Mick Schumacher spent two years in F1, but after losing out on his seat in 2023, the German driver finds himself competing in the World Endurance Championship. He came into F1 as a Ferrari junior and is now under Toto Wolff’s wing at Mercedes. However, former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone feels that he would have gained more had he been a part of the Red Bull set up.
Ecclestone said in an interview with RTL, as per FormulaPassion, “At Red Bull, for example, he would have been understood better. And they would have helped and guided him upwards.”
Schumacher‘s F1 journey was turbulent to say the least. Ferrari helped the German driver get into F1 with Haas. However, he did not get any backing when the American team decided to let go of him. After his relationship with Ferrari worsened, Schumacher turned to Mercedes. Toto Wolff tried his best to get a seat for Schumacher. He was linked to Williams, but reportedly, their team principal James Vowles was not keen and the move collapsed.
On the other hand, Ecclestone’s comments about Red Bull make sense because of the Milton-Keynes-based team’s history of academy graduates. The likes of Max Verstappen, Alex Albon, Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz are current drivers on the grid who were part of Red Bull’s junior team. However, Mick Schumacher not being a part of that list, finds it difficult to find his way back to F1.
How did Mick Schumacher switch his racing category?
After Mick Schumacher left Haas and joined Mercedes, Toto Wolff tried his best to give the German an F1 seat. However, it was not possible due to the lack of empty seats on the grid. Additionally, Schumacher’s racing pedigree was not convincing enough for several teams who seem to have their driver line-up secured.
Therefore, the 24-year-old joined Alpine as their World Endurance Championship driver. Talking about Schumacher’s WEC adventure, the 93-year-old added, “Now he has to fight, he has to keep fighting and show that he is still capable of providing good performances.”
As things stand, Schumacher will spend another F1 season from the sidelines. He will be looking to give his best at the WEC, but given how competitive the fight for an F1 seat at the moment, his future in the latter category doesn’t look bright.
However, after Audi’s entry in 2026, Schumacher may benefit. With a German team arriving on the grid, the team’s bosses could turn to the young German driver, which could pave a way for a comeback.
