Schumacher expects top five placing in Australia

LONDON, Mar 28 (Reuters) Ferrari's Michael Schumacher says he is expecting at least a top five placing in Sunday's Australian Grand Prix.

''It's a well-known fact that I like the race here, it's almost always been good for us and I'm sure we'll do better this year than last year,'' the seven times champion said on his personal website.

''We will try to perform as well as we did in the first race, and I think it would be realistic to expect a result somewhere between those of Bahrain and Malaysia.'' The German, who failed to finish in Melbourne last year after colliding with the Williams of compatriot Nick Heidfeld, has won four of the last six Australian Grands Prix.

He was second in this year's Bahrain season-opener and sixth in Malaysia.

Schumacher, seven points behind Renault's world champion Fernando Alonso, said Malaysia still represented a good result for a team that struggled last year and said he could not wait to get racing again.

''Maybe it's because you get a little detached while on holiday, but I've almost got withdrawal symptoms,'' he said.

Reuters SHR DB2354