Mick Schumacher looks set to pivot away from his Formula 1 dream.
When Audi-owned Sauber announced that it has signed rookie Gabriel Bortoleto rather than Valtteri Bottas or Schumacher, Mattia Binotto insisted the 25-year-old German would have been a "good choice" among "many candidates".
The Audi F1 boss added: "I know him very well from the past and I know his strengths and perhaps also his weaknesses."
Since being ousted by former Haas boss Gunther Steiner at the end of 2022, Michael Schumacher’s son has been Mercedes’ F1 reserve whilst also racing for Alpine in the world endurance championship.
But now, Mercedes is expected to sign Bottas for the main reserve role next year.
Mick’s uncle Ralf Schumacher admits returning to Formula 1 to race is now "rather unrealistic" for his nephew. "The question is, who will be the substitute drivers and where?
"Or will he now concentrate on his endurance career instead?"
German pundit Christian Danner recommends Schumacher try his hand at Indycar, but Auto Motor und Sport believes Alpine is simply waiting for Mick to sign an extension for 2025 to his existing WEC commitment.
However, Kronen Zeitung newspaper reports: "Mick also had an offer from Ferrari."
The Austrian publication is referring to Ferrari’s WEC program. As outlined by Binotto, the Maranello based marque knows Schumacher well from his time in the driver development academy.
"Mick had also considered a move to Indycar, but staying with Alpine in WEC seems the most likely option," Kronen Zeitung added.
That is because Ferrari was reportedly demanding that Schumacher bring sponsorship in order to fund the WEC seat. "So the decision ultimately went in favour of the Briton Philip Hanson," the report said.
However, Schumacher could be in good company at the fabled Le Mans 24 hour race next year, with Porsche not ruling out a seat for quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel.
"We are short of one driver, that is mathematically true," Porsche’s WEC boss Urs Kuratle told sportscar365. When asked specifically about Vettel’s candidacy, he admitted: "I’m not ruling it out."
Earlier, former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone claimed he talked 37-year-old Vettel out of his "dream" of launching a comeback to Formula 1.
"I had to talk him out of his comeback dreams," said Ecclestone, 94. "Why should a four-time world champion put himself through that?" he told Blick newspaper.