It looks like Audi has made the call to leave Mick Schumacher off their 2025 Formula 1 driver roster.
Mattia Binotto, the COO and CTO of Sauber Motorsport—soon rebranded as Audi—was the one who made this tough decision. Binotto, who has previously worked with Schumacher during his days in Ferrari’s junior program, ultimately decided against including the German driver in the lineup, which could mean a significant setback for Schumacher’s F1 career.
Currently, Mick Schumacher is a reserve driver for Mercedes and also competes in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine. Since his departure from Haas at the end of 2022, he has been actively seeking a full-time seat. Despite showcasing some potential, his time at Haas was overshadowed by more crashes than top-ten finishes. He had been linked to several teams for 2025, including Mercedes, Alpine, Williams, and Audi, but with Audi’s decision, it appears his options are dwindling.
This leaves Schumacher in a difficult spot, as Binotto’s choice suggests that Schumacher’s chances of returning to F1 in 2025 are slim. However, he’s trying to stay positive. Recently, he told the media:
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“There will be a decision in September. So we have to wait and see what happens.” He added, “I will deal with it when the time comes; if Plan A doesn’t work, then Plan B has to be considered. Formula 1 is my main goal and always will be.”
On their end, Audi is moving towards firming up their driver lineup for 2025, prioritizing stability and experience. Nico Hulkenberg has already secured a spot with Audi, and there are whispers about Valtteri Bottas potentially extending his contract. However, Bottas downplayed the rumors during the Singapore Grand Prix, saying, “Nothing is signed,” yet hinted that talks are happening.
An Audi spokesperson commented on the speculation regarding Bottas, stating, “This is all just speculation. Nothing has been decided yet. We expect to have clarity by the end of September at the earliest.”