Alonso tips Ferrari decline

Fernando Alonso has tipped McLaren to be a bigger challenger than Ferrari's Michael Schumacher at the Nurburgring this weekend.

The runaway championship leader, although beaten to the chequer by a red car at Imola just over a week ago, thinks the Bridgestone challenge might fade away in Germany.

Renault's Alonso said he expected a 'big push' from his future team.

The 24-year-old added: "What we don't know is how consistent Ferrari will be."

Alonso suggested that Bridgestone-shod Ferrari usually goes well at Imola. Last year, after the San Marino fixture, Schumacher's pace then throttled back to normal throughout Europe.

"It is too early to say if it will be the same this year," he suggested, "so we can't write them off - and Michael is racing in front of his people, too."