Schumacher Willing to ‘Look at Opportunities’ in Endurance

Photo: Fabrizio Boldoni/DPPI

Alpine Hypercar driver Mick Schumacher has signaled a willingness to “look at other opportunities” as he shifts his focus towards endurance racing after leaving his role as a reserve driver with the Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 squad.

The German kicked off his second season in the FIA World Endurance Championship at last month’s Qatar 1812km, finishing 13th in the No. 36 Alpine A424 he shares with Jules Gounon and Fred Makowiecki.

Schumacher has previously been vocal about his desire to return to F1 after he lost his seat with the Haas team at the end of the 2022 season.

Last year, he retained a link to grand prix racing as a reserve driver for Mercedes-AMG, while he was also considered a candidate for a race seat at Alpine’s F1 squad before the Enstone-based operation selected Jack Doohan to partner up with Pierre Gasly.

Speaking in Qatar, Schumacher explained that while the F1 dream ‘hasn’t been completely closed and left aside,’ he has adopted a shift in his stance that has left him more fully committed to endurance racing and other opportunities within it.

“I think what definitely I’ve tried for this year is to set it up as a main focus and be 100 percent involved in WEC without having a reserve driver role on the side and therefore be able to also look at other opportunities around and if opportunities arise, to be able to take them and be free,” Schumacher told Sportscar365.

“At the end, where that will lead is very unclear. I’m very much still in the mood of just waiting to see what’s coming and what’s going my way.”

Schumacher did not go into specifics when asked what races or championships interest him, although he was quick to mention that his current WEC program with Alpine remains his main priority.

“I think I’m too young in some ways to only do eight races,” he said.

“So hopefully there’ll be some more races coming to it in some time. But obviously right now, the main focus is WEC. I want to do that well and then see.

“Whatever comes will come and I’m hopeful that whatever choice I will make will be the best for me and my personal goal and wishes.

“If there’s an opportunity in F1 rising, I will not say no to it and neither will I if there’s a good opportunity somewhere else or in WEC or whatever it is.

“It’s just a matter of trying to analyze, see if I feel myself and if I see myself in that for the long term. That I don’t know yet, I’m not in a hurry to make that decision right now.

“Again, whatever comes my way, I’ll take it day by day and see.”

To date, Schumacher has appeared in nine races with Alpine, notably securing the A424’s first podium when he finished third overall in the 6 Hours of Fuji last September.

By his own admission, the 26-year-old is still working to master the specific demands of the Oreca-chassised prototype.

“Of course, I think there’s still things you learn,” Schumacher said.

“I think it would be a shame if you had mastered everything and learned everything after one year, because otherwise it would be a bit too easy.

“Obviously, a lot of people are coming to WEC, Aston Martin joining. It just means that more and more people are interested in it. I think there’s a good reason for it. It’s a challenging championship.

“There’s an aspect of high competitiveness in it too and therefore it makes driving also very fun and curious.

“I’m definitely not [at] 100% yet. I still learn and it makes sense to go like this for the time to be.”