Ross Brawn says Michael will stay back atleast for another season with us
Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn has dropped another hint of Michael Schumacher staying back with the team for at least one more season. Although Brawn maintains that no discussions have started with the seven-times world champion as to whether he will extend his stay with the team beyond this year, the signs are growing Schumacher will put pen to paper on another contract.
Earlier this week, the 43-year-old told Germany's Bild newspaper he is "not yet satisfied" with what he has achieved following his return to Formula One after three years in retirement. Insisting he remains "highly motivated", the feeling of returning to the podium again, as was the case in finishing third recently in the European Grand Prix in Valencia, has stirred his senses.
As far as Brawn is concerned, the team are prepared to give the German as long as he needs to make up his mind, although there is a feeling Schumacher is having fun and so should continue. Brawn said: "We are focused on Michael for as long as it takes, and whatever it takes. Then we will see where we are elsewhere.
"We haven't discussed it (a contract extension), but he enjoys himself, and if he enjoys himself, why not (continue)?" Brawn, who has previously suggested talks are likely to commence before the end of next month's mid-season break, knows he has to sit down with Schumacher sooner rather than later.
Brawn added: "Inevitably you come to a point where you say 'Let's have the discussions' because these things can sometimes take some time. "You have to have the discussion and reach a conclusion in order to plan for the future.
"But there is no deadline or critical point where he or we have said we must have a decision by. It must be the right decision. That is the most important thing. "Knowing Michael as I do, it will be a logical and sensible conclusion, driven by passion because he enjoys what he does."
Ross Brawn downplays the possibility of Michael Schumacher taking a podium finish in a dry German Grand Prix.
Ross Brawn has downplayed the possibility of Michael Schumacher taking a podium finish in a dry German Grand Prix. With the rain hammering down on Saturday afternoon, the seven-time World Champion gave his home fans a reason to cheer when he set the fourth fastest time.
Schumacher, though, was elevated to third when Red Bull's Mark Webber was handed a gearbox penalty. However, the conditions are expected to be very different on Sunday as a dry race is on the cards and Brawn has a few doubts about whether Schumacher can match the frontrunners for dry pace.
"The car wasn't too bad in the dry, but none of us have had much running [in such conditions]," the Mercedes team boss told Autosport. "We did our high fuel running on Saturday morning and in the dry period we had and made a few changes after that which we didn't get too much of an opportunity to try in qualifying, so we will have to see.
"It will again be a race of managing the tyres. We expect it to be much warmer and that can bring a different perspective on things." He added: "We haven't experienced in practice what we will in the race, so trying to anticipate what you need for the race is tricky.
"We have been focusing for some time now on trying to widen the tolerance of the car to bring a better range of balance so that when these conditions change, we don't get caught out. "This will be another test of how we have improved. Everything that we can do in terms of tyre pressures and other admissible changes will be done to try and take care of the extra temperature that we will see in the race."
