Michael Schumacher's son issued with damning warning over F1 career

Mick Schumacher has been told his Formula 1 career is "over" if he cannot secure a seat with Audi by Helmut Marko.

The German, son of the legendary Michael, has seen his career stall after being let go by Haas. He's since been overlooked by a number of teams and has served as Mercedes' reserve driver in an effort to keep himself in the shop window.Sauber will rebrand as Audi come 2026 and have begun formulating the look of their team with Nico Hulkenburg signing a multi-year deal from 2025.

There is yet to be confirmation on who will race alongside him though with a number of names linked. Ferrari's Carlos Sainz was seen as an obvious choice but wasn't convinced by the project and has instead opted to join Williams. That has opened the door for Schumacher, whose name and German nationality could be advantageous.

Red Bull chief Marko told Sport.de : "I think the Formula One story is really over for Schumacher if he doesn't get that Audi seat. Then he has to concentrate on the long-distance races in the WEC, where he was already very successful. If he wants to stay in motorsport, he has to find something that he likes, but where he also has a chance to win."

There is talk of Valtteri Bottas getting an extension at Sauber, which would take him through into the Audi rebrand, but Marko has mocked that possibility whilst admitting that the new outfit are unlikely to be challenging near the front, easing the pressure on its drivers.

He said: “I think Audi's car will definitely not be a winning car next year. That means there will be no pressure for Audi or its drivers. It would be a good comparison with Nico Hulkenberg. If the performance is not right, you can always replace him for 2026. If the situation is really that Valtteri Bottas gets the chance, then the whole thing is even more incomprehensible to me.”

Helmut Marko claims the door is closing on the German's future if Audi snub him
(Image: Getty Images)

Schumacher though, who only has two top ten finishes in F1, was coy when asked about interest from Mattia Binotto’s team during an interview with German newspaper BILD. “Time will tell,” he replied. “Time is of the essence at the moment. There is nothing to say at the moment.”

The Swiss-born driver has impressed in other formulas, enjoying strong career in the World Endurance Championship. The former F2 and F3 champion has impressed Alpine bosses in his rookie year and the French outfit are keen to retain him for 2025 and beyond.

Schumacher himself has confessed he's keeping an open mind. "I don't want to say how the chances are or how it looks. In the end, time will give us the answer," he said. "I think I will deal with it when time comes and plan A doesn’t work out. We will just believe that plan A works. We try our best to make it work, but plan B has to be in the back of my mind - I don't know where it's going right now."