Jean Alesi has offered hope to the flagging Ferrari cause with the rallying call: "You still have the man to win the title."

Alesi, whose passion and devotion to the Italian team made him the darling of the "tifosi" in the early 90s, insists Michael Schumacher can resist the challenges of Juan Pablo Montoya and Kimi Raikkonen to claim an outright record sixth crown.

Alesi said: "Michael is a great champion and has the experience that his rivals do not have. That can make the difference."

Montoya is the man widely backed to take the title after his Williams BMW obliterated the opposition in last week's German Grand Prix. The Colombian's win and Schumacher's seventh place after a late puncture reduced the German's lead to just six points with four races left.

And although Raikkonen's McLaren Mercedes was a victim of the first-corner mayhem, the Finn is only three points further back.

Both Montoya and Raikkonen have enjoyed a tyre advantage over Schumacher in this summer's heat and there may be no respite for the champion when hostilities resume in Hungary in two weeks' time.

But Alesi, who now races in the German Touring Car Championship, said: "Michael has been here before and he understands what is needed to win the championship. The rest do not have that experience.

"Of course it will be difficult, but you should never underestimate Michael Schumacher. He can get results when other drivers can't."

This is uncharted territory for Montoya, despite his CART success in 1999, and Alesi believes his all-or-nothing style could be counter-productive. Alesi said: "Montoya takes risks. With the new points system it is important to finish races and not make mistakes. Raikkonen is not out of it, but he is young and it may be asking too much of him to win the championship this year."

Ferrari fear another ordeal in soaring temperatures in Budapest. But Schumacher said: "There have been some changes to the circuit, so it may not be so bad for us as people think.

"We have seen how quickly things can change in F1 - and they can change again."