Mika Hakkinen optimistic about Mick Schumacher’s return to F1: “That door remains open”. Mika Hakkinen optimistic about Mick Schumacher’s return to F1.

For Mika Hakkinen, former rival of the Mick Schumacher’s father, the chances of a possible return to the Circus remain.

The season opener

The 1812 km of Qatar, which marked the start of the 2025 WEC season, also opened a new chapter in Mick Schumacher’s career, as he was confirmed as an official Alpine driver. Finishing 13th alongside teammates Frédéric Makowiecki and Charles Milesi, the German, son of the legendary Michael Schumacher, began the season outside the points, just months after his departure from the world of Formula 1.

Dreams never abandoned

Mercedes ended its relationship with the 25-year-old, who had served as a reserve and test driver for the Brackley-based team, with additional roles at McLaren and Williams. After two difficult seasons at Haas, Schumacher now faces the WEC challenge, but his primary goal remains an F1 return: “Formula 1 will always be part of my life,” he told Bild am Sonntag. “I decided at the age of eleven that I wanted to race there. That is still my goal—this category was and remains the dream of my life. I still have unfinished business with Formula 1 and want to prove my worth once again. When I look at the current grid, I have no doubt that I could keep up—I am no less capable than anyone else. It would be great if I had another opportunity to prove it, because I think many people have wrongly labeled me.”

Mika Hakkinen’s support

But could Schumacher really get another shot at F1? According to former driver Mika Hakkinen, who was a fierce rival of Mick’s father in the late 1990s and early 2000s, opportunities still exist: “I still see a chance for Mick to return to Formula 1. That door remains open. He just needs to talk to the right people,” the two-time world champion explained. “Mick has gained experience in Formula 1 and now in other motorsport categories as well. Plus, he is still young. These are all positive factors, but he has had some crashes that have hurt his career. If you make mistakes and damage your car, it costs the team a lot, especially with the cost cap in place. That’s why teams don’t like it at all.”

No more compromises

Mick Schumacher himself addressed the issue of crashes and damage: “My reputation was shaped more by negative public comments about me rather than my actual abilities. I was labeled as an accident-prone driver,” he said, referring to his time at Haas. “It’s true, but people don’t realize that our car was designed that way. Due to a lack of fixed structural points, it was meant to break apart in the event of a side impact. Other cars would have remained intact. I didn’t speak up at the time because I didn’t want to create further tension within the team. I was insecure and didn’t push back because I was shy. But in the end, to achieve results, you need self-confidence and support. Today, I would fight more. I have matured as a person and would no longer be so quick to say ‘everything is fine.’ Instead, I would stand my ground internally, without compromises. I had to go through this growth process to become who I am today.” – he concluded.