Schumacher set to be replaced at Haas, claims ex-F1 CEO Ecclestone
Haas are the final F1 team that still needs to decide its driver line-up for next year.
Kevin Magnussen will remain with the team after signing a multi-year contract at the start of 2022 as a replacement for Nikita Mazepin.
Schumacher’s future has been in doubt throughout the year, with current Aston Martin reserve driver Nico Hulkenberg understood to be Haas’ preferred choice.
Speaking to German broadcaster RTL, Ecclestone doesn’t expect Schumacher to be on the grid in 2023.
"I don't think he will be there,” he said. "People were disappointed with his performance," he said. "We don't know whether it was because of him or the team, but of course it's difficult to find someone to put him on a winning team. Because he's not in one at the moment.
"Maybe he needs to forget F1 and focus on the other motorsport categories. His name is his biggest burden, but he tries to live up to it as best he can. And that's what gets him into all his troubles. Therefore, forget it and win in another category.”
Ecclestone isn’t surprised Haas are favouring experience over youth and potential.
"It's not about age, but mental state," he added. "Look at Juan Manuel Fangio - he started at an age when everyone stopped long ago.”
The writing is on the wall for Schumacher after Hulkenberg said he’s “relatively optimistic” about making a return to F1.
Hulkenberg hasn’t driven in F1 full-time since 2019, although he has consistently impressed during his one-off appearances in the subsequent years.
The German starred on his outings for Racing Point in 2020, before out-qualifying Lance Stroll in the season-opening 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix after Sebastian Vettel was ruled out of the first two races with coronavirus.
