Mick Schumacher is leaving the Mercedes F1 team to “pursue new opportunities”, according to an announcement by the team ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix.
Schumacher held the role for two years after being released by Haas after two years as the team's full-time driver. Schumacher added a new role to his driving resume this season, competing in the World Endurance Championship with Alpine. He helped Alpine claim its first podium in the series in September when the team of Schumacher, Nicolas Lapierre and Mathieu Vaxivière finished third in Japan.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff praised the young driver's “hard work, diligence and determination” in his role as the team's reserves.
“Mick's hard work, diligence and determination in his role as reserve driver have been vital to the team over the past two years,” Wolff said in a statement. “With his work in the simulator, testing different cars and being part of the trackside team, we couldn't have asked for more from him. He fitted in easily with the team from day one and was a great addition to the Black He has become an incredibly well-liked colleague to Lee and everyone at Brixworth.”
Wolff also said Schumacher was “first and foremost a racing driver” and “deserves to compete” at the highest level of motorsport.
“But Mick is first and foremost a racing driver. We know from both his F1 days and his performance in this year's World Endurance Championship that he is an incredibly talented racer and one of the best drivers in the World Endurance Championship.” I have seen that he is a racer who deserves to be in the competition,” Wolff added. “I would like to personally thank Mick for his contribution to the team as he moves on to his next challenge. We all wish him the best in his future endeavours. ”
The driver expressed his gratitude for his time with Mercedes, but admitted the past two seasons had been “tough” watching from the sidelines.
“I would like to thank Toto and the entire Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team for the insights I have gained over the last two years. But it's hard to watch these cars race without being in the cockpit yourself,” added Schumacher. “I want to get back to focusing 100% on racing. I want to give my all to the sporting side of motorsport. At the end of the day, racing is what I want to do as a driver and it gives me the feeling I love. That is the race.”
As for where Schumacher will land, there is growing speculation that he could be among the candidates for a seat at General Motors and Cadillac's new teams. F1 announced on Monday that an 11th team – the new GM-Cadillac operation – will be added to the F1 grid for the 2026 season. A number of drivers could be involved in the move, including Andretti's driver in IndyCar, Colton Herta, but Schumacher brings both F1 experience and a legendary name to the team.
Schumacher could also focus on his role with Alpine in the WEC. In addition, A report over the summer showed that The driver reportedly had at least initial talks with Dale Coyne's IndyCar team.
However, with a new team joining the F1 grid and Schumacher's dedication to the “sporting side of motorsport”, this could be his next best opportunity to return to the F1 grid.
