Ross Brawn: “We apologize to Schumi, but it's only fate's fault”

Yet another unfortunate incident involving Michael Schumacher is raising questions about driver equality within the Mercedes team.

Having now lost the 2012 title due to a wave of accidents and technical problems, the seven-time world champion once again failed to finish the race at the Canadian GP, ​​when his rear wing had the DRS blocked in the opening. This is the latest in a series of technical problems: think of the petrol pump problem in Monte Carlo two weeks ago. “It is difficult to understand why the problems affect only one pilot,” said former Force India champion Adrian Sutil. “If you compare his points with those of Nico Rosberg, the difference is significant”, he added.

Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn apologized to the former Ferrari driver but admitted to Auto Motor und Sport magazine that the faults were completely random: “I can only apologize to Michael for an unforeseeable technical failure, but I deny that this was due to inferior equipment, mechanics, or attention to detail. In my time at Ferrari it was the opposite: they said that Michael was the favorite and that we gave his teammate something less. Stating these things is nonsense. A team always tries to give both riders exactly the same technical package. If there is a series of defects that strikes one-sidedly, then this is to be attributed to destiny and only to him", Brawn argued. But how will this situation affect Schumacher's future plans? “Obviously it doesn't help”, Sutil said regarding the possible extension of the 41-year-old German. “At some point what happens can affect your motivation, no matter what you do or how strong you are. But there are still races to go and he can overcome this moment.".

Lorena Bianchi