Mick Schumacher only has eyes for F1 as he plots 2024 grid return

Mark Scott
Mick Schumacher signs for Mercedes as a reserve driver. December 2022

Mick Schumacher signs for Mercedes as a reserve driver. December 2022

Mick Schumacher has said he is not even contemplating combining his Mercedes reserve driver role with a seat in another series.

The son of the seven-time World Champion, Michael, has had the pause button pressed on his Formula 1 career after Haas opted not to renew his contract for what would have been a third season with the team.

Schumacher ultimately did not do enough in the eyes of Guenther Steiner and Co to justify remaining on the grid alongside Kevin Magnussen, with Haas instead choosing to add even more experience to their line-up in the form of Nico Hülkenberg.

But, while many drivers can fall from Formula 1 and land with a big bump, Schumacher found a safety net in the form of Mercedes, who moved quickly to bring him into the Silver Arrows family and serve as a reserve driver to Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.

With opportunities to drive few and far between in a reserve role, there can be a temptation for some drivers to explore other disciplines in order to find their racing fix.

Schumacher will be teaming up with Sebastian Vettel at the Race of Champions event at the end of the month but, when the Formula 1 season kicks into gear again after the winter break, the former Haas driver won’t be looking anywhere else and will be fully focused on trying to get himself back on the grid in a full-time capacity again in 2024.

“I’m for sure not going to drive anything else as of right now,” Schumacher told GPFans.

“I’m simply not interested in that.

“If you get the taste of the best there is, you’re not going to settle for anything else and so definitely I’ll be sticking around in the paddock.”

“I’m 99 percent sure that I’ll come to every race and yes, just be around and again, position myself into a place where hopefully in ’24 I’ll be back on the grid.”

Glimmers of hope for Mick Schumacher in 2024

A quick glance through the confirmed line-ups already for F1 2024 shows Mick, Mercedes and his management team could start planting some early seeds this year in the hope that one of them grows enough to get him back on the grid again.

Alfa Romeo, soon to be Audi, and Williams both could have openings if the two respective teams look at other options away from Zhou Guanyu and Logan Sargeant, while another option – albeit less realistic – could open up at AlphaTauri who could find themselves with two free spaces to fill if Yuki Tsunoda and Nyck de Vries fail to impress.

One thing is for sure, though, and that is Mick is in the best possible hands at Mercedes. Toto Wolff has vowed to look after Mick and you just know he will stay true to that word.

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