Brawn returns to paddock, praising Schu 'quality'
May 23 (GMM) Ross Brawn should be firing on all cylinders as he returns to the pitwall in Monaco this weekend.
Mercedes' team principal sat out the recent Spanish Grand Prix due to illness, but a scarcity of extra information triggered speculation.
One rumour was that he is seriously ill, whilst another was that his absence may in fact be due to his German employer's high-stakes spat with Bernie Ecclestone.
The latter theory gained traction since Barcelona, with acting team boss Nick Fry taking a much higher than usual profile, including naming Paul di Resta as a possible 2013 successor for Michael Schumacher.
Explaining his absence, Brawn told Bild newspaper: "On the Tuesday before Barcelona I felt unwell so I went to the doctor and then stayed a night in hospital for some tests.
"When I got home, I decided on the advice of doctors to give myself a weekend off, to be sure that I am fit for Monaco," the Briton said.
Partly because of Brawn's deputy Fry's recent comments, and also due to his paltry points tally and his crash with Bruno Senna, rumours about Schumacher's future have intensified since Spain.
"A lot has been said and written," acknowledged Brawn, "but we should not forget that we - the team - have let him down in three of the fives races, not delivering the job we should have.
"We must do better," Brawn, who worked closely with Schumacher during the seven time world champion's ultra successful Ferrari era, added.
"We saw Michael's real quality again in the first race, so it's for that reason that I believe we will see him on the podium this year."
As for a possible contract extension for the 43-year-old, Brawn insisted: "When the time comes, we will sit down together and talk about the future.
"I'm sure it will become clear very quickly in what direction we will go."
Share Or Save This Story
Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes
Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position
Pirelli chief calls for radical F1 overhaul
Netflix confirms release date for new Michael Schumacher F1 documentary
Who belongs on F1's Mount Rushmore? Pick your four greatest drivers
Lewis Hamilton vs Michael Schumacher: You decide F1's greatest driver
"Either very right or very wrong" – Charles Leclerc explains Ferrari's bold choice for Dutch GP sprint
The key to Charles Leclerc overtaking a “quite slow” Lando Norris
Why Charles Leclerc’s battle of the brakes has left him trailing Lewis Hamilton
Max Verstappen's George Russell radio joke goes viral after Dutch GP qualifying
NASCAR Cup New Hampshire starting lineup: Tyler Reddick on pole after 'unhappy' practice
F1 Dutch GP: Sunday schedule, weather forecast and how to watch
Kimi Antonelli frustrated after Turn 1 "mistake" cost him Dutch GP pole
Why Williams problems are worse than previously known
The hidden benefit of Max Verstappen’s new F1 deal that Red Bull wants to exploit
The themes to watch for the rest of F1 2026
Why the Dutch GP is ending despite F1 wanting Zandvoort to stay
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments