Mick Schumacher's hopes for a Formula One comeback remain alive, as Audi's chief operating officer, Mattia Binotto has named him a candidate for a seat on the upcoming Audi team.

The son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, Mick raced for the Haas team during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Currently, he serves as a reserve driver for Mercedes while also competing for Alpine in the Endurance World Championship.

In 2026, German automaker Audi will fully acquire the Switzerland-based Sauber team, which presents the only remaining vacancy for the 2025 season.

Binotto told Monday's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that Schumacher is among the candidates to drive alongside Nico Hulkenberg starting next year.

"We are considering him as a potential driver. He is on our list," Binotto said.

"I know Mick's potential, his strengths and weaknesses. He is a very consistent and generally fast driver, a team player who works hard."

Former Ferrari team principal Binotto knows Schumacher from their days at Scuderia Ferrari, where Schumacher was an academy driver.

Binotto said that Schumacher "needs a few more laps on some tracks to get the quickest lap."

He described Schumacher as a "great guy," emphasizing that "you must not only judge the drivers on how fast they are, but also on their attitude."

Other candidates reportedly include veteran Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou, the two current Sauber drivers.