Although Mick Schumacher recently celebrated his first points win in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), his ultimate goal remains a return to Formula One. The son of legendary world champion Michael Schumacher has reiterated his desire to return to the pinnacle of motorsport and believes more so than ever that a comeback to the F1 grid is ‘within reach’.
Mick Schumacher would like to return to Formula One as soon as possible, but until then he is racing in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine. RacingNews365 spoke to the German about what he always refers to as ‘Plan B’.
Schumacher’s Alpine journey
Schumacher speaks warmly of the WEC and his position as a works Alpine hypercar driver, although there is an inevitable ‘but’…
After losing his Haas seat at the end of 2022, Schumacher joined Mercedes as a reserve in 2023, a role he still holds today. He juggles these commitments with a full-time drive in Alpine’s WEC campaign, but his ultimate goal remains a return to F1.
“It’s a good championship, definitely a good plan B,” Schumacher told RacingNews365 of the WEC programme.
“It’s a good alternative if you have no options in F1. It has never been a secret that my goal is to get back into F1. That is what I am working on and working towards”.
He added: “But it’s good to keep your finger on the pulse and stay race fit and that’s what I’m doing here,
“In terms of results, unfortunately there is still little to write home about. We have always shown good speed, but we have never been able to convert it into a good result. Sometimes we were unlucky, like in Qatar with the red flag or at Spa and Imola with contact,
“At Le Mans, unfortunately, we had a double DNF [due to engine problems]. It was a difficult start to the season.”
WEC Steep learning curve
While Schumacher is relatively new to endurance racing, his A424 teammates Nicolas Lapierre and Mathieu Vaxiviere are veterans with successful WEC careers. Racing against cars from different classes on the same track is a new experience for Schumacher, whose career has been spent in single-seater formulas. He explains how he is learning to race in the WEC and how Lapierre and Vaxiviere are helping him.
“In a way it comes very naturally because you’ve always been overtaking,” he said.
“What is more difficult is to get the [overtaking] line right. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a certain corner in order to overtake those behind you at a more appropriate time. In this respect, I’m getting better at anticipating what the drivers in front of me are going to do so that I lose as little time as possible.”
Schumacher acknowledges the learning curve and the benefit of his team-mates’ experience.
“I can learn a lot from the way they approach certain things that are very specific to endurance racing. I’m really benefiting from that because everything I can learn from them will make me a more complete and maybe faster driver and maybe give me an advantage over a driver who doesn’t have that experience.”
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Schumacher: “Formula 1 is within reach”
The young German has also caused a stir with unusually open words about a possible return to Formula 1, hinting that talks are afoot with a real possibility of a F1 comeback.
“My chances in Formula 1 seem to be pretty good so far,” Schumacher said in an interview with the French news agency “AFP” and added unequivocally: “For me it is important to return to Formula 1 to show what I can do.”
“At the moment, Formula 1 is within reach,” he explained, but also added: “I have to make sure that I don’t become too confident, that I keep going and make sure that there is a plan B in case it doesn’t work out.”
But he is not thinking about that yet, instead Schumacher is exercising patience.
“My plan was always Formula 1, now we have to wait and see what opportunities present themselves to me,” he said.
“I have decided that I will wait for Formula 1 as long as necessary.”
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Fighting for a place on the F1 grid
Despite the optimism from the German, Mick Schumacher is having to fight hard to regain his place on the Formula One grid. As he continues to test tyres for Pirelli, former Ferrari and FIA boss Jean Todt has voiced his strong support for the young driver.
Todt, a close family friend and former team boss of Schumacher’s father, believes that Mick Schumacher is “better than half the current F1 drivers”.
Despite his current role as a reserve driver for Mercedes and the difficulties he has faced in securing a permanent seat, Todt remains convinced of Schumacher’s talent and potential.
“He is a very talented driver who undoubtedly has what it takes for the series. Otherwise he would not have won Formula 3 and Formula 2,” said Todt in an interview with German newspaper Bild last month.
“Is he one of the top three or four drivers? I don’t know. But Mick is better than half the F1 drivers.”
Schumacher’s battle for F1 comeback
Schumacher has been out of the sport for almost as long as he has been in it, and his exile looks almost certain to continue until 2025. But Todt believes the 25-year-old’s ability is greater than half the current F1 grid. Todt’s defence of Mick Schumacher highlights the immense pressure that comes with his famous surname.
“The Schumacher surname is a disadvantage because it puts unfair pressure on the driver,” said Todt.
Despite these challenges, Schumacher’s resilience and skill continue to shine through, as evidenced by his recent successes, including a recent Pirelli tyre test for McLaren where the young German set the fastest time on record.
Best time: Mick Schumacher shines in McLaren tests
With the optimism came an impressive display of Formula 1 skill and speed recently when Mick Schumacher once again took the wheel of a Formula One car, this time for Pirelli tyre testing. Just days after testing with Alpine, Schumacher found himself at the wheel of the McLaren MCL38 at Silverstone just after the British Grand Prix.
Despite the wet conditions, he managed to set the fastest lap time of the session, demonstrating his talent and adaptability on track.
A wet challenge at Silverstone
On a rain-soaked Tuesday, Schumacher completed 53 laps at Silverstone in challenging conditions on a damp to wet track. The primary aim of these tests was to gather vital data for the Pirelli 2025 tyre range. Schumacher’s performance was impressive, continuing the momentum he had built up during his previous tests with Alpine.
His best lap time of 1:37.428 put him top of the day’s timesheet.
Competing alongside Schumacher were two other Formula 1 drivers: Williams’ Alex Albon and Haas reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi. Albon completed 86 laps with a best time of 1:41.116 minutes, while Fittipaldi completed 62 laps with a time of 1:42.124 minutes. Although the standings from these tests are not particularly significant, Schumacher’s performance was a notable highlight.
Testing the new Pirelli tyres
The session was originally scheduled to evaluate the new Pirelli dry tyres. However, due to the persistent bad weather and a consistently wet track, only the new intermediates were tested. These intermediates were put through their paces without the use of heating blankets, a critical factor in understanding their performance in real race conditions.
Wednesday’s testing continued without Schumacher as he handed the McLaren back to his regular driver, Lando Norris. Other drivers, including Logan Sargeant and Oliver Bearman, will take to the track in the coming session to provide further insight into the new tyre developments.
These ongoing tests are crucial for Pirelli as they prepare for the 2025 season and ensure their tyres meet the rigorous demands of Formula One racing.
Schumacher’s journey continues with McLaren
This session was Schumacher’s second outing with McLaren. Last year he had the opportunity to test for the British team at the Portimao circuit, where he also focused on evaluating new tyres. His recent performance at Silverstone is testament to his growing experience and competence behind the wheel of a Formula One car.
Despite these promising test sessions, Schumacher’s future in F1 remains uncertain. Securing a permanent seat continues to be a challenge. He is currently eyeing up potential opportunities with Alpine, Williams and Sauber/Audi, but is not considered a leading candidate for any of these teams.
However, his consistent test performances keep him in the running and show the teams his potential.
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Looking ahead
Mick Schumacher’s recent performances in the McLaren at Silverstone underline his ability and potential as a Formula One driver, albeit without the significant pressure of a Grand Prix weekend. His fastest lap time during the Pirelli tyre tests is a clear indication of his ability, even in less than ideal conditions.
With the racing world watching closely, Schumacher continues to try and prove himself a valuable asset to any team willing to give him a chance.
The support of influential figures such as Jean Todt will add weight to his efforts and could potentially influence team decisions. Mick Schumacher’s relentless focus and recent successes show that he is ready for a comeback. With the racing world watching closely, the prospect of seeing Schumacher back in F1 is not only a personal goal for him, but also an exciting possibility for fans of the Schumacher name.
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