World Championship leader Mika Hakkinen goes into Sunday's 45-lap German Grand Prix supremely confident that he can continue to beat national hero Michael Schumacher.

The sweeping concrete grandstands of Hockenheim's autodrome stadium will be packed with 100,000 fanatical, flag-waving Schumacher fans, be it baking hot or in the unseasonal rain currently sweeping Germany.

But Hakkinen was clearly looking for another victory a week after winning in Austria after Schumacher made unusual mistakes. "Schumacher's Ferrari team has been a challenge for us all, and it's been very exciting all year," the Finn said yesterday.

"But McLaren Mercedes and I are on top at the moment. It sounds like I'm talking in a very confident way, but I've got great reasons for that. Our performance has been extremely strong," he added.

Schumacher retained his controversial British victory when an appeal by McLaren was rejected this week, and trails Hakkinen by only eight points in the championship with six races to go.

McLaren is perceived to have an extra advantage over Ferrari because of its engine power on Hockenheim's long full-throttle, 350kph straights.

This could be lost if it rains, when drivers face special danger on the forest-lined straights, where blinding spray hangs long in the air, and has caused huge accidents in the past.

Ferrari may also make up time with a slightly better chassis for the chicanes and the tight, cambered corners of the stadium section where speeds drop to 80kph.

The other home driver, HeinzHarald Frentzen, is not so fortunate with the now outclassed Mecachrome engine in his Williams. "We face long and lonely straights in the forest yet the autodrome has the atmosphere of a football stadium," said Frentzen.

"It's always a thrill to drive through it. Although I cannot hear the spectators, I do notice the sea of colourful caps and flags."

A more likely contender for honours is Giancarlo Fisichella, who was on the front row and led part of last year's race for Jordan. Now he races for Benetton, whose only victory in more than two years came here last year with a sensational drive by Gerhard Berger. "I feel very confident for this race," Fisichella said yesterday. "It is one of my favourite circuits, it is a very exciting atmosphere, and the car is getting better. It is possible to do a good result."

His teammate, the Austrian star Alexander Wurz, should also be a force, and Benetton seems to have made a considerable step forward in recent weeks.

Its experience here could see the team lead the challenge to McLaren and Ferrari, ahead of Frentzen and Jacques Villeneuve in the Williams.

All the drivers face a tough weekend finding the ideal balance between speed and grip for the long straights and twisty stadium infield.

Ralf Schumacher's steadily improving performances at Jordan Mugen Honda could put the team in fifth spot, especially if the currently inconsistent Damon Hill has an on-form weekend. They may, however, be among the drivers somewhat distracted by ongoing negotiations for 1999 drives.

Others are confirmed. Ferrari, as expected, on Wednesday announced that Eddie Irvine would continue as Schumacher's loyal number two for another year.

Irvine pulled aside for Schumacher to take third place last week in what was widely seen as a violation of the ruling FIA's ban on "team orders" instituted after Hakkinen's teammate David Coulthard let him past to win the opening race in Melbourne.