Mick Schumacher looks set to miss out on a Formula 1 return for 2025 as his hopes of a single-seater reunion continue to fade.
The German has been away from full-time open-wheel racing since he left Haas at the end of the 2022 Formula 1 season.
He found a new home as a reserve driver for Mercedes, where he has conducted simulator and the odd test runs.
But, his full-time career now rests in the World Endurance Championship, where he has been with Alpine for one season.
Mick Schumacher talks ‘are ongoing’
Schumacher was previously in the frame for an Alpine Formula 1 drive for 2025 and even conducted a test at Paul Ricard for them.
Competing against Jack Doohan for the role, the team eventually placed their faith in the Aussie who has been a part of their academy since 2022.
It left Schumacher turning to his old boss Mattia Binotto for a drive with Sauber – the only remaining seat on the Formula 1 grid besides anything within the Red Bull family.
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In a piece for sport.de, expert Felix Gorner revealed that Gabriel Bortoleto is the more sought-after choice and that Schumacher is in talks to return to WEC.
“The possibility of continuing at Alpine exists. He can then drive in Le Mans and the WEC again next year. Talks are ongoing. Perhaps we’ll hear something from the Schumacher camp soon.”
Why did Schumacher’s career derail?
An accident-prone spell in Formula 1 left Schumacher without any options in the sport for 2023, despite being a Formula 2 and 3 champion.
Haas were far from their best in those seasons, and the German had little support at a very young age – something he will have learned from now.
With every season that spends outside of the single-seater cockpits, his hopes of returning to Formula 1 are fading.
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He has already missed out on a big chunk of his career, and the crucial development that he will have gained during that time.
If he fails to mount a comeback for 2026, it feels pretty certain that he is destined to be off the grid for the rest of his racing career.