The current Alpine driver in the WEC is convinced he has the credentials to return to F1 next season at the wheel of the debuting team.
The 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans has just concluded, and the rest of Mick Schumacher’s season will continue in the WEC driving Alpine #36. Yet, for Michael’s son, the main goal remains a potential return to Formula 1, which he left in 2022 after two seasons as a full-time driver with Haas.
Still believing in it
In recent months, the German has repeatedly stated his intention to be ready for a comeback, especially with another American team set to debut in 2026: Cadillac. As of now, the team has not yet announced its driver lineup, but the 26-year-old appears to be among the candidates, alongside potential American drivers and others with greater F1 experience. Supporting the German, who was Mercedes’ reserve driver until last year, are compatriot Sebastian Vettel and his father’s former rival Mika Hakkinen. Mick Schumacher’s determination to return to F1 is clear: “Formula 1 is something very close to my heart,” he said in an interview with the New York Times. “I love Formula 1. I’ve loved Formula 1 since I was a kid. I’ve never lost sight of it.”
Greater experience
During the Miami Grand Prix weekend, Schumacher also had the chance to speak with Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss, further stressing that, despite his F1 absence, the past two and a half years with Mercedes and Alpine have been key to his development: “Right now, there’s an incredible project underway, a very interesting topic,” he added, referring to Cadillac. “It was important to be there, and coming back to the Formula 1 paddock was fantastic. My career is very public and what I do is very public, so obviously in that sense people know what they’re getting if they see me. I’ve obviously improved a lot compared to the two years I spent in Formula 1. I’ve been a reserve driver at Mercedes, and then I also worked with McLaren and Williams, gaining a lot of knowledge on that front. Being part of different teams has been very, very interesting. The WEC is a great championship to learn and to see something new. I believe that if you’re always in a single-seater, that’s a very niche part of the sport, and it’s very different from what I’m doing now. I think that if you have a broader knowledge base, you’re more useful in various areas. For example, I can better understand other drivers’ psychology. Also, internally, how the systems work – in F1 they’re very limited compared to the WEC. We have various tools like traction control and other aspects like energy management. The driver is much more involved in developing these systems. There are many aspects I think have made me a better driver. Along with the time spent at Mercedes, it’s all helped me build my toolbox.”
Progress that Mick Schumacher believes he has made not only as a driver, but also psychologically: “I’ve always done this, to be honest,” the former Ferrari Driver Academy member concluded. “Disappointments are part of growing up. I think all the hard times in life make you more resilient and stronger, mentally and physically. I believe everything happens for a reason in life, and you either let it break you or use it as an opportunity to move forward.”
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