Mick Schumacher quizzed on Mercedes F1 future after Lewis Hamilton shock

As Mercedes begin their hunt for a driver to replace Lewis Hamilton next season, Mick Schumacher says his focus is “definitely” still on Formula 1.

Two weeks ago, Mercedes believed their line-up for the 2024 and ’25 seasons was set in stone having re-signed Hamilton and George Russell back in August.

But last Wednesday, over breakfast, Hamilton broke the news that he’d be leaving at the end of this season to Toto Wolff.

Mick Schumacher: My eye is definitely still pretty much on Formula 1

A day later, Mercedes confirmed the rumour that had taken off – with Ferrari following that up by announcing Hamilton would be racing in red next year having signed a multi-year deal.

The clamber to replace him has already begun.

Although Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz are reportedly leading the running, at least according to F1 pundits, Schumacher’s name has also been mentioned given his ties to Mercedes as their official reserve driver.

The German, who will be racing in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine this season as he dovetails that with his Mercedes commitments, admits while he would like to return to the F1 grid, it is still early days.

Speaking at the Alpine A524 launch, he told the media including PlanetF1.com: “Obviously it kind of hit everybody as a shock – and so it did to me.

“But on the other hand, everybody has to do what feels right to them.

“What is going to happen in the next year or weeks is still to be revealed and also for me. So I’m just excited to see what happens to see in the future.”

He added: “My eye is definitely still pretty much on Formula 1.

“Because there is now a lot of excitement in the driver market, it could be that one or two doors will open.”

Pressed as to whether he was looking at the Mercedes seat for next year, he sidestepped the question.

“On that topic, I didn’t really think much,” he said.

“We’re obviously here at Alpine for the launch of the car, and what’s going to come in the next, we will have to see.”

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Although Schumacher made it clear after his Haas exit at the end of the 2022 season that his only goal was Formula 1, after time on the sidelines as Mercedes reserve he opened the door to other possibilities.

Alpine entered the mix with their World Endurance Championship programme, with Schumacher revealing he was speaking with vice president Bruno Famin in “early” 2023 already.

He tested Alpine’s LMDh car in October before being signed as one of the team’s six 2024 drivers. He’s excited for the year ahead.

Schumacher said: “It just really sparked that flame in me to want to go and race here, so I’m happy to be here and I guess the feeling is kind of mutual.

“Honestly, Bruno, came to me very early last year, asking me whether I’d like to join the programme.

“Obviously, at the time, I was still very much looking at Formula 1 and trying to go in that direction, but that door didn’t open for me.

“But the offer was still there, and it was a very good opportunity for me to go into endurance racing and have racing again, but also at the same time be very close to Formula 1.”

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