Michael Schumacher has added his voice to those who believe younger brother Ralf should simply walk away from Formula 1 rather than join Force India next year.

Schumacher Jnr tested with the recently-renamed Spyker squad at Jerez last week, but not only did he suffer a brace of off-course moments, he also wound up slowest of the 20 drivers present on the day – and slowest of the five drivers to test the car who have previous experience of racing in F1.

“I don't know what his intentions are,” elder brother Michael told German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, “but before he came here with this car – I don't know what it is called – I told him he shouldn't do it.”

From a former seven-time world champion, they are powerful words indeed, as Force India represents his 32-year-old sibling's sole remaining option of prolonging his career in the top flight – one that began back in 1997 and has yielded six victories, though the last of those came at Magny-Cours more than four years ago. He was dropped by Toyota following three years with the Japanese outfit that failed to produce the results either side had expected.

“He can still deliver good results,” added Schumacher Snr, who himself retired from active competition at the end of the 2006 campaign though returned to testing with Ferrari in Jerez, “but he doesn't have the right options at the moment. I said to him a long time ago that there are so many other things in life that are fun.”

Despite expressing his interest in filling the seat vacated by Fernando Alonso at McLaren, Schumacher Jnr himself admitted following his disappointing Force India test that his grand prix career was almost certainly over.

“I took on the test as an opportunity to prove myself,” he told German newspaper Bild. “It is not expected that I will join Force India, so it looks like that was the last time I will drive a Formula 1 car.”