Audi has reportedly decided to exclude Mick Schumacher from its 2025 Formula 1 driver lineup.
Mattia Binotto, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technical Officer of Sauber Motorsport (soon to be Audi), is credited with the decisive call. Binotto, who has a history with Schumacher from his tenure in the Ferrari junior program, “finally decided against Schumi Jr,” signaling a potentially definitive end to the German driver’s F1 aspirations.
Mick Schumacher, currently serving as a reserve driver for Mercedes as well as competing in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine, has been in search of a full-time seat since his release from Haas at the end of 2022. Despite displaying potential, Schumacher’s tenure at Haas was marred by crashes that outnumbered his top-ten finishes. Since then, he has been linked with various teams for a 2025 seat, including Mercedes, Alpine, Williams, and Audi. With these options now closed, Audi was seen as his last option.
However, Audi’s decision now sharply narrows Schumacher’s avenues within Formula 1. Binotto’s verdict implies that Schumacher “won’t be” in Formula 1 in 2025 casting shadows on his return. Yet, Schumacher remains mildly optimistic. He recently explained to the media:
An Audi F1 concept car is on display during the 20th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition, also known as Auto Shanghai 2023, at National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) on April 18, 2023 in Shanghai, China.Audi will goes Formula 1 in 2026 after acquiring a stake in the Sauber Group. Audi reportedly removes Mick Schumacher from F1 shortlist.
Zhe Ji/Getty Images
“There will be a decision in September. So we have to wait and see what happens.
“I will deal with it when the time comes and Plan A does not work. Plan B must be in the back of my mind. I don’t know where that will go at the moment.
“Formula 1 is the big goal, it always was and it always will be. That’s why everything else has to stand still for now. The options that exist alongside it have to wait.”
Audi, meanwhile, has begun to solidify its driver lineup for 2025, focusing on stability and experience. Nico Hulkenberg has already signed with Audi, and reports suggest that Valtteri Bottas might extend his contract for a fourth season. Although Bottas dismissed the signing rumors as “fake news” and emphasized that “nothing is signed,” it’s clear that discussions are ongoing. Bottas explained to the media during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend:
“That’s what you can say about that. Nothing is signed.
“A one-year contract is not my goal here, but we’ll see more next week. Let’s keep a cool head.”
A spokesperson for Audi released the following statement after the rumors that Bottas had signed a 2025 contract began to take off:
“This is all just speculation.
“Nothing has been decided yet. There will be a decision at the end of September at the earliest.”
