Michael Schumacher [Images] 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 [Images] last week.