Formula 1: Mick Schumacher is no longer a Mercedes reserve driver

Mick Schumacher will leave Formula 1 completely after this season. The 25-year-old son of record world champion Michael Schumacher has decided to end his job as a test and reserve driver at Mercedes. The German car maker announced this on Thursday ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix this weekend.

Mick Schumacher was “grateful for the insights I have received over the past two years. They have undoubtedly made me a more experienced racing driver because I have gotten to know the technical side better,” he said. “But it’s hard to watch these cars in the race without sitting in the cockpit myself. I want to concentrate 100 percent on racing again. I want to devote myself fully to the sporting aspect of racing.”

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff said: “Mick’s hard work, diligence and determination in his role as reserve driver have been crucial to the team over the past two years.”

It remains to be seen whether Mick Schumacher will now concentrate entirely on a career in the World Endurance Championship. This year he competed in the WEC for the French manufacturer Alpine. At the same time, he was and is still in action for Mercedes for the two remaining Grand Prix. He got the job as a replacement driver for the two regular drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell after he left Haas.

After winning titles in the Formula 3 and Formula 2 junior series, he drove for the team from the USA in 2021 and 2022. However, under the then team boss Günther Steiner, he was unable to assert himself in the premier class of motorsport, which his father had significantly influenced with a total of seven titles. He went through a difficult time in a car that was far too weak, and was also marked by his own accidents.

No return to the regular cockpit

All hopes of returning to a regular cockpit were dashed afterwards. At Mercedes it quickly became clear that Hamilton’s departure would be compensated differently after this season. The 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli will start for the 39-year-old record world champion next year.

There was no short-term commitment at Mercedes partner Williams when the team parted ways with Logan Sargeant. The Argentinian Franco Colapinto is driving there instead and is even considered a candidate for Red Bull next season alongside Max Verstappen. At Alpine, which is also represented in Formula 1, the Australian Jack Doohan was awarded the contract for 2025 after a comparative test.