F1 Rumor: Mick Schumacher Back in the Running for Audi Seat After Valtteri Bottas Issue

Recent sources indicate that Mick Schumacher is making a comeback as a possible candidate for a contract with Sauber or Audi drivers. Valtteri Bottas, who is now driving for Sauber, was considered to be the frontrunner to take Nico Hulkenberg’s place in the lineup for the upcoming season; however, it has been claimed that disputes have arisen in the course of his contract negotiations with the club.

According to reports, Michael Schumacher, the son of the iconic seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher, is on the verge of being offered a position with Audi Formula One beginning in the year 2025. At the moment, Schumacher is racing for Alpine in the World Endurance Championship while also serving as the reserve driver for Mercedes-Benz Formula One.

Other prospective contenders included Franco Colapinto, who has been impressive in recent performances for Williams, and Gabriel Bortoleto, who is supported by McLaren and managed by Fernando Alonso. Both of these drivers have represented Williams in the past. A number of factors, including Bortoleto’s commitment to the Formula Two feeder series and Colapinto’s contractual links with Williams, have resulted in Audi’s interest in their respective candidacies being diminished.

According to reports, the primary obstacle that prevents Bottas from signing the deal is his need for a rich contract that continues for multiple years. Audi is still cautious to enter into a contract that extends beyond the 2025 season, particularly in light of the legislative changes that are scheduled to be implemented in 2026. As a result of this ambiguity, driver negotiations are still possible, and Schumacher’s future with the team is still subject to speculation.

Helmut Marko, who is a motorsport advisor for Red Bull, recently shared his thoughts on the continuing conversations and the prospective future that Schumacher could have with Audi after the announcement. Marko elaborated thus:

I am of the opinion that the Audi automobile will not be a winning vehicle in the upcoming year.

The implication of this is that neither Audi nor the driver, Schumacher, would have been subjected to any pressure.

In this regard, Nico Hulkenberg would be an excellent example to consider. And if his performance isn’t up to par, you always have the option of making a change for the year 2026.

If the case is genuinely that Valtteri Bottas gets the chance, then the whole issue is even more perplexing to me. I don’t know exactly what the situation is.

According to my opinion, if Schumacher does not get this seat, then his career in Formula One would come to an end.

It would be more beneficial for him to focus on the long-distance races, which he had a lot of success in, and he should do that.

This means that if he continues to compete in motorsports, he will need to find something that he not only enjoys doing but also where he has a possibility of winning.

After relinquishing a permanent seat with Haas at the end of the 2022 season, Schumacher has expressed no hesitation in expressing his desire to return to Formula One racing. At the beginning of the year, the German driver made a statement to Formula1.com in which he stated that Formula One “was always the dream.”

“I mean, it does include a lot of hair pulling and tearing, and I feel like you don’t really see that,” he added. “It’s not like you’re aware of that.”

“Obviously, this is the first media table that I’ve done this year, and that demonstrates a lot and says a lot in that regard. However, Formula One has always been a dream, and it will continue to be a dream for as long as I live.

“Again, there is no reason to remain in this location, to not compete, to fall behind everyone else… The best option for me would be to get out there, find something to race, and work on improving my skills. I am content to pursue that course of action if, in the end, it does not result in a return to Formula One but rather in a different line of work.