According to media reports, Mick Schumacher could leave Alpine at the end of the season, even if things don’t work out in Formula 1 – Plan B: WEC with Cadillac!
Even if things don’t work out in Formula 1, there are growing indications that Mick Schumacher could leave Alpine at the end of the 2025 season to join the World Endurance Championship (WEC).
Citing French sources, Auto Motor und Sport reports that, according to the son of Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher, he will be driving for Jota Sport in the Cadillac V-Series.R next year if he does not get a Formula 1 cockpit.
While Mick Schumacher continues to dream of a cockpit at Cadillac in Formula 1, the talks involving his new advisor Dirk Müller, among others, are likely to include a Plan B. This is because Jota Sport needs to replace Jenson Button in the Hypercar class, who will definitely be leaving the WEC at the end of the season.
A move would make perfect sense, as the 26-year-old can no longer realize his Formula 1 dream at Alpine. The doors to the Formula 1 team are closed. At Cadillac, he at least has a small chance of landing a Formula 1 cockpit. While Valtteri Bottas is the clear favorite for the first cockpit, Schumacher is one of several candidates who could be in contention for a seat.
The WEC as a Plan B would also be tempting: Jota has already proven that it is one of the top teams in the Le Mans paddock. Even in the first race in Qatar, the V-Series.R cars, supported by Sam Hignett’s team, were more competitive than Ganassi had ever been in two years, until the legendary collision at the safety car restart.
Another option would be a WEC entry paired with a test and reserve driver role at Cadillac, as Schumacher did with Mercedes and Alpine in 2024. Of course, that would be far less appealing to Schumacher than a regular driver’s seat, but it would at least be a step forward from his current situation, in which he has no foothold in Formula 1.
Endurance career more sensible than F1?
Alpine and partner Signatech, who are very satisfied with Mick Schumacher, now have to offer the German something. Bruno Famin has already promised an extensive update for the A424 after the original plan to take the competition by surprise at Le Mans with a low-drag philosophy was buried, at the latest by the two-stage Balance of Performance (BoP).
However, the only prospect of keeping the German would probably be a chance at a Formula 1 cockpit with Alpine. But Flavio Briatore is not a big fan of Mick Schumacher, as he made clear at the Spanish Grand Prix when he refused to even talk about Schumacher.
Objectively speaking, however, a long career in the WEC would probably be the better solution: Mick Schumacher has earned an excellent reputation in endurance racing and, within a very short time at Alpine, has been given the most prestigious tasks – qualifying driver and final driver in races when it matters most.
In Formula 1, on the other hand, his reputation has been tarnished by numerous accidents during his years with Haas, which is why he has repeatedly been passed over for cockpit assignments. However, Mick Schumacher has never made a secret of the fact that endurance racing offers him far less satisfaction than Formula 1.