Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher said on Thursday that he is baffled by claims made by his brother Ralf that he could quit the sport at the end of the year.
Ralf, who drives for Toyota, claimed his brother's current winless run could lead him to quit the sport one year before his current contract with Ferrari comes to an end in 2006.
But heading into Sunday's United States Grand Prix the Ferrari driver said: "I don't know how he comes up with that. I speak with him as much as I do with (the media), and tell him how much I enjoy it actually.
"Even though I'm not winning, you can enjoy it. You don't need always to win to be happy. The race last week, the race in Monaco, there were plenty of races, Imola, that were great fun. So I'm not lacking fun, neither I do motivation.
"There are phases like this that are not so successful but we have been so successful that I think it's pretty normal. I'm pretty happy to go through this as I'm pretty sure we will make our way up to the front again."
Schumacher, 36, has always said he will continue racing until he no longer enjoys the action at the track but he is currently enduring his longest spell without a win since 1993, excluding his injury-hit 1999 season.
{{/usCountry}}Schumacher, 36, has always said he will continue racing until he no longer enjoys the action at the track but he is currently enduring his longest spell without a win since 1993, excluding his injury-hit 1999 season.
{{/usCountry}}Ralf's comments, in which he stated that he does not believe his brother will be "driving for very much longer", came in an interview with German newspaper Sport Bild earlier this week.
The younger sibling added: "He'll stay as long as he's having fun with it. He's not having that fun at the moment and I'm very anxious to see what will happen if it stays like that until the end of the season."
Schumacher has dominated Formula One since the start of the decade, winning every drivers' championship and helping his Ferrari team to victory in every constructors' championship since 2000.
He was utterly dominant last year, winning 13 of 18 races, but is currently lying in fifth place having failed to finish higher than second thanks in part to problems adapting to new tyre regulations.
But Schumacher is confident he can come back in the remaining 11 races of the year and said: "We are sort of struggling a little bit but we are pushing very hard to get the car back to the competitiveness we had in the past.
"Those other guys and teams are doing a great job and it's difficult to beat them at the moment. It's just a different challenge but it's our motivation and challenge to show again that we can come back.
"I am so confident about that, I have no doubts about it. It just may take a little bit longer. As long as I am competitive and you are happy to see me I will keep on. I just want to enjoy as long as I can enjoy.
"I only enjoy it if I am competitive. And I feel competitive still. As long as this is the case, I keep on. I'm not targeting anything in particular except running, enjoying and getting such support as I'm getting here today."