Briatore: Schumacher has it Easy

"We've made it too easy for Michael," Briatore told Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper on Sunday. "He's relaxed out there like a taxi driver. Sticks his arm out and just cuts in."

Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella, who won last week's season-opening Australian Grand Prix, and his teammate Fernando Alonso, who was third, are likely to be among the most prominent challengers to the seven-times World Champion this season.

"He knows that he enjoys a lot of respect among the other drives," Briatore said. "No one takes any risks against him ... We have to put Michael under more pressure. He makes mistakes when under pressure."

Briatore said he believed Ferrari driver Schumacher deserved the blame for the crash with Williams driver Nick Heidfeld that knocked both out of the race in Melbourne.

"It looked like he did not do everything he could to prevent the accident," Briatore said.