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Schumacher wants Ferrari one-two

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TOKYO, Japan -- Michael Schumacher said there will be no let up in his charge towards an eighth world title and is aiming for a one-two Ferrrai finish at the Japanese Grand Prix.

"If you look at how many points we have taken since Canada in comparison to our opponents, we're looking very strong," said the German on Wednesday.

"Our aim now is to keep this strength obviously at the same pace and hopefully make enough points so that we'll win both (drivers' and constructors') championships," added the 37-year-old.

Schumacher was dogged by a run of mechanical hitches until the halfway point of the 18-race season.

At the end of the Canadian Grand Prix in June, Schumacher trailed defending champion and Spaniard Fernando Alonso, the Renault ace, by 25 points.

But he has since stormed back to draw level with Alonso on 116 apiece after he won the rain-hit Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai last Sunday for his 91st career F1 victory.

It was his seventh triumph of the season and the fifth after Canada, which put him in the F1 drivers championship lead for the first time since he won his seventh title in 2004.

"Pretty clear and straightforward, we'd like to win with both cars sitting on the podium in the first two positions. That's the most certain way to secure both championships," Schumacher said.

"Particularly, here in Suzuka, it's a home Grand Prix for Bridgestone. We'd like to achieve this particular result," he said of the Japanese company which will become the sole F1 tire maker next year after France's Michelin quits at the end of the season.

Renault, which won their first ever constructors title last year, are going to the Japanese round in Suzuka with a hair-slim 179-178 lead over Ferrari in the constructors' championship.

Schumacher's teammate Brazilian Felipe Massa, who won his first Grand Prix in his five F1 years when he triumphed in Turkey in late August, was also upbeat about steering his red Scuderia machine into the points.

"It'll be a very red podium and that will be fantastic if we can put both drivers in front in these two last races. That's our target," said the 25-year-old, who is lying fourth with 62 points behind Italian Renault driver Giancarlo Fisichella on 63.

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