BREAKING: Former Ferrari boss takes aim at Wolff for treatment of AXED star...Read more

Former Ferrari boss takes aim at Wolff for treatment of AXED star

Former Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto has taken a subtle dig at Mercedes chief Toto Wolff over the treatment of former Formula 1 driver Mick Schumacher, who remains sidelined after losing his spot on the grid. Binotto, now with Sauber, was discussing the decision-making process that led to the signing of Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto for the team’s 2025 season.

Binotto’s comments came after Sauber, which will transition to become Audi’s works team in 2026, confirmed Bortoleto’s appointment alongside veteran driver Nico Hulkenberg. The decision to choose the young rookie over more experienced candidates like Schumacher raised some eyebrows, especially with Schumacher having been linked to several open seats across the grid.

The 20-year-old Bortoleto is viewed as a rising talent, having shown promise in the lower categories. Despite his relative inexperience, Binotto is confident that Bortoleto has what it takes to succeed in Formula 1, joining Hulkenberg in what is expected to be a challenging season for Sauber. The team is yet to score a point in 2024, and Binotto is focused on improving results before the team’s full transformation into Audi begins in two years.

The choice to sign Bortoleto over other contenders, including Williams driver Franco Colapinto and Mercedes reserve driver Mick Schumacher, was particularly notable. Schumacher has been on the fringes of the sport since being dropped by Haas in 2022. Though he served as a reserve driver for Mercedes, hopes of a return to a full-time F1 seat have so far eluded him.

Binotto confirmed that Schumacher was considered for the Sauber seat but ultimately lost out to Bortoleto. In reflecting on the decision, Binotto raised a question about Wolff’s handling of Schumacher’s situation at Mercedes, where the 25-year-old German has remained in a reserve role rather than being promoted back to the grid.

“I know Mick very well from my past years in Formula 1, and I am aware of his strengths and weaknesses. He would have been a good candidate for the seat at Sauber,” Binotto said to media outlets. “However, we had to make a decision, and in the end, we chose Gabriel Bortoleto. We are happy with that choice, but there’s no blame on Mick’s side. It’s just how things turned out.”

Binotto then turned the conversation toward Wolff and Mercedes, suggesting that similar scrutiny should be applied to Wolff’s decision to retain Schumacher as a reserve driver while promoting young prospect Kimi Antonelli into a more significant role.

“Perhaps we should be asking Toto why he’s kept Mick on the sidelines and opted for Kimi instead,” Binotto said. “At some point, teams must make tough choices. We had to make one, and so did Mercedes. Today, we made the decision to hire Gabriel, and we are content with that.”

The Italian’s remarks highlight the difficult decisions team principals face when choosing drivers, particularly with a limited number of seats on the F1 grid. Schumacher, the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, has had a rocky path since entering the sport in 2021. After two seasons with Haas, his performance was inconsistent, leading the team to drop him in favor of more experienced drivers.

Now, with younger talents like Bortoleto and Antonelli entering the F1 fold, the path back to a regular race seat for Schumacher seems increasingly difficult. While Schumacher continues to serve as Mercedes’ reserve driver, his future remains uncertain.

Binotto’s Sauber team will be closely watched in 2025 as Bortoleto takes on his rookie season. With Hulkenberg’s wealth of experience and Audi’s looming arrival in the sport, the team is under pressure to improve its fortunes and build a competitive foundation for 2026 and beyond. Meanwhile, the broader question of Schumacher’s future in Formula 1 persists, with fans and pundits alike wondering if and when the young German will get another shot at racing on the sport’s biggest stage.