Michael Schumacher says he shoulders the blame for his ineffectual three seasons at Mercedes, not the team.
The seven-time World Champion, winner of 91 grands prix, returned to Formula One at the start of the 2010 season with Mercedes.
However, those three years have been anything but a success.
Schumacher failed to take Mercedes to the top of F1 and in fact achieved just one podium result with four races remaining before he again calls it quits, this time for good.
But while Mercedes boss Dieter Zetsche recently stated that the team is to blame for failing to give the German a car capable of fighting at the front, Schumacher believes he personally should shoulder the blame.
"As racing drivers, we are independent of the cars," Schumacher said in an interview with Die Welt.
"The fact things didn't go as well for me as planned is my fault, not that of the team.
"What is important though is to be able to look in the mirror and be able to say that I gave all I had. And I can do that.
"I can leave Formula One with my head held high. My mission is over, so I can go back to the happy period of my life which I enjoyed during my first retirement."
