Debuting at the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans with Alpine, Mick Schumacher had high hopes for a fabled return to racing. However, the endurance series did not fetch much in the good news column for the German, as he retired from the race. Reportedly, an engine issue stands as the primary reason behind the retirement.
In charge of driving car #36, Schumacher shared responsibilities with Matthieu Vaxiviere and Nicolas Lapierre for the 24-hour long race. Notably, Alpine’s other car (car #35) also had to retire because of the same reason but Schumacher and Co. stayed out on the track longer than their teammates.
Overall, the French outfit stayed on the track for a total of six hours before their race came to an end. Alpine issued an update on the same, stating they knew their foray into Endurance Racing would be a “steep learning curve.” The team is now investigating the issue and is hard at work to return stronger next year.
Ahead of the main race in Circuit de la Sarthe in France, the home team showcased good pace in the Qualifying session. The strong pace filled Schumacher with immense confidence as he looked at the opportunity to drive in Le Mans as a way back to F1. After all, the former Haas driver did claim that the series was the closest to matching F1’s level.
Mick Schumacher believes not a lot separates WEC and F1
Speaking ahead of his Alpine debut in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), Schumacher detailed how the move was “quite clear” from the start. Claiming WEC to be the closest form of racing to F1, the German driver looked at the opportunity as a means of finding a way back onto the F1 grid.
Previously holding out for a potential driving gig in F1, Schumacher could not reject the offer team boss Bruno Famin came with. Claiming the chance to be a great opportunity for himself, Schumacher accepted Famin’s offer and ventured into the WEC realm.
The 25-year-old has a lot riding on his shoulders. His days in F1 did not bear much fruit, as the German spent only two seasons on the grid. While he failed to score any points in his rookie season with Haas, Schumacher could only manage two points in his second season with the team.
The start to life in WEC hasn’t been great for the German, either, as he had to suffer a mechanic failure, leading to his team retiring the car.
