and Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya has been replaced by Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa.

Last year the Finn led from pole position until sidelined by an hydraulics failure. The year before he also led.

Germany-based Toyota cannot be excluded either as podium finishers after fourth places in the last two races.

Japanese rivals Honda, with Jenson Button starting on the front row last year and finishing third, can hope for less with the Briton out of the points in his last five races.

However last week's testing times raised morale for what will be Honda's 300th grand prix, largely as engine suppliers, since 1964.

Among the tail-enders, Super Aguri will debut their new car along with a new race driver -- Japan's Sakon Yamamoto replacing France's Franck Montagny.