Schumacher Relying on Strategy to Win

World champion Michael Schumacher says he needs "tactical master" Ross Brawn to produce his best if he is to secure a record-breaking sixth successive victory.

Ferrari driver Schumacher will surpass Nigel Mansell's five-race unbeaten run at the start of a season if he is victorious for the sixth race in succession this year in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.

But after qualifying fourth for the race around the narrow streets of the principality, Schumacher admitted Ferrari's technical director Brawn holds the key to the unbeaten run continuing this season.

"We will try to win," Schumacher said. "We have the master of strategy in Ross and we will cross our fingers that he can do the best job possible, which he always does. Monaco is a long race, we are not happy where we are starting from but we still do the race as always and see what happens."

Schumacher was only 14th quickest in the first qualifying session and running early in the second proved costly as Jarno Trulli claimed a maiden pole position for Renault, with Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso also ahead of him on the grid.

Brawn accepted Ferrari will struggle to continue their run of victories - with Rubens Barrichello beginning from sixth - but promised they would do their all to keep Schumacher unbeaten.

"We've made it very hard for him," said Brawn. "The car is very good but we've got some work to do with the strategy, it is a challenge. I think considering the time of the session we ran, with the highest track temperatures, we got a pretty good result, and he's very happy with the car for tomorrow. We just gotta hope something develops in Monaco as it often does.

"Actually [last year] was very frustrating because we sat behind Trulli for half the race and then when we got going we had a quick car, so I hope that doesn't happen this year. If the three or four cars at the front stay together we always got a chance at the pitstops."

Schumacher would also equal Ayrton Senna's record of six victories in the Monte Carlo event if he does take the chequered flag in Sunday's race.