Schumacher warned F1 return bid over if 'incomprehensible' decision made

Mick Schumacher has been told to forget all hope of a return to F1 if he fails to land the vacant Sauber seat for next season.

Schumacher has been on the periphery of F1 since losing his seat at Haas at the end of 2022 following two miserable seasons with the American team.

The 25-year-old son of seven-time champion Michael has spent the last two years serving as reserve driver at Mercedes, whilst this year he has driven for Alpine in the World Endurance Championship, finishing on the podium in his last race, the 6 Hours of Fuji.

Schumacher, however, has been overlooked by Mercedes as a replacement for Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton, with team principal Toto Wolff preferring junior driver Kimi Antonelli.

Alpine also snubbed Schumacher after announcing in June it would be parting company with Esteban Ocon at the end of the year. Like Mercedes, the Anglo-French team promoted one of its juniors, Jack Doohan, to the seat.

As far as F1 options go for Schumacher for 2025, there is only one seat available - at the Stake-branded Sauber outfit that morphs into the Audi works team the following year.

It is understood, although yet to be announced, that Valtteri Bottas will continue for next season.

Schumacher 'needs to find something he enjoys'

If that is confirmed, and Schumacher has again been overlooked, he has been told by Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko that his F1 ambitions are finished.

"I think the Audi car will certainly not be a winning car next year," said Marko, speaking to RTL/ntv and sport.de. "That means there would have been no pressure on either Audi or the driver [Schumacher].

"It would be a good comparison with Nico Hülkenberg, and if his [Schumacher's] performance isn't right, you can always make a change for 2026."

Addressing the suggestion that Bottas will be retained, Marko added: "If the situation is really that Valtteri Bottas gets the chance, then the whole thing is even more incomprehensible to me.

"I think if Schumacher doesn't get this seat, then Formula 1 history is over for him.

"He should then concentrate on the long-distance races, where he was very successful, and do that. If he stays in motorsport, then he has to find something that he enjoys, but where he also has a chance of winning."