F1: Schumacher to test Alpine WEC car ahead of 2024 (5th Update)
Mick Schumacher was behind the wheel of the Alpine Hypercar Prototype Tuesday at Jerez.
October 17, 2023
(GMM) Mick Schumacher’s likely 24 Hours of Le Mans entry looks set to kick off at the Spanish circuit Jerez on Tuesday with a test.
Motorsport-magazin.com and Bild newspaper report that the Mercedes F1 reserve and axed Haas driver is set to test Alpine’s new world endurance championship prototype.
The news was confirmed by the Renault-owned concern.
Alpine motor racing boss Bruno Famin had also referred to the forthcoming test when asked about the Schumacher rumors recently at Suzuka.
“I think but for the time being we are just talking and hopefully we will organize a test soon,” he said.
It appears that Schumacher’s likely return to racing next year will not necessarily stop him from also keeping his current F1 role at Mercedes.
“Whatever program he does on the side, he can stay with us as a reserve driver if it is possible from the other side,” Mercedes’ Toto Wolff said recently.
October 12, 2023
(GMM) Mick Schumacher says he is still not ready to announce his plans for 2024.
The current Mercedes reserve driver had hoped to return to the racing grid next year, but it recently emerged that he may need to be content with keeping his current back-up role in F1 alongside a world endurance championship campaign with Alpine.
However, two weeks ago the 24-year-old son of F1 great Michael Schumacher denied that the Alpine-Le Mans deal was already signed and sealed.
“In the background, there’s work on my own plans for next year,” young Schumacher now admits.
“These are still evolving and it’s just a matter of trying to understand exactly which direction we can go in, how to fit in the commitments and things like that. It just takes time,” the German added.
Schumacher also hinted that the Alpine deal would not interfere with his reserve role at Mercedes for 2024.
“I’ve been curious in getting to know everybody better and embed myself within the team,” he said. “It’s been good to get to know the people that worked with my dad and all the new colleagues too.”
Schumacher said he will be trackside at every race until the end of the season in case Lewis Hamilton or George Russell cannot wait, and remains involved in the development of the car for 2024.
“The development of W15 started quite a while ago,” he revealed. “It’s really an ongoing progress. Everything we learn from this year’s car along the way feed into next year. And we’ve learned a great deal.”
“Everyone is working so hard to develop the best possible car we can for the start of next year.”
September 25, 2023
(GMM) A confused-looking Mick Schumacher on Sunday had to deny that his move to world endurance sportscar racing is already set in stone for 2024.
Alpine’s interim team boss Bruno Famin confirmed at Suzuka that “we are talking with Mick” about a potential deal to see the 24-year-old Mercedes reserve driver race the new Alpine hypercar in the WEC and at Le Mans.
“It would be a good opportunity for both parties, but for the time being we are just talking and hopefully we will organize a test soon,” he said.
However, there were rumors in the Japanese GP paddock on Sunday that a deal is already done. The Austrian broadcaster ORF confronted German Schumacher with the news that the Alpine contract “is now official”.
After a long pause, the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher answered: “Uh – nothing is official.”
The ORF pundit then asked Schumacher when he can make it official.
“Well, I’ll share that from my side,” the former Haas driver insisted.
“It will probably take a while until then. But of course I have to look at my options and of course there are discussions.”
September 22, 2023
(GMM) Interim Alpine team boss Bruno Famin admits he is in talks with Mick Schumacher.
Responding to recent rumors, Schumacher’s current boss Toto Wolff said last week that if the 24-year-old German wants to race at Le Mans next year, he can still keep his Mercedes reserve seat.
Famin admitted at Suzuka on Friday that talks with Schumacher about Renault-owned Alpine’s world endurance prototype project are taking place.
“It is true that we are talking to Mick about the possibility of taking part in our long-distance program,” he said.
“It would be a good opportunity for both parties, but for now we’re just talking. Hopefully, we will organize a test soon.”
September 15, 2023
(GMM) The details about former Haas F1 driver and current Mercedes Reserve driver Mick Schumacher ‘plan B’ for 2024 are now beginning to emerge.
Motorsport Aktuell, a German-language weekly, claims the axed Haas racer and current Mercedes reserve is in detailed talks with Renault-owned Alpine.
Alpine, of course, has a Formula 1 team, but it is believed German Schumacher, 24, is being lined up to race the French sports carmaker’s new Hypercar at Le Mans next year.
Bruno Famin, the new interim F1 team boss at Alpine, is said to have been in touch with Schumacher’s manager Sabine Kehm about a test in the new Hypercar in the coming weeks.
The news comes as another door back onto the F1 grid closed for Schumacher, with Alfa Romeo-Sauber signing a new deal with Guanyu Zhou – even though the Chinese was pushing for a multiple-year contract.
“It’s settled for next year,” Zhou said in Singapore. “So I’m secured in 2024, and after that, how the team settles into another project (Audi) will be decided after that year to keep the options open.”
Another potential opening for Schumacher is at Williams, but insiders believe the Oxfordshire-based team is in fact poised to retain the services of American rookie Logan Sargeant.
“Alex (Albon) is here for a long time, I can already tell you that,” team boss James Vowles sid. “For Logan, he’s on the right track, he just needs to keep pushing the pace race by race.”
As for Alpha Tauri, the latest rumors suggest Yuki Tsunoda could be pushed aside to a reserve role at Red Bull next year. That’s because Liam Lawson has impressed whilst substituting for the injured Daniel Ricciardo.
“Right now, it’s race by race,” New Zealander Lawson, 21, said in Singapore.
“But I think now that I’ve had a taste, it’s definitely something I’ve fallen in love with. And I don’t think I can settle for anything less.”