Let’s face facts: Mick Schumacher has been caught in the headlights ever since he played with his first plastic car as a child!
Recently, speculation has intensified about the driver’s immediate future, with his burgeoning and high-profile Formula 1 career having seemingly come to a crossroads. But which team is likely to race for in 2025, and will he ever follow in the footsteps of his famous father?
At the time of Mick’s birth, dad Michael was a two-time Formula 1 champion, while his Uncle Ralf was also driving in F1 with the Williams team.
So, the younger Schumacher was unlikely to do anything other than pursue a career in motorsport, and his inevitable journey into Formula 1 began at the age of 12. At this time, he competed in the KF3 class in the ADAC Kart Masters, ultimately claiming third in the 2013 German Championships.
He then progressed through the ranks of Formula 4, 3 and 2, becoming the F3 champion in 2018 and repeating his success in the F2 class just two years later.
The Ferrari Academy and Haas years
In between his celebrated championship wins in Formula 3 and Formula 2, Mick was awarded a coveted place in the Ferrari Driver Academy. For many, this was another step on Schumacher’s inevitable journey towards being the team’s first choice driver, and even principal Mattia Binotto expected him to be driving for Ferrari by 2023.
However, it’s fair to surmise that things haven’t quite panned out how either Binotto or Mick anticipated. Firstly, Schumacher’s initial switch to Formula 1 produced two underwhelming seasons with Haas in 2021 and 2022, despite both being laced with promise and glimpses of the driver’s talent.
His first season saw him amass zero points but plenty of fans, particularly during the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix. Here, Mick performed one of the few on-track overtakes of the entire Grand Prix, passing Haas teammate Nikita Mazepin on the tricky Grand Hotel Hairpin during the opening lap.
He repeated this trick at that years’ Azerbaijan Grand Prix, slipping past Mazepin shortly before the finishing line. He ultimately edged his teammate by 0.074 seconds, finishing above him in the Drivers’ Championship as a result.
In 2022, Mick qualified in seventh and finished sixth at the Austrian Grand Prix, earning his best ever Formula 1 finish. Although he closed out the year with 12 points and in 19th place, he was released from his contract with Haas before Ferrari officially ended their four-year collaboration with the driver too.
Schumacher has since been employed jointly as a reserve driver for Mercedes-AMG and the McLaren team. In 2024, he remained a hungry and motivated understudy to Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, but has remained on the sidelines throughout the most recent campaign.
So, what’s next for Schumacher?
After driving a Mercedes W13 during testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in June, it was announced that Schumacher would be behind the wheel of an Alpine A522 at the Circuit Paul Ricard the following month.
He was scheduled to compete alongside current Alpine reserve driver Jack Doohan, triggering speculation that Schumacher may join the team in time for 2025.
Although Doohan is a talented driver who was third in the Formula 2 Championship last year, Alpine are keen to assess their options prior to the new campaign. The German betting experts at WettscheinPlus.de are among those speculating about Schumacher’s move to Alpine, as part of their extensive coverage of the sport as a whole.
One thing’s for sure: current Alpine driver Esteban Ocon will leave the team at the end of 2024, and while teammate Pierre Gasly is expected to keep his seat, there’s at least one place for Schumacher to target this winter.
But are there any other options for Schumacher?
Well, his choice is limited if he wants to be anything other than a reserve driver, especially given his relatively underwhelming stint at Haas. However, he is also being linked with a move to Audi in 2025, with this constructor set to take over from the existing Sauber team.
Audi are certainly assessing their options at present, as they look to secure a competitive teammate for Nico Hulkenberg next season. They had been keen on signing outgoing Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, but he has since announced that he’ll be joining Williams in 2025.
Ironically, their second choice Ocon also opted to join Haas instead, so Audi have been forced to look further afield for a new driver. The team also have former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto now at the helm, and he’s thought to be a fan of Schumacher’s abilities.
It had been previously suggested that Mercedes would consider promoting Schumacher themselves. However, the constructor has now announced that the precocious Kimi Antonelli will replace Lewis Hamilton as George Russell’s teammate next season, dashing Schumacher’s hopes in the process.
With a return to Ferrari also seemingly off the cards,there’s no doubt that Alpine or Audi remain Schumacher’s most likely destinations in 2025!
