Michael Schumacher and wife Corinna arrive for a promotional event near Hock-enheim track on Thursday. (Reuters)

Hockenheim: Michael Schumacher can look forward to noisy support from his loyal home fans at this weekend’s German Grand Prix ? and not much else. A victory seems out of reach for the seven-time Formula One champion and his underachieving Ferrari team.

“Regardless of the circumstances, a race in Germany is always special,” Schumacher said on his website this week.

“The Grand Prix of Germany always brings in a bit of extra motivation. You just look forward to this race a little more,” Schumacher said. “There’s always a fantastic atmosphere there.”

After completely dominating last season, Schumacher finds himself trailing Renault’s Fernando Alonso by 34 points after 11 of 19 races.

Alonso has 77 points after five wins this season, McLaren-Mercedes driver Kimi Raikkonen has 51 and Schumacher has 43.

Schumacher’s only win came at the troubled United States Grand Prix, when seven of the 10 teams pulled out because of tyre problems.

“We’re not trying to hide the fact that we’re a little bit on the hunt for our performance right now,” Schumacher said. “But another thing we’re not hiding, either, is our team’s dedication and fighting spirit.

“Contrary to many people’s opinions, we have in no means written ourselves off, even though we have to admit that the situation has worsened recently, rather than improved.

“But that doesn’t mean that it can’t be improved again, and that’s exactly what we’re working on.”

Meanwhile, Michelin wants to supply fewer Formula One teams with tyres next year after working with seven of the 10 in 2005, adds anothr report from London.

The French company, whose image took a battering at last month’s US Grand Prix when its teams withdrew before the start because of concerns about tyre safety, called on Wednesday for a more even split between the sport’s tyre manufacturers.

Michelin, who have won every race this year with the exception of the one at Indianapolis on June 19, said an eighth team had now requested a supply for 2006.

“Michelin is obviously delighted by the confidence this demonstrates, both in the positive appreciation of its products by its partners and also in the recognition of its policy of treating all its partners equally,” it said.

“However, this situation does not help the development of long-term competition between tyre manufacturers; a principle to which Michelin is firmly committed.“Michelin is therefore completely open to allowing a more balanced split of teams among tyre manufacturers, starting as early as the 2006 season.”