Schumacher changes engine, Massa too

Moreover, teammate Felipe Massa will also get an engine change - for the second time.

Ferrari are blighted by reliability woes on their new V8 engine, with Massa and Red Bull's David Coulthard suffering engine failures after last weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix.

The team are concerned that Schumacher's engine will suffer a similar fate as that of Coulthard and Massa - namely, cracked pistons. The problem appears to be the main challenge for the V8 engine designers.

Schumacher will now lose ten grid places, while Ferrari said Felipe Massa will not take part in qualifying and start the race from the pitlane.

"We could see the potential danger and it was not worth the risk," a Ferrari spokesman said. "The best we can do is start from the sixth row, but we have a competitive car.

"It is clearly hard to say if we can fight for a top position in the race, but we know at this stage of the season how important it is to score points."