After a difficult start to his comeback, Michael Schumacher has revealed that having essentially given up on this season he will now begin to focus on 2011.

Despite sterling efforts by its PR department, Mercedes is still hurting from Nico Rosberg's claim last week that the team is going backwards in terms of development, the W01 unable to get its tyres up to optimum temperature over a single lap.

While much of the British media salivates at the prospect of Michael Schumacher's comeback ending in failure, Rosberg's admission - not to mention stories coming out of Brackley - suggest that the problem is not with the drivers but with the car.

Ever the realist, Schumacher admits that it is ridiculous to even think about challenging for the 2010 title, however, clearly in for the long haul the German reveals that he is now focussing on next year.

"I'm not really thinking about the championship any more," he told reporters, "that's simply unrealistic from my point of view considering the points I have. So all we do, from my perspective, is try to learn as much as we can and prepare for next year. That's what I'm fully motivated on.

"I have been in all sorts of circumstances in my career and don't worry," he continued, "I don't suffer at all about this in a way that removes my motivation. I put in as much effort as ever and I drive on a level that I can be happy with."

According to sources, Mercedes in Stuttgart is very unhappy with the way things are going this season, the W01 appearing to have the same flaws as every other Bridgestone-shod car to come out of Brackley.

We hear that the suits in Germany are watching very carefully, especially the beancounters, with some saying that the German manufacturer is already regretting its decision to go it alone.