A defiant Michael Schumacher has dismissed talk that he will quit Formula One at the end of the season, saying he is motivated to win an eighth championship.

The 41-year-old seven-time champion, now driving for Mercedes, has come under pressure since his comeback after failing to keep with the young guns of the sport such as team-mate Nico Rosberg, who has consistently been faster.

Questions about his future came to a head this week when Flavio Briatore, former director of Benetton and Renault, told German media that he feels Schumacher’s return was “a huge mistake”.

But Schumacher remains determined to prove the doubters wrong.

“You cannot get rid of me, let’s put it this way,” he told reporters ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix tomorrow.

The German, who has won 91 Grands Prix, said both he and his team needed time.

“Our goal is naturally to win the championship, better earlier than later,” he said.

“But it is a process and we are not magic, so we’re trying to maximise our opportunity in deciding early to prepare for 2011.

“The process has started naturally whereas the teams that are contending for the championship have to keep doing a programme, we hope that will give us a slight advantage for restarting in 2011.”

Since his return this season, Schumacher has finished no higher than fourth and is currently ninth in the world drivers’ championship after 14 races. But he is expecting a decent finish in Singapore, when he races at night for the first time in his 19-year career.

“Driving a new track has never been too complicated for me and I am usually very quick to learn and find the rhythm,” he said.

“As a team, we would like to perform strongly and we will give our maximum to deliver as good a show as possible.”