Mick Schumacher opens up on ‘exhausting’ fight for F1 2025 reprieve amid Alpine rumours
Mick Schumacher has been on the outside looking in since leaving Haas at the end of 2022
Mick Schumacher has admitted it is “exhausting” trying to earn another chance in F1, with the Mercedes and Alpine-linked driver not giving up hope of securing an F1 2025 seat despite a “draining last few years.”
Schumacher, the son of seven-time World Champion Michael, was handed an F1 debut by Haas after winning the prestigious F2 title in 2020, but was dropped by the Ferrari customers at the end of the F1 2022 season after struggling alongside team-mate Kevin Magnussen.
Mick Schumacher not giving up hope of F1 return despite ‘exhausting’ fight
After taking a year out of racing in 2023, Schumacher has this year returned to competition with Alpine in the World Endurance Championship, balancing his endurance career with the role of Mercedes reserve driver.
With Alpine announcing earlier this month that Esteban Ocon will leave the team at the end of F1 2024, Schumacher could switch across to the French manufacturer’s F1 operation for next season.
Bruno Famin, the Alpine team principal, recently commented that “it would be a mistake” to leave Schumacher off the team’s F1 2025 driver shortlist, describing the 25-year-old as “super fast” and praising his adaptation to endurance racing in 2024.
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In an interview with the Independent, Schumacher has outlined the emotional challenges of trying to earn another chance in F1 following his departure from Haas, with potential opportunities to return ultimately falling by the wayside.
And he is open to pursuing opportunities away from Mercedes and Alpine in his search for a second chance in F1, revealing that “any team is a valuable option” to him.
He said: “Fighting your way back is exhausting.
“You get this cake presented to you which is really good, but you’re not allowed to eat it. And you have to watch everybody else eat it. So it’s tough, for sure, but I know why I’m doing it.
“Frankly, the way I was two years ago has nothing to do with the person I am today.
“F1 has been a dream I’ve had since I was five years old and I’m not ready to let go of that dream.
“Sometimes you feel like you have a chance, then it actually never ends up happening because something else happens. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster and a draining last few years, but I’m working my way back.
“Maybe I will start writing my CV and send it to people.
“It’s never been a secret: my goal is to be back on the grid. I’ve shown in multiple ways that I am capable of winning championships.
“It’s just a matter of it fitting into somebody’s schedule: does it fit into their plan?”
Schumacher was publicly criticised by Guenther Steiner during his underwhelming Haas career, with a series of costly mistakes testing the patience of his team principal.
The 25-year-old, who is this weekend aiming to win the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours race with Alpine, is convinced there is more to come from him in F1 if offered the right opportunity.
He said: “There’s a lot which hasn’t been seen yet, especially from a driving point of view.
“I understand how I could have improved [at Haas] and there’s a lot more to show from my side.
“It’s all about: what do you want in your team right now? Do you want somebody who you can build a team around? Good for marketing? Purely shut up and drive? There are so many different types of drivers.
“As for me, I’m really hungry for it. I just need to keep performing in WEC, showing everybody what I can do.
“Then people will know what they get if they hire me, and hopefully I’ll be able to prove to everybody that they made the wrong decision in not keeping me.”
Schumacher’s comments come after Steiner claimed Alpine should overlook the German for an F1 2025 seat, arguing the Enstone-based team must target the best driver available to replace Ocon.
Asked if he would consider Schumacher for an F1 2025 seat if he were in charge of Alpine, Steiner told the Red Flags podcast: “At the moment, no.
“You need to get the best driver you know is out there. I think people which are showing that they’re very good.
“And as a works team, you need to do the best you can.”
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