Ralf Schumacher names which three current F1 drivers are ‘significantly worse’ than Mick Schumacher

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Mick Schumacher’s chances of returning to Formula 1 look to be all but over.

The former Haas driver recently took part in an IndyCar test as he explores his options ahead of 2026.

There are still a few seats available in the driver market for next season, but Mick Schumacher doesn’t appear to be in contention for any of them.

Schumacher’s IndyCar test went very well, but considering he last competed in Formula 1 in 2022, his chances of convincing a team principal to take a chance on him are virtually over.

Mercedes brought Schumacher in as a reserve driver in 2023, and he worked alongside Alpine in their WEC programme last year.

However, Flavio Briatore has shut the door on a return for Schumacher, while it’s believed that Cadillac overlooked signing Schumacher ahead of their maiden F1 campaign in 2026.

His uncle, Ralf Schumacher, has now spoken more about his racing ability and named a trio of drivers he believes are currently on the grid with less talent than his nephew.

READ MORE: Who is Mick Schumacher? All to know about Michael Schumacher’s son

Ralf Schumacher suggests Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda is ‘significantly worse’ than Mick Schumacher

Schumacher was speaking about his nephew on the Backstage Boxengasse Podcast after his IndyCar test.

He said: “Well, to be honest, this test was a joke, the way it was organised.

“The aim was obvious. In the morning in Le Castellet, every racing driver knows that the track is two and a half seconds faster in the morning, sometimes three, than in the afternoon, so they had Jack drive in the morning and then Mick in the afternoon.

“So, I don’t want to go back over that now, but if you understand anything about it from my point of view and if you look at the careers of the drivers, including the current drivers who are in Formula 1, I think Mick would definitely be better than Tsunoda.

“I know Franz [Tost] might agree with me now, he didn’t back then, but, well, he’s better than Liam Lawson in my opinion, and Colapinto got off to a great start, but he hasn’t developed in the same way so far.

“And that’s why I would say that all three of them, in my opinion, are worse than Mick, even significantly worse.

“And accordingly, I can’t understand it at all, but now they’ll say again, of course, I’m his uncle, but it’s the same for me, I’m not criticising him now, but I don’t think it’s a great decision, America, um, but I think the team bosses made a mistake not to fall back on him.”

READ MORE: Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda’s life outside F1 from height to parents

How does Mick Schumacher compare to Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda?

It’s difficult to compare Schumacher to Liam Lawson and Franco Colapinto, as they were never on the grid together.

Red Bull could have set off a chain reaction that would have seen Schumacher return to F1 last year, but that never came to fruition.

As Schumacher describes, Mick went up against Jack Doohan in a private Alpine test last year that ultimately earned the Australian a race seat.

However, as soon as Alpine signed Colapinto on loan from Williams, it was clear that whoever was in that second seat was going to be under significant pressure.

Yuki Tsunoda made his F1 debut alongside Schumacher back in 2021, after finishing third, behind the German and British driver Callum Ilott, in the previous year’s Formula 2 championship.

Unfortunately for Schumacher, he landed at Haas alongside Nikita Mazepin in a car that failed to score a single point.

Tsunoda scored 32 points in 2021 and 12 points the following year, although he was still a long way away from Red Bull’s radar.

Schumacher matched Tsunoda’s points tally in that second season, but was second-best to new teammate Kevin Magnussen, and when Nico Hulkenberg became available in 2023, Guenther Steiner parted ways with the youngster.

Steiner believed the media damaged Schumacher’s career, and while his uncle believes he would be faster than Tsunoda now, he’s not going to be thrown into the toughest seat on the grid alongside Max Verstappen any time soon.