Mick Schumacher given route back to F1 as team boss fails to rule out swoop

04 January 2024 , 17:02

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Mick Schumacher faces a second full season off the F1 grid (Image: Getty Images)

AlphaTauri chief executive Peter Bayer failed to rule out the potentiality of his team offering Mick Schumacher a route back into Formula 1.

The German racer has spent the last year on the sidelines after losing his Haas seat after two seasons with the American team. And he faces a second campaign off the grid after failing to find a new employer for 2024.

So Schumacher will race in the World Endurance Championship instead as part of the Alpine entry. He will combine that with his reserve duties at Mercedes - a role which has kept him in the paddock and in regular contact with key decision-makers.

Though the driver market barely moved last year, it is expected to be much more active in 2024. And that could create openings for Schumacher if, as has been predicted by some, several current drivers lose their seats.

One potential destination could be AlphaTauri. The sister team to Red Bull will continue with Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda for 2024, but both are out of contract at the end of the year and could lose their places if they cannot meet expectations.

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Asked by Motorsport Magazin if Schumacher might be a potential option for his team in 2025, Bayer did not shut the door completely on the idea. He did, though, make it clear there are a few stumbling blocks in the way of such an outcome.

He said: "Sabine [Kehm, Schumacher's manager] and I have known each other for many years because of the mentorship I enjoyed from Jean Todt. That's how I know the family. I think Mick is in a difficult situation at the moment because these decisions are being made very quickly.

"Each driver is assigned to a certain plan. Mick was first a Ferrari driver, now on paper he is a Mercedes driver. You always have to keep this dynamic in mind.

"We currently have a large pool of young talent that we are monitoring. Liam Lawson is also here, working and trying to understand the processes. I think our focus is certainly on our own talent pool, but you never know in this sport."

Outgoing AlphaTauri team principal Franz Tost said last year he had named Schumacher as his preferred choice to drive for the team in 2023. However, he was overruled by Helmut Marko who instead selected Nyck de Vries - before axing the struggling Dutchman after just 10 races in favour of Ricciardo.

Daniel Moxon