Stewart and Ecclestone think Schumacher will withdraw

Bernie Ecclestone and Jackie Stewart think that Schumacher will not compete in the 2011 F1 World Championship. F1’s CEO and the three-time world champion say that the poor results will take him off the tracks.

Sir Jackie Stewart adivses the seven-time world champion to end his career after November's Abu Dhabi finale. Although he has a contract to drive until 2012 with the silver arrow team, the German has been out-raced and out-qualified by team-mate Nico Rosberg in the majority of grands prix this season.

Interviewed by the Cologne Express, Sir Jacky Stewart said “I would have preferred to have seen Michael not come back. Why did he do it? He had achieved everything and could only lose. In my opinion he retired too early, he should have stayed another two years with Ferrari and I have no idea why he didn't.”

The three-time world champion also said that it would be better for Schumacher to quit at the end of the season than to continue being constantly criticized by the press.

“Now he's in a difficult situation and has to live with the criticism. The first question should be 'will he do another year?' I believe he will stop after this season,” said Stewart.

Another voice thinking that Schumacher will abandon F1 after the 2010 season is Bernie Ecclestone. Although the F1 CEO doesn’t doubt Schumacher’s fitness, motivation and talent, he thinks the poor results will make him leave competition.

"If Schumacher doesn't perform I doubt whether he will want to stay," Ecclestone told City AM.

Schumacher is currently lying in 9th place in the driver’s standings 54 points behind his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg.