A Red Bull Racing advisor believes Mick Schumacher would be a better fit for the soon-to-be Audi team.
It would be “incomprehensible” if Audi simply retained Valtteri Bottas for 2025, according to Red Bull F1 team advisor Helmut Marko.
He campaigned successfully to oust Daniel Ricciardo from Red Bull junior team RB in favor of Liam Lawson, 22.
As Marko told European media outlet Speed Week, Oliver Bearman (at Ferrari and Haas) and Franco Colapinto (at Williams) demonstrated this year, young drivers are ready for the step up, and the old philosophy of some team bosses that you can only promote drivers to top teams after three or four years of experience has become outdated.
Despite the risk, it is manageable and well worth it.”
There is a vacancy on the 2025 grid for the Audi-owned Sauber seat alongside Nico Hulkenberg, and both Colapinto and Gabriel Bortoleto are in the running for it. As for Mick Schumacher, Marko feels the former Haas driver is “absolutely” deserving of a second chance in Formula 1.
Gunther Steiner mistreated Schumacher, according to the 81-year-old Marko. The only thing you hear about him behind the scenes is good.”
Audi is, however, choosing the safer option of keeping Bottas for at least 2025, considering his experience and age.
The 81-year-old can only shake his head in disbelief.
Choosing Schumacher would have been a relatively risk-free move, Marko told German broadcasters RTL and ntv. “If his performance is not right, you can always make a substitution for 2026. But the Audi car won’t likely win next year, which means neither Audi nor the driver would have faced any pressure.” Reports state Bottas is likely to sign a one-year contract with Sauber at the current Grand Prix in Singapore.
The whole thing is even more incomprehensible to me if Bottas really gets the chance, Marko replied.
He fears that Schumacher, 25, won’t be able to make a comeback in 2025 if he doesn’t return to Formula 1. It would be wise for him to focus on the endurance races where he had previously been successful.”
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