Schumacher: Title is only goal for 2006.

Despite rumours about pending retirement, starting his own team and even whether Bridgestone will be a match for Michelin this season, Michael Schumacher has only one thing on his mind ahead of the 2006 F1 campaign - adding an eighth world title to his record haul.

Speaking to German magazine TV Movie, the German insists that his motivation has not been dimmed by the difficult 2005 season, in which he won one race - against five opponents at Indianapolis - but otherwise struggled to match the Renaults and McLarens.

"Even after so many successful years, and the disappointment of last season, I am still motivated like never before," the 37-year old claimed, "I want nothing more than to get another title."

Asked whether the Ferrari 248 F1 was the car to help him achieve his aim, Schumacher admitted that he was still getting used to the V8 machine, but was happy with what he had found so far, and that new team-mate Felipe Massa was helping push the team along.

"The car handles more like a kart now," he revealed, "and Felipe is proving very mature for his age, and is making good development. The engineers are happy with his work, and I am too."

And those retirement rumours?

"If I continue it will be 99.9 per cent with Ferrari," he said, scotching rumours of a move elsewhere for the twilight of his career, "but it is too far away for me to think about."