Bernie Ecclestone believes Michael Schumacher was wrong to return to Formula 1 with Mercedes after a three-year break from the sport.
The seven-times world champion announced his comeback at the start of the 2010 season, but his return has been somewhat underwhelming as a result of an under-developed car whilst team-mate Nico Rosberg has repeatedly outperformed his elder countryman.
Ecclestone says his decision to return was an error, but it may have gone better had he joined a more competitive team.
“With hindsight Schumacher shouldn’t have started [again],” said the 82-year-old.
“How would he have performed if he was in a Red Bull? Or a Ferrari? I suppose when he went there [to Mercedes] he expected the team to do a lot better than they have,” he added.
Ecclestone also believes that Schumacher would have retired after this season no matter the decision of Lewis Hamilton who will replace the 43-year-old at Mercedes in 2013.
“I think Schumacher was going to go anyway. Hamilton had a number of options: stop [at McLaren], go to a team which was much worse than Mercedes or go to Mercedes.”
