Michael Schumacher has advised his brother Ralf that it might be better to retire from Formula One rather than crawl around in an uncompetitive car.
Ralf, younger brother of the seven-times world champion, suggested this week that he could be about to leave the sport after an unsuccessful test with Force India in Spain.
Michael, who retired last year as Formula One's most successful driver after winning 91 grands prix, made clear he would support that decision.
"I don't know what his ambitions are, but crawling around in this car, I don't even know what it's called... He should not do that to himself," Michael Schumacher told Auto Motor und Sport magazine in Jerez, where he was testing for Ferrari last week.
"I've been saying to him for a long time that there are so many things in life you can do that are fun. He could still deliver good results but at the moment he doesn't have the right options."
Schumacher, winner of six grands prix with Williams from 2001 to 2003, left Toyota at the end of the season in October and has yet to find a drive for 2008.
He said after his test on Friday: "It's possible that today was my last drive in a Formula One car."
