Sebastian Vettel believes the intra-team battle at Mercedes has long been decided with Nico Rosberg the clear lead driver.
Since joining Mercedes back in 2010, Schumacher has failed to match his team-mate both in qualifying and grand prix results. And this season has been no different.
The younger of the two Germans claimed Mercedes' one and only victory of the season in China and also has one additional podium finish and a pole position.
Schumacher, meanwhile, has just one podium finish and was stripped of his only pole position, Monaco, for an infringement at the previous race.
As such the seven-time World Champ, who has also suffered six retirements this season, has just 29 points compared to Rosberg's 77. So it's no wonder Vettel says Rosberg has emerged as the Mercedes driver to beat.
"On the one hand you can say that Michael has forgotten nothing and is not struggling as he has proven many times," the Red Bull racer told Sport1.
"But Nico has brought some incredibly good performances and has regularly been the reference (at Mercedes). There is no way you can talk around that."
