Seven-time champ spurs hopes, 1.5 secs quicker than Alonso (ANSA) - Hockenheim, July 28 - Ferrari ace Michael Schumacher set a blistering pace in early practice sessions for Sunday's German Grand Prix, leaving title rival Fernando Alonso of Renault gasping in his slipstream .

"The time we've set is a good one for now. We'll have to see how it goes in official practice," the German seven-time world champ said .

"If the speed gap (between Ferrari and Renault) stays the same then we'd obviously be delighted. We're going all out to reel Fernando in" .

The German veteran goes into his home GP on the back of three straight wins that have revived the team's hopes of pipping champion Alonso - currently 17 points ahead - to this year's prize .

Schumacher could not have had a better session, proving his mastery of Hockenheim's new bends and chicanes .


The German has won here three times against Alonso's single victory last year .

The Renault driver may have been holding something back for Saturday's qualifying sessions, pundits thought, but the one-and-a-half second deficit behind Schumacher's resurgent machine was still a trifle embarrassing .

Schumacher has seven races including Sunday's to make up the gap on Alonso, who started the season where he left off last year, building up a seemingly unassailable advantage .

The German has been nibbling into Alonso's lead in the last few GPs. The problem is that the Renault driver has still been making the podium regularly - usually in second spot. Despite Ferrari's return to form, experts say, the German really only has a reasonable crack at the title if the young Spaniard ends up pointless a few times .

The Formula 1 circus stays in Europe for the next three Grand Prix - Hungary on August 6, Turkey on August 27 and Italy on September 10 - before moving out to China on October 1, Japan on October 8 and the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix on October 22 .

With 70 points still up for grabs, winning every race will not be enough for Schumacher to clinch the title if Alonso comes in a constant second .

Ferrari's second driver Felipe Massa, who came third in France two weeks ago, will of course be doing his level best to get between Alonso and Schumacher .

But the 'prancing horse' fans will only begin to feel their pulses racing again if the Renault starts to show some signs of wear and tear - as it did last year .

However, in another encouraging sign, Massa notched the fifth-fastest time on Friday, more than eight tenths of a second quicker than Alonso .