Mick Schumacher’s racing future took a bit of a hit this week when Sauber announced their driver pairing for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
It means that his prospects of returning to the pinnacle of motorsport are at an all-time low, having been snubbed multiple times this year.
His current WEC team Alpine provided him with an opportunity to remain in full-time racing and even gave him an opportunity to test a Formula 1 car.
He went head-to-head with Jack Doohan for a Formula 1 seat with them but fell short as they opted to go with the Aussie.
Alpine would ‘immediately extend’ Mick Schumacher
Schumacher’s first foray into endurance racing in 2024 was a mixed bag, driving an Alpine car which faced engine issues.
Once the reliability aspect of their car was fixed, the results began to improve – culminating in a significant maiden podium for Schumacher in Fiji.
He has made it no secret that he wants to return to Formula 1, but with every year that passes outside of single-seater racing – his chances are fading.
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Speaking on the F1-insider.com YouTube channel, Ralf Bach mentioned that Alpine would snap up any opportunity to resign him to their endurance programme for 2025.
“At Alpine, he is very popular,” he said. “They would immediately extend with him, so he would just have to say yes. But, it’s not that far yet.”
Where should Schumacher go next?
Schumacher’s next move depends on where he sees his long-term prospects heading, and whether he is ready to give up on Formula 1.
At the age of 25, it’s very young to be completely giving up on competing at the highest level again in his career – especially looking at his pedigree.
Everyone knows that his father is one of the greatest of all time, but this is a Formula 2 and 3 champion we are talking about here.
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A move to IndyCar could help put him back on the radar of single-seater teams, and remind Formula 1 that he is far from done yet.
Going back to endurance racing would leave him staring down the barrel of a career in closed-cockpit racing.