Mick Schumacher made his F1 debut with Haas in the 2021 season after becoming the F2 champion the previous year. However, the German failed to live up to expectations at Haas as the American outfit sacked him at the end of the 2022 campaign.
Since it has now been two long years since Schumacher last raced in F1, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko believes that his dreams of racing in the pinnacle of motorsport would be over if Sauber/Audi don’t sign him for the 2025 season. According to F1 Maximaal, Marko said,
“I think that if Schumacher doesn’t get this seat, then his time in Formula 1 is really over“.
: Helmut Marko criticizes Sauber’s potential decision to favor Valtteri Bottas over Mick Schumacher for the final 2025 F1 seat, calling it “incomprehensible.” Marko suggests Schumacher would be a better fit as Sauber transitions to Audi in 2026. If Schumacher misses out, his F1… pic.twitter.com/Cx4YuHIa6N
— F1 Naija (@f1_naija) October 4, 2024
During the same interview, Marko also explained why he believes it is advisable for Audi to sign Schumacher for the 2025 season. “I think the Audis will definitely not be a winning car next year. That means there would have been no pressure for Audi or the driver,” said Marko.
Marko then also added that if Schumacher fails to live up to expectations next season, then Audi can always replace him before the 2026 season, a year when F1 introduces new regulations. Although Schumacher has had strong links with Audi, the team is not short of options to choose from.
Sauber’s driver options for the 2025 season
Sauber/Audi remain the only team yet to confirm its 2025 lineup. Multiple drivers have been linked with them, including their two current drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu. Another driver who has had strong links with Sauber is Gabriel Bortoleto, who is fighting for the F2 championship this season.
The team are also considering Liam Lawson in case Red Bull does not offer him a race seat at either one of their two teams for the 2025 season. Last but not least, Sauber/Audi are also considering Franco Colapinto after the Argentine has been mightily impressive with Williams.
