Mercedes reserve driver Mick Schumacher is targeting to return to the Formula 1 grid in 2025, after being unsuccessful in his quest for a seat next season.
Williams was really Schumacher’s only option for 2024 given that most deals don’t expire until the end of next year; however, it was discovered fairly early in the year that the German wasn’t an option for the Grove-based side.
The British outfit have, of course, opted to retain Logan Sargeant for 2024, with Schumacher instead continuing as Mercedes’ reserve driver next year.
Schumacher will be racing elsewhere, though, as he recently signed a deal to race for Alpine’s Hypercar programme in the World Endurance Championship (WEC).
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He’ll be joining a six-driver roster consisting of Nicolas Lapierre, Matthieu Vaxiviere, Charles Milesi, Ferdinand Habsburg and Paul-Loup Chatin.
Whilst he’s excited to compete in the WEC, racing in F1 is still where he wants to be.
Returning in 2025 is certainly a possibility giving that over half of the drivers on the grid have just a season left on their contracts, meaning that the next installment of ‘silly season’ will be chaotic.
In order to get back onto the grid though, Schumacher knows he must “convince” teams that he deserves a seat, something he believes he will do by remaining close with Mercedes and performing well for Alpine in the WEC.
“I know I have to convince other people that I deserve a seat in Formula 1,” Schumacher told Corriere dello Sport.
“Unfortunately, a lot of contracts are multi-year deals and there’s not really a chance for 2024. It’s a bit of a difficult position to be in, but in 2025 there will be many more possibilities and we will see.
“It’s important for me not to stay out of a car for too long.
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“I will keep very close links with Formula 1 and this will allow me to demonstrate to the people in F1 that I still deserve an opportunity in the top category of racing and that is where I belong.”
Schumacher has been without a seat since the end of 2022, when Haas opted not to extend his contract and instead sign Nico Hulkenberg.
He’s then been Mercedes’ reserve since the start of 2023 and has received praise for the work he’s been doing particularly in the simulator.