F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone does not expect seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher to add to that number in 2010, following his emergence from retirement.
Schumacher, who left the sport after the 2006 season, is back in the seat of the reformed Mercedes team ahead of this weekend’s season-opening race.
However, while the team claimed glory last year in their previous incarnation as Brawn F1 and now have a proven winner - albeit a rusty one - on board, Ecclestone believes there are several safer bets for this year’s title.
The Briton is unsure of the car that Schumacher will be using as it will be much changed from the Brawn effort and other teams will be stronger, and he has also pointed out that if Schumacher gets frustrated then that could be a further obstacle to his hopes.
“There are a lot of drivers in with a chance this season,” Ecclestone told the Times.
“Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and I think Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull looks very good. He would be one of my strongest tips for the title.
“But, at the moment, we don’t know what sort of car Michael has got and it seems he might not be at the front. We all know what he is like when things don’t go his way and he might run out of patience if he finds himself stuck in the middle.
“At least if Michael gets heated up, it will be good for the viewers and the sport — anything but politics.”
The Mercedes GP car as yet has not looked to be one of the quicker challengers in pre-season testing, but Schumacher remains confident of a goods season, though he is also honest enough to suggest that he may not be in a position to repeat his many past successes.
“This is what I am here for and I am confident that we can play a role,” he told his website. “If we win it at the end it will be a different question, as it always is in sports. Our team is extremely motivated.
“We all want to win. This season will be long and hard but I love this fight. It is because of this fight that I came back to Formula 1.
“I said it quite clear from the beginning that we do not have to — and probably will not — be in the position to win.”