Mercedes team chief Ross Brawn has accepted the blame for seven-times champion Michael Schumacher’s struggle to turn speed and potential into strong finishes this year.

The bespectacled English pit-wall boffin, who has been involved in all of the German’s title winning seasons, says he is confident Schumacher will make it onto the podium this year – and end up matching compatriot Nico Rosberg’s performances in the same car.

Rosberg scored his maiden Formula One victory earlier this year when he won the Chinese Grand Prix.

In a season of five different winners in five races, Schumacher is one of the champions yet to claim a triumph to add to his career total.

Brawn said on Wednesday that the team are to blame for some of his poor displays.

Questions about his performances have been circulating since the seven-time champion suffered his third DNF (did not finish) in five races at the Spanish Grand Prix two weeks ago.

Schumacher, 43, ran into the back of Bruno Senna and then called the Brazilian an “idiot” over the team radio, but the stewards found that he was the guilty driver.

He was given a five-race grid penalty for this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.

It has been the story of his season for the former ‘red baron’ as he has picked up just two points from the first five races, which is in stark contrast to team-mate Rosberg who has 41 points behind his name following his triumphant Chinese takeaway.

Schumacher, though, still has the backing of his team boss as Brawn.

He said: “Much has been said and written after his accident in Spain, but we should not forget that WE – the team – have let him down in three of the five races by not delivering the best job possible.

“We must do better. I saw Michael’s real driving quality in the first race. Therefore, I believe that we will still see Michael on the podium this year.”

Schumacher’s three-year contract with the Brackley squad runs out at the end of the season.

Brawn told Bild that “when the time comes, we will sit down together and talk about Michael’s future”.

Until then, the team are going to push hard to bring him up to Rosberg’s speed.