Audi’s list down by one as Mattia Binotto ‘decides against’ F1 2025 hopeful

Dropped by Haas at the end of 2022 having recorded more big crashes than top-ten finishes, Schumacher remained on the fringes of Formula 1 in his Mercedes reserve driver role.

Having missed out on a 2024 return, he had hoped that 2025 would mark his comeback as he was linked to Mercedes, Alpine, Williams and also Audi. One by one those seats have been filled, leaving Schumacher with just Audi as an option.

But that door is also said to be shut.

According to Bild, Binotto, who took over the role of Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technical Officer of Sauber Motorsport which will be rebranded Audi in 2026, is not keen on the 25-year-old who he knows well from Schumacher’s time as a Ferrari junior.

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Claiming Binotto has “finally decided against Schumi Jr”, the report adds this is the end of the F1 road for Schumacher as he “won’t be” in Formula 1 in the “future either”.

Binotto’s decision will be a blow to Schumacher as the 25-year-old was still hopeful a week ago when he told Sky Deutschland: “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 have, several sources claim, made the decision to continue with Valtteri Bottas for a fourth season, handing the Finn a one-year extension to team up with new signing Nico Hulkenberg.

Bottas, though, has not yet signed as some reports claim but negotiations are said to be at an advanced stage.

“This is all just speculation,” an Audi spokesperson said after it was reported that Bottas had signed. “Nothing has been decided yet. There will be a decision at the end of September at the earliest.”

As for Bottas, he called news of his signing “fake news”, telling Viaplay at 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.”