Mick Schumacher: Time is running out for his return to Formula 1

Last weekend, Formula 1 met in Zandvoort in the Netherlands after its four-week summer break to start the final third of the season. As usual, Mercedes reserve driver Mick Schumacher sat in the Silver Arrows garage next to team boss Toto Wolff. The TV camera images showed a laughing Schumacher, while Wolff looked very serious, probably suspecting that not much would happen for his Silver Arrows this weekend.

Schumacher’s good mood could have been due to the fact that it was clear at that point that the British racing team Williams would soon need a new driver. Its second driver, the American Logan Sargeant, had crashed his car in free practice – it was not the young driver’s first serious mistake. There was no doubt that Williams would fire him. Rumors immediately intensified about Schumacher, who seemed to many to be the natural successor. In some German media in particular, the impression was created that the big comeback of Michael Schumacher’s son in Formula 1 was imminent.

Support from prominent sources

The setback came on Tuesday: Williams decided to go with 21-year-old Argentinian Franco Colapinto from their own junior program. What may make the disappointment more bearable for Schumacher is that he would only have taken over the cockpit until the end of the season anyway. Williams has signed Spaniard Carlo Sainz for the new season, and the other Williams driver, Alexander Albon, is firmly in the saddle.

Schumacher received support from prominent people. “Mick has two years of experience in Formula 1 as a driver, has a very broad technical insight through his current role, and has matured a lot as a person since leaving Haas,” said four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, who is friends with Schumacher. “Mick is a good racing driver,” Vettel continued. Mercedes team boss Wolff and McLaren team boss Andrea Stella are also said to have supported him. McLaren also uses Mercedes engines, so Stella knows the driving qualities of test driver Schumacher well.

But it was no use. Uncle Ralf Schumacher, a commentator for Sky, did not understand the Williams team’s decision against his nephew. “You can perhaps respect this decision because Colapinto is a driver from Williams’ junior development program. But I think it is absurd and makes no sense from a performance perspective. I think the risk for the racing team and also the driver is much, much higher than if they had put someone with experience like Mick in,” he said.

Mick Schumacher’s time with the Haas team is likely to play a role

Ralf Schumacher ignored two factors for the cancellation. Colapinto brings a lot of sponsorship money from Argentina. This is extremely important for the cash-strapped Williams racing team. Why should they sign Schumacher when they can make a lot of extra money for the remaining nine races of the season? And: Despite the big name, the talent and important advocates, Schumacher’s two years with the US team Haas are still hanging over him. In the second year, he wrecked his car twice, which cost the racing team a lot of money. It was not until the end of the season that Schumacher fulfilled expectations. But by then it was long too late. Team boss Günther Steiner dumped Schumacher after having publicly bullied him for months. That was at the end of 2022.

For Schumacher, every rejection reduces his chances of fulfilling his dream of returning to Formula 1. He had already been rejected by the Alpine racing team, although he does drive for the French team in the World Endurance Championship alongside his Mercedes commitment, but not in Formula 1. Alpine had also opted for a driver from its own junior team.

The young Schumacher is slowly running out of time. His only realistic chance of a permanent cockpit for the coming season is with Kick Sauber, which will start as an Audi factory team from 2026. The German Nico Hülkenberg has been confirmed as the driver, and with Schumacher the two could form an all-German team.

Sources: DPA, “, “”, “”