Mick Schumacher isn’t giving up on Formula 1, even as he finds himself fully immersed in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) with Alpine. The son of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher still harbors hopes of returning to the pinnacle of motorsport—despite being overlooked for a 2025 seat.
Once seen as a rising star in F1, Schumacher’s career was derailed after two difficult seasons with Haas (2021-2022), a team struggling for competitiveness. While several key driver spots opened for 2025, Schumacher was snubbed by every team, including Alpine, where he now races endurance.
Many have labeled Schumacher’s exit from F1 as a case of “right place, wrong time.” He entered the grid amid high expectations after winning the Formula 2 championship but found himself with Haas, at the time far from being competitive. By the time Haas improved competitively by 2022, Schumacher was under immense pressure to deliver results. Several costly crashes and the failure to consistently outperform teammate Kevin Magnussen led to Haas dropping him, effectively jeopardizing his future in the sport.
Despite serving as Mercedes’ reserve driver in 2024, Schumacher was passed over for a seat at Brackley when Lewis Hamilton moved to Ferrari, reflecting the harsh reality of the competitive F1 environment.
Now focused on racing for Alpine, Schumacher made it clear his F1 ambitions remain alive. “My dream is my dream,” he admitted. “When I’m in the car, I’m 100 percent there. That means when I’m in the WEC environment and racing, my thoughts are 100 percent there. But when I have free time, the dream lives on.” Yet, he also acknowledged the challenges faced during his first year in endurance racing.
“It was obviously a very tough year,” Schumacher confessed. “We had quite a few weekends back to back, going from one race to the next. Even if you could say the reserve driver doesn’t do much—it’s still long days. I was already relatively tired at the end of the year.”
The brutal reality is Schumacher’s window for another shot at F1 is closing. With younger, highly-rated prospects flooding the driver market, teams are eager to invest in fresh talent rather than offering second chances to former drivers. Nevertheless, Schumacher's famous surname still carries weight. If he can prove himself effectively within endurance racing, there's always the possibility of making a return, reminiscent of Nico Hülkenberg’s unexpected comeback.
Schumacher insists he’s not totally giving up on his F1 dream, declaring, “My dream is my dream, and it lives on when I have time to think about it.” He seems determined to make the most out of his current role with Alpine, viewing it as not just a racing opportunity but also one for personal and career development.
Looking forward to 2025, Schumacher noted he felt relief at not being designated as the full-time reserve driver, especially since he has been replaced by the more experienced Valtteri Bottas. “It was obviously very tough last year,” said Schumacher. “But being focused on racing with Alpine is more relaxed.” He believes this setup will allow him to devote more time to developing the car with Alpine, indicating his readiness to embrace this new chapter.
With the stakes continually rising within F1, Schumacher’s career will continue to be the subject of interest as fans and analysts alike speculate on his potential return. The motorsport world is watching closely, intrigued by the possibilities—will he deliver on the track strong enough to etch his name back onto the F1 headlines? One thing is for certain, Schumacher’s tenacity and passion for racing remain undiminished.
For now, Mick Schumacher must make the most of his time racing endurance events, hoping fate smiles on him for one last shot at redemption within Formula 1.