Bernie Ecclestone's brutal verdict as Audi F1 'decide against' Mick ...

Bernie Ecclestone says he understands Audi F1’s position in the wake of rumours that Mick Schumacher had been passed over for an F1 2025 seat.

Schumacher’s last opportunity to return to the Formula 1 grid was snatched away this week when Audi chief Mattia Binotto reportedly “finally decided against” the German hopeful.

Bernie Ecclestone says Audi need drivers to ‘protect’ the brand

The 25-year-old had been just one name on a long list of hopefuls that includes Sauber‘s incumbent drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu as well as Williams junior driver Franco Colapinto and McLaren’s Gabriel Bortoleto.

Speaking to Sky Deutschland at the Singapore Grand Prix, Schumacher revealed he was still hopeful.

“There will be a decision in September,” he said. “So we have to wait and see what happens.

“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.”

“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.”

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Unfortunately for the former Haas driver, it appears as if Plan B now needs some thought with Bild reporting Audi chief Binotto has “decided against” and is instead leaning towards retaining Bottas for a fourth season.

And former F1 supremo Ecclestone can see why Audi have made the call.

“You can understand Audi’s position,” the 93-year-old told sport.de.

“When they enter, they need their number one driver and a number two. They will need a lot of help to protect their brand. They can’t just sit around and do nothing.”

As for whether Bottas is the right choice to partner Nico Hulkenberg given the Finn sits P22 in the Drivers’ Championship without a single point to his name, Ecclestone says: “Only time will tell.”

What’s next for Mick Schumacher after another F1 door closes?

Although Schumacher was linked to four teams for F1 2025 – Mercedes, Alpine, Williams and Audi – one by one those doors have shut. At least when it comes to an F1 race seat.

The German still has connections to both Mercedes, where he is the F1 team’s reserve driver, and Alpine as he races for their World Endurance Championship team.

He reckons he will continue in the Mercedes role next season, saying: “It’s going well there. “So we’re all confident that I’ll continue doing it.”

But Plan B, and whether or not he continues with Alpine in WEC, has yet to be decided.

Ecclestone believes wherever he goes, the 25-year-old needs a team boss “who is a warm-hearted person” as while he is “talented enough, he has not been given the right opportunity so far”.

The Briton has made it clear in the past that he doesn’t believe Schumacher received that at Haas under Guenther Steiner with the Italian often publicly criticising the driver.

“He doesn’t need people telling him that all the time,” the former F1 supremo said. “He needs someone to help him and not criticise him too much.

“If Michael [were] here, he would tell Guenther where to go. That would help a lot.”

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