Is there a possibility for Mick Schumacher to make a remarkable comeback to F1?
Former F1 driver Timo Glock has tipped Mick Schumacher to make an unlikely surprise return to the grid during the F1 2024 season as Logan Sargeant’s replacement at Williams.
After two mostly disappointing seasons with the American outfit, Schumacher, the son of seven-time World Champion Michael, was released by Haas at the conclusion of the F1 2022 season.
Williams to rival Alpine for Mick
Having spent last season as Mercedes‘ reserve driver, Schumacher has returned to racing this year with Alpine in the World Endurance Championship and has been linked with an F1 comeback in the midst of a volatile driver market.
Alpine F1’s team principal, Bruno Famin, mentioned during the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix that Michael Schumacher could potentially join the Enstone outfit in F1 2025. This comes as Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, the current drivers, have contracts expiring at the end of this season.
Williams team principal James Vowles revealed at Imola that Sargeant is in danger of being replaced as the Grove-based team seeks to finalize their F1 2025 driver lineup soon. This implies that Alpine is not the sole team involved in the ongoing driver market.
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Multiple reports on Monday, verified by PlanetF1.com, indicated that Valtteri Bottas is set to rejoin Williams next season, yet there is a faint possibility that the team could seek to replace Sargeant before the current campaign is over.
During the Miami Grand Prix weekend, PlanetF1.com disclosed that the FIA had received a request for special dispensation. This request aimed to permit the participation of the young prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli in Formula 1 before his 18th birthday on August 25. It is widely believed that Mercedes considers Antonelli as their top choice to replace Lewis Hamilton, who is set to join Ferrari next season.
The existing regulations in Formula 1, which were implemented when 17-year-old Max Verstappen joined Red Bull’s youth team Toro Rosso in 2015, prohibit drivers from participating in F1 until they turn 18 years old.
There have been suggestions that Mercedes might consider placing Antonelli at Williams in F1 2024 in order to assess his performance before making a final decision on whether to promote him as Hamilton’s successor.
Glock, the former Toyota and Marussia driver, believes that Schumacher’s extensive experience should give him the advantage in the competition to replace Sargeant.
In his statement to German media, he expressed his belief that Sargeant’s time may come to an end before the year concludes, anticipating his eventual replacement. He highlighted Sargeant’s continued inability to distinguish himself over the weekend.
“I enjoy wearing my German glasses, as they allow me to see a clear frontrunner in the current scenario – Mick Schumacher.”
Currently, there are no drivers available and no inexperienced young individuals. Mick is the sole person possessing the necessary experience to serve as a replacement.
“We’ll wait and see what unfolds in the coming year.”
In response to Famin’s disclosure that Schumacher might join Alpine in F1 2025, Glock indirectly suggested that Gasly could be at risk due to his difficulties in facing Ocon during the initial months of this season in challenging conditions.
He commented that Pierre Gasly’s performance is currently not up to par when compared to his teammate Esteban Ocon.
“Mick’s performance in WEC is commendable, making him a strong candidate.”
Both Gasly and Ocon have expressed the importance of evaluating their choices for the upcoming season due to Alpine’s disappointing start. The team has only managed to earn one point in the first seven races.
During an interview with various media outlets, including PlanetF1.com, at Imola, Ocon expressed his desire to settle his future as quickly as possible. In recent months, Ocon has been associated with Mercedes and Sauber/Audi. After losing his seat at Force India in 2018, he had to take a year off from racing.
He expressed that there is certainly a significant amount of activity occurring behind the scenes, involving both the pursuit of a long-term agreement and immediate plans.
In Formula 1, rapid changes are commonplace, so it’s crucial to secure your position as soon as possible. As always, my top priority is to achieve this goal.
I’d rather not experience the same costly outcome as what occurred at the end of 2018, as it left a negative impression on me. It was not due to any performance-related issues.
I believe that my performance this year, as well as throughout my years in F1, has been commendable. As a result, I strongly believe that I have earned my spot in the F1 community.
“We’ll see. Right now, my focus and dedication are entirely directed towards this team.”
“It is evident that I have been involved in the project for several years. However, being without a deal in Formula 1 has always been a gloomy aspect that I have never found enjoyable.”
“The sooner it is completed, the better it will be.”
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