Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has said Michael Schumacher should not have come out of retirement with Mercedes in 2010, arguing that the German 'damaged his reputation' during his stint with the team.

Schumacher retired from the sport at the end of the 2006 season but was tempted back by the Silver Arrows in 2010, and Ecclestone believes that the 43-year-old tarnished his legacy with his comeback.

"I would rather he had stopped as a seven-time world champion than stopping now," Ecclestone told the official Formula 1 website.

"People new to the sport - people who have joined the F1 fan fraternity just recently - will remember Michael now, not as he was.

"I think the important thing is - and this is probably difficult - to know when you can't do what you used to do anymore and then hand it over to somebody else. I hope that's what I can do: when I feel I can't deliver, I will certainly say goodbye."

Schumacher remains the most successful driver in the sport's history with seven drivers' championships, 91 victories and a total of 1,566 points.