Sebastian Vettel call made as Mick Schumacher chases down Audi F1 seat

Should Mick Schumacher secure the final spot on the F1 2025 grid with Audi, his former team boss Guenther Steiner has urged Sebastian Vettel to step up and “help” his compatriot navigate his return.

A lot has been written, said and speculated about Schumacher’s Formula 1 future in recent weeks with every report saying he’s in the running for the Audi seat followed by one saying he’s not.

Mick Schumacher’s final F1 hope rests with Audi

And then Audi spoke.

Audi chief Mattia Binotto, who knows Schumacher from his days as a Ferrari junior, confirmed to Corriere dello Sport that the German is most definitely in the running to partner Nico Hulkenberg at Sauber next season.

“Definitely, we are evaluating him,” said the former Ferrari team boss.

“I have met and talked to him, I have known him for a long time having been part of the Ferrari Driver Academy. I know the merits and advantages of him, he is one of the names we have in mind.”

But he is just one name on a list that includes Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, Gabriel Bortoleto and Franco Colapinto.

Steiner, Schumacher’s team boss for his two years at Haas before he sacked the driver, believes Schumacher should enlist four-time World Champion and compatriot Vettel to guide him in the same way that Oscar Piastri has Mark Webber as his manager fighting his corner.

“There is only one good example. Mark is key for me with Oscar,” Steiner explained to RacingNews365. “And I said that to Mark as well. You don’t have to be nice to him, but Mark has all the faith in Oscar. Mark has been through everything.

“He [Piastri] makes no rookie mistakes and is so complete for his age. Not only on the track, but also in general. And I don’t attribute that only to Mark, because Oscar is definitely called a great talent. But Mark helped him so much.

“And I would say, Sebastian also went through all those things. He would be a good man to help [Mick].”

Schumacher and Vettel have a “special relationship” according to the four-time World Champion, who said that he would help his compatriot in any way he can.

Schumacher actually called Vettel before taking up the World Endurance Championship role with Alpine, asking for his advice.

Bottas, Schumacher, Colapinto or Pourchaire? Audi’s 2025 options

👉 Opinion: Why now is the right time for Sauber to say goodbye to Valtteri Bottas

👉 Audi F1 2025 driver line-up: The five best options to partner Nico Hulkenberg

Steiner, however, believes it will be difficult for Schumacher to grab that final Audi race seat as he’s been out of the sport for two years.

That though doesn’t mean he doesn’t want him to get it.

“It will be difficult to find another spot,” said the former Haas team boss. “But I think it would be good for him because he still wants to prove himself.

“And if he gets the chance, I am very happy for him. People think I wanted him out of Formula 1, but that’s not true. I did not have that ambition, because I am not against a person.

“But it will be difficult. He’s been out for something like three years now and he doesn’t have 10 previous seasons behind his name. He did two years and those were pretty mediocre as well. So it will be difficult for him, but maybe there is still a chance at Sauber.”

Read next: ‘Did Binotto say that?’ – Sainz reacts to surprise Lewis Hamilton signing admission