Despite being a Formula 2 champion, Schumacher largely failed to impress, and at the end of 2022, was given his marching orders by Haas, who opted for a more experienced driver for the 2023 season.
Since then, Schumacher has remained in and around the F1 paddock hopeful of a return to the grid, but one is yet to materialise.
If he does not come back next year, former German F1 driver Christian Danner believes it could be the end of the road due to the fact he would then face a disadvantage - losing the current advantage he has over upcoming young talent in that he has driven under these regulations previously.
"The motto was: now or never," Danner told BILD. "If he is not part of Formula 1 in 2025, the train has left the station.
"There are too many good young drivers coming up for that and in 2026 he will lose the advantage of knowing the cars due to the new technical regulations."