Sep.16 (GMM) Mercedes is having to become a bigger team in order to win races as a constructor.

That is the claim of Nico Rosberg, who has been Michael Schumacher's teammate for the past two years and will stay with the Brackley team in 2012.

Rosberg, 26, is also tipped to sign a much longer contract, in which he hopes to take the benefit of boss Ross Brawn's efforts to improve the team structure.

Brawn radically downsized the team in the wake of former owner Honda's departure from the sport at the end of 2008.

The British engineer admitted to F1's official website this week that "possibly we have been a little bit too optimistic" in cutting staff numbers.

"We need to move up to the (staff) limitations that are allowed," he revealed.

German driver Rosberg agrees: "The team has not been big enough to build a winning car, but we have recognised the situation and are strengthening the organisation.

"We are now developing rapidly and new faces are showing up all the time," he told Italy's Tuttosport. "It shows there is a great desire to improve."

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