Fernando Alonso believes he can put the brakes on Michael Schumacher's resurgence with a home victory in this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix.

The Renault driver has played second fiddle to Schumacher's Ferrari for the last two races, tasting defeat again at the Nurburgring to see his championship lead trimmed to 13 points.

Alonso admitted the Enstone-built Renault had been no match for Ferrari at the Nurburgring, but expects that to change when he races in front of a 130,000 sell-out crowd at Barcelona on Sunday.

He believes his Michelin tyres will have the edge on Schumacher's Bridgestones as he looks to win on home ground for the first time.

The 24-year-old said: "We are always good there. It is a circuit which is good for Renault and the team were on the podium every time in the last three years.

"We saw in Germany that the car is competitive, but Ferrari were a little bit stronger.

"The next races in Barcelona and Monaco will be dominated by tyres I think and in the past years they were both Michelin circuits. I think there are some good opportunities coming up for us.

"Michelin has been in a dominant position in Barcelona over the last two years so I'm really looking forward to winning that one.

"Of course I am fighting really hard for the title but now, if I have to pick two or three races in the year I want to win, then Barcelona is definitely one of them."

Ferrari feel they have dragged themselves on a par with Renault after two consecutive wins, and the former world champions are eager to get their titles back.

Schumacher urged his team on to greater efforts to improve his car, predicting the title will be won by the team who develop fastest.

He said: "The important thing from now on is who has the quicker rate of development. We have been good, traditionally, in the past."

Schumacher's Ferrari boss Jean Todt echoed that sentiment, warning that his team's current purple patch could come to a shuddering halt in the near future.

The Frenchman said: "What is true today may not be true in five grands prix because we know how important it is to develop the car during the season.

"So it will be very important to make a significant development for each grand prix."

Alonso for one expects the tide to turn in Spain, when he can emulate Schumacher's Nurburgring feat of victory in front of his home fans. Despite over 300,000 fans expected over the weekend, Oviedo-born Alonso insists he will enjoy the occasion.

He added: "It is a very special feeling for me to be at my home grand prix, it is something unique in the whole championship.

"It can be a bit stressful too, but the main emotion for me is that I really enjoy the whole weekend, seeing the fans from Wednesday and Thursday onwards.

"There are so many of them, it is a shame we only have one race in Spain."