Schumi looks to Turkey - 21st August 17:59pm GMT

Formula 1's summer break is coming to an end. On Wednesday Michael Schumacher will be heading to Istanbul for the Grand Prix of Turkey. On the way he will make a stop in Athens.

On the 25th anniversary of the National Drivers' team, the Italian squad that competes in charity games and of which Michael is a part, will play in Greece for the first time. The game will kick off at 21.00 at the Stadio Karaiskaki and will be against a Greek all-star team. It will be 'a great premiere' as Michael stated.

From Thursday on the focus will shift to the next round of the Formula 1 Grand Prix championship. "This is how things should be", he smiled. The German champion is looking forward to his latest challenge. "We have had a few days off and, naturally, I had a pleasant time. However, I could have done without it as it would have been better to go straight into the Grand Prix of Turkey after Hungary. The title challenge is so exciting that I cannot wait for the next race. The Istanbul weekend is finally about to get underway".

There are five races left before the end of the season: "Five chances to change the current situation and win the title", announced the seven time world champion. "The positive news from the Hungary weekend was that I can still win by concentrating only on what I do. The challenge goes on and our chances are undimmed. We should not make the mistake of thinking that our chances dipped after Hungary. Instead we ought to look ahead; we could have found ourselves in a much worse position at this stage of the season. Our desire is exactly the same and Istanbul is a very important stage on the road to the title".

And how does Michael see his chances in Turkey? He is hopeful: "I think things are looking good". The standings are too complex to give a precise response, as the last race proved. "We recall well how Magny Cours was demanding and how at Hockenheim we dominated. There was also the race at the Hungaroring where, leaving aside the weather, things went our way (though the race showed how decisive a role the weather can play). Overall, it is tough to predict the relative strength of the teams as they alter according to the track. I think that we should be competitive at the weekend. After all, our potential is as high as ever".