Mick Schumacher's Chances for a Future Formula 1 Comeback

The signing with Mercedes is a big deal for Mick, who still hopes for an F1 comeback in 2024. He was part of the Ferrari Driver Academy for four years and raced two seasons in F1 with Haas. However, he is now dealing with a total change of scenery. Of course, Mercedes will probably try to help to find him a seat for 2024, and while that is unlikely to be with the Silver Arrows, Schumacher might have options elsewhere.

The German driver will have a busy schedule, with regular work on the simulator to help with the development of the 2023 Mercedes W14 F1 car and attend every Grand Prix trackside. While it may seem strange and very unexpected for Ferrari to have released Schumacher just to take an off-track role somewhere else, we need to remember that the Italian team has Antonio Giovinazzi. Antonio has plenty of F1 experience and is a highly regarded driver, especially by Ferrari. Plus, he is Italian, which gives him a trump card in working at Ferrari.

Mick should definitely have a more focused role at Mercedes. His simulator program and work trackside will give him significant responsibilities and opportunities. In addition, he gets all the benefits of working in a team that achieved so much in the last few years, with eight consecutive constructors' titles. Another advantage is that Mick will be the primary option to replace someone if a McLaren or Williams (which are customer teams, using the Mercedes power units since the hybrid era began) driver could not participate in a Grand Prix.

When Mick lost his seat in Formula 1, he said he wanted to prove everybody who didn't believe in him wrong and get back on the grid in 2024. Still, where he would do that is a largely speculative thing. However, we think that are two genuinely serious options, and while Mick can expect to get a lot out of the German team, the Silver Arrows are not an option for him.

Schumacher is currently quite far from looking worthy of such an opportunity. In any case, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is expected to sign a new multi-year deal with Mercedes, as his current one expires at the end of the 2023 season. Meanwhile, George Russell is the team's long-term future choice. Even if Mick Schumacher did enough behind the scenes to convince Mercedes he could be a valid contender, it's doubtful there will be space for him. However, there might be opportunities elsewhere.

For example, if Williams's 2023 risk taking with American rookie Logan Sergeant doesn't work out or Alex Albon is approached by another team, it's not that difficult and crazy to imagine Mick finding a chance there. Even Jost Capito (now Williams's ex-boss) claimed that Schumacher was a solid option for the British team. The experience of Williams with the Mercedes power unit, plus some potential support from Toto Wolff and a chance to further refine himself as a driver at Mercedes, would make Schumacher one of the best options for the British squad.

Still, one of the most exciting routes open to Mick, though, is to be considered by Audi as a candidate for its works team in 2026. Audi has already made it clear how much they want a German driver for the project. If they stay serious about this in the future, then Schumacher is the only real candidate. By 2026, he will have enough experience. Besides, Nico Hulkenberg will be 38, so his chances are low.

Alfa Romeo will field Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou for another season in 2023. Still, the deal between Sauber and Alfa Romeo agreement ends next year, and from that point, the Audi influence may start to show. As a result, bringing in Schumacher from his reserve driver role would give the squad a chance to prepare him for 2024. The German team would ideally still have an excellent elite line option to lead the project, and while Schumacher is unlikely to be one of the elites at that point in time, he still has a lot to offer in F1.

Another option (which is though, not that likely) is Mick back at the Silver Arrows. Having driven with Mercedes engines in Formula 3, plus the extremely powerful sentimental connection between the German squad and the Schumacher family would be the aces up his sleeve. To understand better, the story between those two entities starts all the way back to 1989, when the Mercedes Junior Team signed a young Michael and put him into the World Sportscar Championship.

More than two decades later, in 2010, when he was already 41, Michael Schumacher returned to F1 together with Mercedes. After three seasons with the German team, he retired for a second time in 2012, and Mercedes signed Lewis Hamilton in 2013. But Michael made a significant contribution to the team's evolution and had such a considerable impact that it helped Mercedes become the F1 giant it is now.

Due to this strong connection, we might see a Schumacher family member racing a Mercedes F1 car again one day, but the chances are slim. Still, whatever the future holds, Mick driving for the German team will have real value if he does a good job. However, he will pay a lot of attention to what decisions Audi will make for 2024 because that is probably his best chance to be a part of a good team.