Additional technicians for Schumi in Valencia

Mercedes has strengthened Michael Schumacher's support team for the Valencia race, after the incredible series of retirements due to unfortunate incidents suffered by the seven-time world champion this season.

While Nico Rosberg has finished every race so far, Schumi's 2012 is characterized by five retirements in seven races, leaving the former Ferrari driver with more points only than the six drivers from Marussia, HRT and Caterham. In an interview with the German magazine Bild, Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn explained that he has decided to support the crew of mechanics who usually work with Schumacher with a support team with a new additional chief engineer. His task will be to monitor the work of the regular mechanics, and to verify the behavior of the W03, which has already been checked in all its components three times in the English headquarters of Mercedes in Brackley. “What is happening at the moment with Michael is not the standard we aspire to”, his teammate Nico Rosberg had said.

Brawn added that Mercedes has always worked on reliability and precision: “Our reliability standards are extremely high. We haven't changed our approach or any of our procedures, we haven't made any cuts or changed the system in any way, so it was very frustrating and unique what happened. We are constantly looking at how we can improve the way we work, and how we can do better”, Brawn insisted. Meanwhile, F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone took the opportunity to take a dig at Mercedes when asked to comment on Schumacher's woes. “I think if he were still at Ferrari, he would still be winning today”, claimed the F1 chief executive to Germany's Sport Bild.