Ralf Schumacher thinks it's "unusual" that sacked Haas team boss Gunther Steiner has returned to the paddock for 2024 as a television pundit.

Ralf, a former F1 race winner, was highly critical of Steiner's management of Haas when his nephew Mick Schumacher was struggling at the team.

Now, with 48-year-old Schumacher working for Sky Deutschland and Steiner tapped to be a similar expert pundit at the other German broadcaster - RTL - things could get awkward between the pair as they cross paths in 2024.

"It may take a bit of getting used to at first because he had a somewhat difficult relationship with Mick," Ralf admitted. "But RTL in turn was and is a loyal companion of the Schumacher family for many years."

More "interesting" for Schumacher is that he thinks it's an "unusual step" for Steiner to so suddenly give up on team management whilst still remaining in the paddock.

"You would think that as a former team boss in Formula 1 you could find yourself in a position like that again somewhere else," he said. "But, anyway, I find it interesting and it could be entertaining."

For his part, when asked by Kolner Express about the prospect of clashing with fierce critic Ralf Schumacher this year, Steiner insisted: "I don't give anyone a wide berth.

"You get along with some people, you don't get along with others, that's life," he told the German broadcaster ntv. "I don't have any problems with that, otherwise you'll put yourself under pressure.

"If he wants to greet me, good. If not, also good. Logically we won't become friends, but respect is always there."