Michael Schumacher is refusing to throw in the towel on a season that is slipping away from the seven-times world champion.
Schumacher currently trails championship leader Fernando Alonso by 34 points, with his only win this year coming in the ill-fated US Grand Prix when seven other teams withdrew from the race due to safety fears surrounding the Michelin tyres.
Yet such is the Ferrari driver's desire to thrust himself back into contention, he has unusually agreed to take part in a test session at Mugello tomorrow just days ahead of his home grand prix in Germany, with a new aerodynamics package available for Hockenheim.
Ferrari and Schumacher have been languishing behind the pace set by Alonso's Renault and Kimi Raikkonen in his McLaren, yet with eight races remaining, insist they can still be caught.
"We're not trying to hide the fact we're a little bit on the hunt for our performance right now," said Schumacher. "But another thing we're not hiding, either, is our team's dedication and fighting spirit."
The German continued: "Contrary to many other people's opinions, we have by no means written ourselves off, even though we have to admit the situation has worsened recently, rather than improved. But that doesn't mean it can't be improved again, and that's exactly what we're working on."
Schumacher has also hit back at critics who have rounded on him for still believing he has a chance of success this year, insisting he is right to have confidence and faith.
"To be perfectly honest, I can't really understand that some people are blaming me for believing in even small chances," added Schumacher.
"I travel to every race with my mind set on achieving the best possible result and I go to every race aspiring to try everything that's within our means. We're taking it step by step now, and are working as best we can."
